Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.

Imperfect Reincarnation
Chapter Fifteen

Sailor Moon's scream turned agonizing as the seconds passed, the sound echoing through the park as she struggled to remain standing.

Sailor Venus, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Mars stared at Sailor Moon in surprise, worry, and concern as they wondered what was wrong with her.

Tuxedo Mask watched his soulmate with a frown, upset about the pain she was in but pleased at what was happening, knowing exactly what was going on having been through it himself, and finally understanding why she had been in pain for most of the fight.

Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus looked into the reflective surface of Neptune's Deep Aqua Mirror, at Sailor Moon and the figure of her as Sailor Earth, and watched the light around her figure pulse brightly once more and dim before it disappeared altogether and her eyes snap open.

At that exact moment, as the sun was disappearing from the evening sky, Sailor Moon's tiara shattered, flying away from her forehead, to reveal a glowing deep blue circle with a cross inside it. In the next moment a shockwave pulsed from her body, and spread out in all directions through the air and the ground.

Sailor Moon parted her eyelids, not having realized she had closed them in her pain, and watched as her masked boyfriend moved into her line of sight. His face was calm as he began to step toward her, and before she could try to move toward him her mind began to flash through various images of the Earth Prince.

Her eyes opened wider as the images almost appeared before her eyes and overlaid Tuxedo Mask's walking figure as he moved closer to her, and finally revealed to her mind that there was more than a resemblance; that the two men were identical.

"Endy." She breathed, tears trailing unnoticed down her face, before she finally collapsed from the pain and chaos in her mind.

Blinded by tears and pain she suddenly felt firm arms catch her before she could hit the ground and lift her up off her feet.

"I have you my Serenity." She heard before she blacked out.

Tuxedo Mask looked at his soulmate as he briefly adjusted his hold on her, bringing her closer to his chest, before he looked to the tree line behind the Guardian Scouts. His eyes landed on a specific tree where Uranus and Neptune were, knowing their exact location because of his open connection with the Earth, and gestured with his head for them to come to him.

Instantly Uranus and Neptune leapt down from their hiding place and dashed forward, coming out of the trees behind the four unaware scouts, and jumped to land together in front of their disguised prince.

"Is she okay?" Neptune asked in concern as they looked at Sailor Moon's unconscious form and the glowing Earth symbol on her forehead.

"It is just as my remembering was." Tuxedo Mask said as he looked down at his soulmate. "The difference is that I remained conscious because a part of her had been calling to me, and I had felt the strong urge to follow that call."

Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus grimaced but nodded their understanding.

"I am surprised she remembered without my aid, but I also thought it might happen since she has been remembering here and there." He added.

"Perhaps she was able to regain her memories without aid because the affect the silver crystal had on her was breaking down just as it did with the evil we are facing." Neptune suggested.

"That is a likely possibility." He replied with a nod. "You two go to my place; there is no need to wait outside. I will meet you there." He said firmly in the next moment.

The two scouts nodded firmly and disappeared on the spot, leaving in flashes of navy blue and aqua teal respectively.

Tuxedo Mask turned and began to walk away from the scene with his precious cargo secure in his arms, the Earth quietly assuring him the monster's unconscious victims were fine, and that's when the majority of the remaining scouts seemed to snap out of their surprise at what had just happened and rush forward.

"Hey!" Sailor Mars called out indignantly.

"Where are you going with Sailor Moon?" Sailor Mercury yelled.

"Stop!" Sailor Jupiter shouted at the masked man's retreating back.

Sailor Venus simply frowned and walked forward after her fellow scouts as she watched what was happening.

A transparent golden sphere sprang into existence around Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon just as they reached him; stopping them in their tracks as they slammed into its smooth solid surface.

Tuxedo Mask paused in his steps and decided to leave from there instead of dealing with the Guardian Scouts following after him. No longer needing to hold back now that his soulmate remembered herself he focused on his bedroom and willed himself and his Serenity there.

A pulse of warmth moved through his chest and he and his soulmate disappeared in a flash of golden light.

"What?!" Jupiter cried out in surprise as she blinked her eyes at the golden light. "How did he do that?!" She asked as she looked around just in case he had just moved to a different area but still within their sight.

"Where did he go?" Mars asked with a frown.

"Hold on. Let me check." Mercury said before she pulled out her minicomputer.

As Venus reached them Mercury opened her minicomputer and began to type rapidly as she tried to find Sailor Moon by tracking her energy. Fairly quickly though she realized she could not find her; her energy signature was nowhere to be found.

She quickly switched to try and locate Tuxedo Mask's energy, but just as quickly realized she couldn't find him either, which was strange since she had scanned his energy and had his signature stored in her computer.

"I can't find them!" She cried out in frustration.

Little did she know the disguised Earth Prince had instantly taken measures to conceal his and his soulmate's auras to prevent just such a thing.

oOo

Darien appeared in his bedroom and stepped toward his bed as the golden light disappeared, and gently placed Serena down in the center. It was the first time she had been on his bed, first time she had even been in his bedroom, and while he was eternally glad she remembered her true past he was upset at the pain she had endured. She had looked the way he had felt when he first remembered the past.

At least she fell unconscious and was able to escape the pain as her memories settled. He thought. Although, she is bound to be confused at why she has a second set of memories of a life on the Moon as a guardian scout to the Moon Princess.

He released his transformation with a sigh and soft golden light surrounded him before it cleared to leave him in the casual clothes he had been wearing before his Serenity had started to sense dark energy.

Be calm when you explain what happened to her. Do not let your anger surface Endymion. He reminded himself silently.

He leaned over and caressed the side of her face as he took in the scout outfit she was wearing, knowing this was the last time he would see her as the scout of the Moon and was happy for it. He then kissed the Earth symbol on her forehead. It was still there even in her unconsciousness glowing strongly.

Darien straightened and walked out of his bedroom and moved down the hallway, and saw Uranus and Neptune in his living room; Uranus standing by the side chair furthest from his balcony and Neptune sitting in said chair.

"Serena is still unconscious, but is as comfortable as I could make her given the situation." He said as he sat on the couch.

"Did anything happen after we left you?" Michelle asked, and watched him nod.

"All but Venus tried to stop me from leaving with Serena. Obviously they were not successful." Darien answered.

"What will happen now that Serena remembers the past?" Amara asked.

"I will explain what happened in the past to cause her to have a second set of memories, and, if she is feeling up to it, introduce her to you two as scouts, so you can address the subject of pledging your loyalty to her." He said.

"I see no reason to wait. The Earth has her scout back, and I have no doubt that the next monster that attacks will be faced with her as Sailor Earth. Should she accept your loyalty then you will be joining her in facing that monster." He explained further, and they nodded.

"We can contact Trista and get her to come if Serena is feeling up to the meeting." Michelle suggested, and Amara nodded in agreement.

"I would prefer that." He replied. "I would like to be done and settled before anything can happen with the Guardian Scouts and their princess."

"How do you think Serena will react to them?" Amara asked seriously.

"I am not sure." He answered. "However, I know she only considers Venus to be a friend. It is likely that it will be as it was in the past with her having a friendship with Venus, and not seeing the others unless something brings them to her attention or it is simply in passing."

"And the princess?" Michelle asked.

"They go to different schools so the only way my Serenity will see her is if she is being attacked by a monster or at the cafe we frequent since she is spending more time there with her attraction to me." Darien answered.

"That is actually the only time any of us should see that wench, and as soon as it becomes known who I actually am and she tries to approach me I will let her know exactly what I think of her and will do to her if she does not stay away from me." He elaborated.

Amara and Michelle nodded even as they exchanged a look. That was their prince, their future king, being very strong to the point, and this would likely happen after whatever Serena would say to the princess.

"While we're on the subject will you continue to go out as Tuxedo Mask?" Amara asked.

"I will not. Now that my Serenity remembers I will go out to fight in my royal uniform and armor." He answered. "I only took that guise to appear non-threatening when I first approached her when she was awakened as the scout of the Moon, and so she would not recognize me as Darien."

"That is now no longer necessary, and I will appear and fight as I mean to go on. No more holding back." He added firmly.

oOoIRoOo

"What do we do now?" Sailor Mars asked as she looked from Mercury to Venus and Jupiter and back again.

"I..I don't know." Sailor Mercury said as she closed her minicomputer.

"Why didn't you try to stop him with us?" Sailor Jupiter asked Venus with a frown, turning her attention to something besides trying to find their fellow missing scout.

"Because I was watching Sailor Moon's face before she passed out." Sailor Venus said simply.

She didn't say anything after that, because she thought it was obvious. If they hadn't seen then they were too unobservant of their surroundings.

Something serious and strange was going on, because from what she had seen Serena was not actually Sailor Moon; that had not been a crescent moon glowing on her forehead. If she knew her symbols correctly then it was a symbol for Earth.

Which was surprising because she remembered distinctly asking Artemis if there was a scout of the Earth, and being told a firm 'no'.

Venus had also seen the tears trailing from her eyes; tears that hadn't started, despite her obvious pain, until Tuxedo Mask had come into her line of sight. Either it was a coincidence and the pain had become too much at that exact moment or, more likely, she had realized or remembered who he actually was.

"She looked like she was in pain." Mars said with a frown.

"Yes." Mercury agreed. "I saw something glowing on her forehead after her tiara shattered, but I wasn't able to tell what it was."

Jupiter nodded. "I just saw it shatter." She said, and then added. "Who were those other scouts? Are they guardian scouts too?"

"I don't think so since Luna and Artemis said there are only five of us." Mercury said.

"Guardians or not they're clearly sailor scouts, and they seemed to be familiar with Tuxedo Mask and he with them." Venus said.

"Yeah." Mars agreed. "They had to have known each other already with the way they were talking together."

Venus nodded in agreement. She had also seen him gesture with his head, and then those two scouts had appeared. He had clearly called them to him, and had known exactly where they were before that without having to look around.

How long were those two scouts here? She wondered with a frown as she looked to the tree line they had come from.

She didn't like the thought that they could have been, likely were, here for possibly the entire fight, because that meant she was either extremely unaware of her surroundings despite her training or they were just that good.

"We need to have a meeting with everyone present to discuss these developments," She said seriously. "and figure out what to do next."

Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter agreed with firm nods.

"We can have it at my place." Mars said immediately.

"I'll contact Luna, Artemis, and our princess." Mercury said.

With that decided they all took off running for the Cherry Hill Temple that Mars' family called home.

oOoIRoOo

Sailor Pluto could not have been more pleased at what was happening. She had been doing her duty, keeping an eye on the timelines, when she had sensed a shockwave that felt earthy for lack of a better word.

She had immediately tuned in to what was happening in what she considered 'her timeline', and saw Sailor Earth's awakening. She was definitely pleased that Sailor Earth was officially back.

She watched as Prince Endymion began to leave with Sailor Earth, and three of the guardian scouts try to stop him. The golden barrier was a surprise, and she wondered if he had done that consciously or if his powers had acted on their own.

He teleported and she followed his progress as he went to his home and made Sailor Earth comfortable before speaking to Uranus and Neptune. Once she understood that she would be called to speak to Sailor Earth when she was ready she decided to look in on the Guardian Scouts and their princess to see what was happening with them while she was waiting for said call.

She focused on the temple home of the scout of Mars and watched as the Guardian Scouts, the Moon Princess, and the two feline advisors gathered together in a room and settled around a rectangular floor table.

Pluto then listened closely as the Guardian Scouts began to inform the princess and felines of what had transpired.

oOoIRoOo

Meanwhile, back in the apartment of the Prince of the Earth, in Darien's bedroom Serena, still transformed as the scout of the Moon with the Earth's secondary symbol glowing on her forehead, lay unconscious on his bed; her body still, but her eyelids rapidly fluttering as she remembered both of her lives as Sailor Moon and Sailor Earth.


Six year old Serenity calmly played in a garden that belonged to the royal palace by herself. She liked the garden since there was a lot of room to run around, and she could see the pretty palace up close. She was by herself since no one seemed to want to play with her, but she didn't let that stop her from enjoying herself.

Suddenly she looked up, and blinked at a boy with gold eyes and a clear yet gold circle around him. He held out his hand to her and she innocently took it as she stood, happy that someone wanted to play with her.

She looked at the pretty blue mark glowing on his forehead, and barely noticed the clear gold circle move to include her as she stared into the eyes of the boy holding her hand.

She smiled and was happy when he smiled too.

"I am Endymion. What is your name?" The boy asked.

"Serenity." She replied with a bright smile, which he returned.

"Come play with me." He said as he tightened his grip on her hand.

Serenity nodded and followed as he led her to another garden away from the other kids.

oOo

Serenity stood still with her eyes closed, her sword hanging from her hand at her side, listening to the relaxing sounds of nature around her as she stood in the middle of a forest. She was dressed casually in a pair of light brown breeches, a loose long sleeve dark green blouse, and tall brown boots.

Considering she was alone she didn't have to worry about anyone seeing her dressed so casually. If she wasn't transformed or dressed presentably the only ones seeing her were Endymion and the boys, and she was completely comfortable with them so it didn't matter.

At the sound of a chirping bird she brought up her sword sharply, her eyes opening to see the sun glinting off the silver sheen of her long blade.

She twisted to her left, spinning around, and slashed down at an imaginary opponent before she spun back around, the heavy stream of her high ponytail swirling, and slashed then stabbed at another imaginary opponent.

She leapt sideways as she imagined breaking away from the two opponents and spun around a tree and put her back to it, her sword held in her hands with the blade point facing up toward the sky, before she jumped forward and away from the tree.

Turning around Serenity imagined the two opponents coming around the tree and rushing toward her. She blocked imaginary swords and sidestepped punches and kicks, and dodged around spaced apart trees and flipped over bushes as she battled her persistent imaginary opponents.

oOo

Eight year old Serenity smiled at the sight of her friends as they all took a break from their studies. They were gathered in one of the private royal gardens and enjoying the sunlight and fresh air.

Jedite and Zoycite were lying in the grass, Neflite was sitting next to a hedge plucking at the grass, Malachite was standing leaning against the hedge wall near the entrance to the garden, and Endymion was seated in the grass next to a rose bush not far from her.

She turned and knelt down to smell a pretty purple flower but heard a gasp from one of the boys. She turned around and blinked in surprise to see Endymion stand nearly right next to her. She stood up and looked into his gold eyes, and watched as he stared right back at her before tilting his head to the side. In the next moment he gestured with his hand and held it out to her.

She looked down to a pretty white stick in his hand. It had gold balls on it and a blue and green ball on top of it with the same symbol that had glowed on her forehead when she first met Endymion on top of that in gold.

Serenity grabbed the stick to take a better look, and gasped as she watched it glow a bright blue green. Before she could do or say anything the glowing light spread to her hand and began to move up her arm and spread until her entire body was glowing.

She looked back to Endymion, his eyes still gold as he gazed right back at her. He nodded to her firmly before he took a few steps back and stopped yet continued to stare at her.

She looked back down to the white stick in her hand, seeing the brightly glowing blue green light around her, and before she could ask any questions she suddenly knew what she had to do.

"Earth Planet Power!" Serenity said firmly, and squinted her eyes as the light flared around her, and brightened until she couldn't see anything around except the blue green light.

When it cleared she gasped to see she was dressed as a sailor scout.

She had on a white bodysuit and a white skirt that had green and blue at the ends, a white collar with a green stripe, and a green bow on her chest. A dark blue belt connected to a matching bow on her lower back with ribbons that trailed pass her knees, and white gloves covered her hands with golden bands around her wrists.

There were tall green boots on her feet that nearly reached her knees, and a white cape hung from her shoulders down to the ground.

She looked at Malachite, Neflite, Jedite, and Zoycite and saw that they were all shocked and surprised. Then she looked to Endymion to see him smiling widely at her.

oOo

Eight year old Serenity sat on a swing moving back and forth, pumping her legs, and enjoying the air moving through her loose hair.

She was in a play area with a number of other kids, but she was the only one currently enjoying the swing set.

As she moved back and forth she began to see a group of adults coming to the play area. Many were dressed in uniforms and armor, but one was not and she knew who it was instantly. Everyone on the planet knew who she was, especially with her hair style.

The Queen of the Moon.

Many of the other kids stopped playing and moved in her direction as she and the other adults stopped next to the play area, but she continued to swing since she wanted to continue feeling the air rushing through her hair.

The Queen moved around to each kid, speaking to them and being nice, and Serenity saw that she was making her way toward her. She swung herself back and forth high a few more times before she slowed herself to a stop just as the tall pretty lady reached her.

"What is your name little one?" The Queen asked gently.

"I am Serenity." She answered as she looked up to the lady from her seat on the swing.

The Queen smiled and nodded as if she had given the right answer instead of only her name.

"You are the one." She said gently yet firmly.

"The one?" Serenity repeated in confusion.

"Yes. The one who will be the scout of the Moon." The Queen said.

oOo

Twelve year old Serenity knelt on the white shiny marble floor of the throne room of the Moon Palace with four other girls her age.

They had all been called away from their training and studies into the presence of the Queen, and now they silently waited to learn why.

"I am sure you girls are curious of why you have been brought before me." The Queen said gently in her usual calm tone. "After four years of training I believe you are ready to become the scouts you were chosen to be."

Serenity's eyes widened and she watched her Queen step forward and hand each of them an item. As soon as the first girl touched the item it glowed a vibrant bright blue before the glowing light spread around her. The girl next to her touched the item and it glowed a vibrant bright orange before it spread and surrounded her.

She accepted hers to see that it was different from the other girls. While they had gold pens with their planet's dominant color and planetary symbol on it she had a round golden brooch.

It had a large crescent moon on its face with a large pink gem above the crescent moon, and four tiny gems on the edge of each side. Red on the top, blue on the bottom, green on the left, and orange on the right side.

Immediately at her touch it began to glow a vibrant bright pink before the light spread to surround her until she and the brooch were glowing.

The girl to her left touched her pen and it glowed a vibrant bright red before it spread and surrounded her, and the last girl touched her pen and it glowed a vibrant bright green before the light spread and surrounded her.

"These are your transformation items. They will allow you to become sailor scouts, and enable you to perform your guardian duties when the time comes." The Queen explained.

Serenity looked at her Queen wondering what to do. How were they supposed to use these items to transform? Before she could look around to see if the others were also unaware she suddenly knew what to do as if the information had been slipped into her mind.

She stood up and looked at the brooch in her before she held it out in front of her.

"Moon Prism Power!" She said seriously, and squinted her eyes as the light surrounding her and the brooch flared until she couldn't see.

"Venus Power!"

"Mars Power!"

"Jupiter Power!"

"Mercury Power!"

Serenity heard the other girls' voices calling out their phrase before she focused on the feel of her transformation. She felt the sensation of ribbons wrapping around her before snug fabric took their place.

When the light cleared she looked down at herself and saw that she was wearing a sailor uniform.

She wore a white bodysuit with a blue collar and matching miniskirt, white shoulder pads, long white gloves with red borders, red knee-high boots, and red bows on her chest and lower back. On the bow on her chest sat the heavy brooch she had been given.

She looked to the others and saw that they had a tiara on their forehead, earrings in their ears, and a choker around their neck, and felt that she had the same. Lifting her hand to touch the items she felt that her earrings were dangling and that there was something on her choker.

oOo

Sailor Moon knelt on the floor in the throne room of the Moon Palace having been summoned by her Queen.

"I am sorry to have you see me here. However, the details of what I am about to tell you are not what I wish your fellow scouts or my daughter to know at this time." The Queen said.

Sailor Moon looked up to where the Queen stood in front of her, and couldn't help wondering what she was going to tell her that she didn't want her fellow scouts or even her own daughter to know.

"You are one of my daughter's guardian scouts, however, I have another duty specifically for you, and it is the reason why you were asked to style your hair as mine and my daughter's are." The Queen said, and she listened even closer, having always wanted to know why she had to share their hair style when it was only for the royalty of the Moon.

"Because you share a resemblance to my daughter you will be her protective double." She stated clearly.

"Double?" Sailor Moon said in slight confusion. She knew what the word meant, but didn't understand the meaning in this context.

"Yes. You will take on her identity should she be in danger of being kidnapped." The Queen elaborated, and her eyes widened as she understood her new duty. "In order to do this you will begin a new training regime with me in order to learn to be Princess Selene."

"You will practice dressing as her, moving as her, speaking as her, and learn the same knowledge she has learned in order to accurately portray her in any given situation." She explained.

"I understand." Sailor Moon said seriously, suppressing her surprise at all she needed to learn to perform her new duty.

"I have something for you that will help you with your duty." The Queen said.

Sailor Moon watched from where she knelt as her Queen gestured lightly with her hand. A bright pink pen appeared, and she walked forward and handed it to her. She grasped it in her gloved hand and saw that it had a gold ring around the middle, and at the top was a gold crown with a large red gem seated inside it.

"That is your disguise pen. It will change your appearance to that of any being you wish to be." The Queen informed her.

"I will be able to ask it to change me into Princess Selene and it will?" Sailor Moon asked, wanting to be absolutely sure.

"Yes." The Queen confirmed.

oOo

Serenity and Endymion walked side by side; he in his royal uniform, armor, and sword, and she transformed into her scout uniform.

She glanced to him before looking back to their path. He had brought her there without an explanation, and she hadn't cared to ask since she hadn't been busy, but she was still curious. Were they going somewhere specific or were they simply enjoying each other's company?

She shrugged internally and decided to simply follow her prince as she was and enjoy the view around them.

After a while they reached a wide forest meadow. It was beautiful with tall and wide trees almost circling them with lush canopies that allowed the sun to trickle through creating the effect of warm sun streams. The grass was vibrant and just as lush with blue and purple wild flowers everywhere.

Endymion led her to the center and stopped before he turned and faced her. She stared at him curiously as he looked at her as if he was trying to memorize her face, which was ridiculous since he had highly likely already done so years ago.

"I brought you here so we would not be interrupted." He eventually said, and she tilted her head slightly to the side in further curiosity.

"We have known each other for eleven years now, and have known what we are to each other for just as long. We have grown together. Grown in mind, in body, and in power. We have gained the respect and admiration of our people as individuals, and we have gained respect and admiration from each other." He continued, and she listened closely.

"We have played together, we have studied together, we have trained together, and we have fought together." He said, and she watched his eyes begin to glow with his power. "We have shared our lives together all these years, in nearly every way possible, and I wish for such to continue."

"I wish to share my life with you in all ways possible." He said, and with his words a protective golden transparent sphere sprang up around them that had Serenity looking around at it in surprise.

"My Serenity, my lady, my little scout, my soulmate, my love, will you do me the greatest honor of my life and consent to be my wife? To be my future Princess? To be my future Queen?" Endymion asked sincerely.

"Yes." Serenity breathed out, the strength of her emotion nearly squeezing her throat closed. "Yes. A hundred, a thousand times, yes!" She said louder, happiness flowing through her.

Endymion picked her up and kissed her, just as happy and just as intent on expressing it.

Loud clapping echoed through the clearing and she broke the kiss and looked to see Zoycite, Neflite, Malachite, and Jedite walking out from behind trees at their side and cheering and congratulating them.

Endymion put Serenity down and she smiled widely up at him before smiling at their friends.

"I am getting married! I am getting married!" She cried out happily as she jumped up and down in her excitement.

She ran around to each guy, hugging him and shaking his arms and laughing happily, before she ran back to Endymion. She jumped into his arms, and he swung her around laughing with her.

oOo

Sailor Moon sat at the end of a bench in the garden reading a book she had started early a few days before, but had to put on hold because of the royal luncheon and her duty to guard her Princess. Now she was immersed in it as she allowed her body to relax knowing she was free of her guard duty for the day.

"Hello." She heard a masculine voice and looked up only to blink in surprise at the sight of who was approaching her; for there was no mistaking him, especially not after what happened at the royal luncheon.

The Prince of the Earth.

She closed her book with her finger in between to not lose her page and began to get up, but he waved his hand at her casually and she stopped.

"Hi." She said quietly, watching him as she relaxed back in her seat.

"I am Endymion." The royal heir said.

"I am Sailor Moon." She replied shyly, hardly believing the Prince of the Earth was speaking to her.

"That cannot be the name you were given at birth." Prince Endymion said with a slight tilt of his head.

"No it is not, but sailor scouts do not usually give their birth name to those we do not know." She replied calmly, not willing to change that fact even for the prince at that moment.

"Then it is a good thing I plan to get to know you." He said, and she blushed even as confusion filled her being.

"Are you not looking for Princess Selene?" Sailor Moon asked, not understanding why he was speaking to her of all people.

"I am not. I have come to see you." He answered very clearly.

"Why?" She asked as she looked up to him. She was not a royal, so why?

"Because I wish to get to know you. You could not have missed my looks in your direction at the luncheon days ago." The Prince said.

"I did not, but I did not want to make any assumptions. You are a prince after all, and I am simply a soldier." Sailor Moon said, and she watched him shake his head gently.

"I am a man, and you are a woman. That is all that matters." He replied gently, and she could hear the sincerity in his voice.

oOo

Serenity sniffled as she sat up in her bed inside the stone cabin-like room she was currently living in. She was tired and tired of being in bed, but knew it was best to get her rest so she could be prepared to train when she felt better.

Suddenly she brought her hands up to cover her mouth, and sneezed. Instead of a little spray of snot or spit a blast of water blew her hands away from her nose and mouth, and wet the covers on the bed in front of her and even reached the floor beyond.

She cried out in surprise and looked to her Endymion, sitting in a chair at her bedside, to see him staring at her in shock before he burst into laughter.

"It is not funny!" She said as she sniffled, and wiped her hands on a dry part of her blanket since the majority was already wet.

"It is." Endymion said in amusement. "Finding you nearly surrounded by fire was not, but this certainly is." He said, and then paused. "What if the next time you sneeze fire?" He asked with a frown.

Serenity sighed tiredly. "I can apparently use the earth's elements. What if the next time I sneeze dirt?!" She countered.

Endymion stared at her, and then burst into laughter; throwing his head back in his amusement.

"It is not funny!" She cried out.

oOo

Sailor Moon stood in her bedroom accompanied by the Queen of the Moon with the door to the room locked and the door connecting to her sitting room locked as well. The entire room furthermore sealed with the power of the silver crystal.

In her gloved hand she held the bright pink disguise pen as she prepared to continue her training in the event she needed to assume her princess' identity.

The pen had been given to her by her Queen when she had first been informed of her role as her princess' specific protection. Its purpose was so she could change her appearance to that of her princess, having been told that should it become necessary she wouldn't very well have the time to go physically change into the unique gown.

Although, she had an actual copy of her gown, shoes, and accompanying accessories to physically change into if she had the time when it became necessary. After all, this was not her first time practicing being her princess.

Princess Selene and her fellow Guardian Scouts knew she was their princess' specific protection, but her fellow scouts didn't know exactly what that meant and her princess certainly didn't know nor did she care.

Which was a good thing considering what she had to do. Princess Selene didn't need to be angry and jealous of her. Not that her attitude at the discovery would prevent her from doing her duty.

"Moon power, turn me into the Princess Selene!" Sailor Moon said firmly as she held the pen up in front of her.

Bright pinkish white light flared from the top of the pen and surrounded her. A few long moments passed before the light disappeared, and revealed her changed figure. She moved toward the tall mirror that had been brought out for this purpose and examined her reflection critically.

Her hair was the same style as it was supposed to be, but the color had changed to moonlight. She wore an exact copy of the beautiful unique silk white gown with the intricately decorated and fitted bust; complete with the large sheer bow at her back with ribbons that trailed down her gown.

Just off her shoulders were the matching decorative puffs, she had seen so many times on her princess, that matched and lined up with the bust of the gown, and white high heel shoes sat perfectly on her feet.

Dangling gold earrings sat in her ears, and a string of pearls wrapped around her wrist. However, much more importantly, was the golden crescent moon on her forehead that was perfectly framed by her bangs.

Sailor Moon thought she looked nearly identical to her princess. The only difference was the shade of her eyes and the shape of her face. Neither of which would be noticed unless someone had memorized Princess Selene's features.

She turned and looked to her Queen, who nodded as she carefully took in her appearance.

"Very good." Her Queen said. "Let us practice your walk and gestures before we move into speech."

Sailor Moon nodded firmly before she focused her mind and began to step forward and walk in the cadence she knew Princess Selene moved in.

oOo

Serenity opened her eyes slowly in the slightly dark room around her. She blinked to further wake herself and stretched, realizing in that moment that she had been using her Endymion as a pillow as they slept during the night.

She looked toward the balcony and saw that it was clearly early morning; that time just before it became light out. Sighing she shifted her leg lightly on top of his legs and nuzzled her face gently against his bare chest as her arm rested across his stomach.

She looked back toward the balcony and considered what she would soon be doing. She would refresh herself, dress comfortably, and transform before starting her day with breakfast and a morning patrol through the surrounding city to visually make sure all was still well with the new day.

It was nearly the same routine she performed every morning, and just like every morning she did not wish to rise from their bed; she did not wish to leave her Endymion. However, she knew she would. It was a habit to start her day as soon as she woke, and to leave him to his rest until he awakened.

Suddenly she shivered as she felt firm fingers run through her loose hair, and she shifted her head back to look up and saw her prince blinking sleepily back at her.

"Good morning Endy." Serenity said softly.

"Good morning love." Endymion replied just as softly.

oOo

Sailor Moon smiled at the masked prince at her side as they walked along the edges of the large masquerade ball. He looked dashing and mysterious dressed in a full black tuxedo, a white mask framing his eyes, and his customary black and red cape.

She looked away from his face and glanced down to the arm he had insisted she take for their walk before she looked around. She saw happy masked people smiling and laughing as they enjoyed the ball, but then she began to see the faces of some of her fellow scouts. They were frowning in her direction, and it brought her happy mood back down to reality.

"Whatever is the matter my lady?" Prince Endymion asked and she looked up to him to see him frowning slightly.

"I am concerned over how much time I am spending with you instead of doing my duty." She said worriedly as they stopped walking. "Instead of watching over my princess as I should I am enjoying my evening with you. It is not right; it is especially not right for me to disregard my duty to my princess in her own home."

"You should not concern yourself my lady. I have permission from the Queen to spend time with you." He said seriously. "Time with you on the Moon and at any and every other function you happen to be at."

"I am courting you, and I wish to spend time with you. The princess has four other scouts to watch over her." He stated outright.

"Really?" Sailor Moon said in quiet disbelief. He had actually put it out there; stated the word for his actions and behavior toward her. He was courting her, and apparently her Queen knew and was fine with it!

"Truly." Prince Endymion said intensely; his tone conveying his understanding of her unspoken thoughts and feelings. "Look to the Queen; see for yourself my lady."

Sailor Moon turned her head and began to search the room until he helpfully pointed her out. She was standing with some of her guests but she was looking in their direction, and when their eyes met she received an encouraging nod and a gentle smile from the royal woman.

"You see?" Prince Endymion said, bringing her attention back to him. "Now! No more worries my lady. I wish for you to continue enjoying yourself. I wish to see you smile again."

"And how shall you achieve that your highness?" Sailor Moon asked, even as a smile played at the edges of her mouth.

"The only way I can in present company." He replied with a smile, and she blushed at his meaning. "Will you do me the honor of dancing with me my lady?" He asked sincerely.

"Yes of course." She answered softly.

Prince Endymion led her onto the dance floor and easily got them into position and moving with the flow of dancers and music. They glided across the shiny marble floor, and he twirled her so elegantly and effortlessly that she couldn't help smiling brightly.

oOo

Twelve year old Serenity stood leaning against the railing of the paddock where the horses roamed. They were all nice looking, but none of them was the right one.

She held in a sigh. There were dozens and dozens of them, but none of them called to her in any way. She turned and walked back inside the stables knowing there were more to choose from. The young man who would be attending her horse silently following.

When she reached the stables she heard the loud sound of a distressed horse, and when she turned the corner she saw a horse rearing up as a man held the reins.

She ran forward and grasped the halter around the horse's head tightly and held it down, looking into its light brown eye, as she whispered to it and stroked it to calm it. It pranced around aggressively at first, but gradually slowed to a stop.

When it was calm she finally got a good look at the horse. It was all white except for its lower legs. They were black. She looked back into its eye, and somehow knew she was a female. She was beautiful and perfect.

"This is the one." She said firmly as she looked to the young man who would attend her horse.

"We are going to be great friends are we not?" She said as she looked back into the horse's eye and stroked her warm coat.

"How do you like the name Agrippina?" Serenity asked her softly.

oOo

Sailor Moon blocked a high kick from Sailor Jupiter that was coming at her head as they sparred in one of the training grounds behind the Moon Palace with their fellow scouts watching from the sidelines.

She pushed her foot away before she spun into a back kick, but Jupiter back flipped over her leg and landed lightly and came rushing at her. She quickly shifted her feet and kicked out sideways at her fellow scout.

Jupiter blocked the blow and went to punch her, but Sailor Moon allowed herself to fall down to the ground in order to avoid the blow since she wasn't in a position to block or dodge it. Then she swiped her leg toward Jupiter's lower legs intending to knock her on her back.

She struck quickly and Jupiter fell back with a startled cry. She got to her feet and went to stomp her booted foot down on Jupiter's chest, but she rolled away and got to her feet.

They stared at each other for a few long moments before they rushed toward each other; intent on winning this round.

oOo

Fifteen year old Serenity stood in the study of the Queen of the Earth next to a large window.

"I wish to learn to play a musical instrument." She said as she looked out the window.

"Why do you wish for such now when you have not shown an interest in all these years?" The Queen asked curiously.

"I need some type of balance in my life to go with my scout training that can help relax me." Serenity answered as she looked away from the view and to the Queen. "Reading for pleasure is well and good. It can distract my mind, but it cannot relax me, and that is what I need."

"And which instrument do you wish to learn?" The Queen asked.

"I am not sure." Serenity replied with a small frown. "I have not heard too many instruments, but of the ones that I have I enjoyed the piano best of them."

"Then we shall start you on piano lessons and see if you enjoy it." The Queen stated. "If you do not enjoy it then we shall try another instrument."

"Thank you." Serenity said with a smile.

oOo

It was a warm night as Sailor Earth stood on a balcony with a slightly cool breeze pushing at her long hair and cape and fluttering her skirt against her thighs. Everything was so quiet and peaceful. She breathed in the fresh air as she looked out over the city. She looked up to the dark spotted sky gazing at the stars blanketing the sky as far as the eye could see.

Everything was so peaceful. It was a constant reminder that her prince was at peace since his connection to the Earth was such that his emotions effected the weather and the planet itself.

Suddenly firm warm arms slipped around her waist and a firm chest pressed against her back.

"Come to bed love." A deep voice said from above her head, despite the fact that she was wearing high heel boots. "All is well tonight. There is no need to keep watch."

She turned around in the circle of those arms and looked up to her prince; her Endymion. Her eyes drifted down and saw that he only wore a pair of sleep pants; his upper body and feet were bare.

"I know." She said lightly as she looked back up to him. "I just love the view, and the twinkling stars."

"The same view will be there tomorrow, and you will be able to enjoy the sunlight shinning down over everything and the bright blue sky stretching out to the horizon." He said quietly, and she smiled.

"Also a great view." She agreed.

"Then you will come to bed now, so you will be rested enough to be up to enjoy that view." Endymion said as he tightened his arms slightly.

"Yes." She agreed with a light laugh.

Endymion smirked and led her back inside and toward the bed. Once there he turned and went to close the balcony doors and put out the lights. Serenity watched him for a moment before she took a deep breath and released her transformation in a brief soft blue green glow. When it cleared she stood in a shirt that was clearly too large and a pair of short breeches that reached just pass her knees.

"I always enjoy it when you wear my clothes." She heard Endymion say as she slipped out of her breeches, and looked up to see him climbing under the covers.

"Of course you do." Serenity said as she sat on the bed and slipped under the covers with him. "You are lucky they are so comfortable or I would not wear them."

Endymion laughed as he turned and wrapped his arm around her waist as they lay down and settled into the bed. He pressed himself against her as she turned on her side and nuzzled his face against her soft hair.

"Goodnight love. See you in the morning." He said as he tightened his hold on her and kissed her cheek.

"Goodnight my Endy." Serenity said softly as she rested her hand on his as he held her. She sighed softly and closed her eyes as she enjoyed the warmth her prince was producing.

oOo

Sailor Moon looked up at the inky dark purple sky void of stars, large narrow glowing eyes, and a reddish purple diamond shaped object centered above the eyes. A red slit appeared where a mouth would be and a light began to glow ominously inside.

Her heart raced in her chest, but she held her ground in front of her princess; fully prepared to do her duty in order to keep her safe. A thick beam of light suddenly shot out of the red slit and she tensed.

However she suddenly went flying forward with a surprised cry as she was pushed hard, and caught herself on the thick marble railing. She looked back just in time to see the Prince of the Earth collapse to the floor and blood instantly began to appear from beneath him.

"Endymion!" She cried out and hurried toward him, quickly dropping to her knees at his side as she placed a hand on his shoulder and grabbed his hand with the other.

"Why?! Why did you do this?" She asked, angry and sad. "It is my duty to protect my princess!"

"No. It is not your duty and never has been." Endymion said weakly. "You were never supposed to be Sailor Moon. Your destiny was taken from you."

"I do not understand." Sailor Moon said in confusion.

This man had just saved her life, taking a clearly mortal wound for her, and it was clear from his words that he did it for her and not her princess. She had already admitted to herself that she loved him, but seeing him so hurt and knowing he was dying shattered something deep inside her.

They heard a scream and she looked up to see her princess being attacked by an earth soldier. She moved to get up but looked back to Endymion as she felt him squeeze her hand.

Sailor Moon looked frantically between Endymion and her barely struggling princess. She knew she needed to protect her, but her body was already settling back at his side and it made her abruptly aware that his life was more important to her then her princess' was.

"I do not want you to die. You cannot die. I love you too much for you to leave me." She said sadly as she gently ran her fingers through his hair.

"I love you as well my Serenity. I will find you again, and you will remember what we had." He said quietly.

Sailor Moon watched as his eyes closed and the hand she held went limp. Tears, already trailing down her face, came harder, and she looked over to see her princess collapse to the ground and the soldier holding a bloodied sword before he began to head toward her.

She blinked and stared at him for a moment before her eyes went back to Endymion. Her eyes moved from his blank face down to his sword, and she acted before she could even think.

She pulled his sword in a swift movement, heavy as it was, but she had no problem handling it as she stood and parried the sword that had been coming at her. She brought the sword down, slashing the man from his shoulder down across his chest before she swiftly shoved the blade through his chest.

She pulled it out and kicked the man away from her and stood there silently. Her eyes shifted from the body of the soldier, to her princess, to the man she loved before she gazed at the sword she held.

Sailor Moon couldn't believe she had just killed that man with a sword. She had never used a sword before, but she had no problem just now. It was as if she had been using one for years.

She didn't understand it, but she figured it was part of what Endymion had meant when he said she wasn't supposed to be Sailor Moon, that her destiny had been taken from her, and that she would remember when he found her again.

Not to mention, despite her grief, she hadn't missed the fact that he had used her name. She had never told him her birth name. She had actually forgotten about it since everyone always called her Sailor Moon. He never mentioned it after their first meeting, and he never called her Sailor Moon; he always addressed her as 'my lady'.

She screamed suddenly in acute pain as a force hit her in the back. She collapsed to her knees, the sword she still held holding her up, and looked painfully over her shoulder to see the floating woman looking at her in triumph.

That is right. She wanted to kill me as well so she could have Endymion. She recalled, though she guessed the woman didn't care that he was now dead.

Sailor Moon glanced to Endymion and from the pain she was in and the weakness she was beginning to feel she believed she had been hit with the same thing he had been hit with, and she was likely dying as well.

If that is the case I am not going alone! She thought in pained anger. That woman had taken the man she loved, and she was going to take her with her into death as her last act.

She struggled to her feet and turned around before she launched the sword at the woman with all the strength she had left before she collapsed onto her hands and knees. She watched the sword flip end over end before the blade sank into the woman's chest. The woman screamed and began to sink down toward the ground and out of view.

Sailor Moon moved over and collapsed onto Endymion, her head coming to rest on his chest as her arm flopped across his stomach. She sighed tiredly and closed her eyes, the sounds of fighting fading from her ears.

I hope Endymion and I will be born on the same planet next time.


Serena's eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly, her eyes flickering all around in confusion, feeling disoriented, but calmed down some as she began to register her surroundings. She had never been in Darien's bedroom, but she recognized the color of the walls, the balcony, and type of furniture as belonging to his apartment.

The next thing she noted was that she was alone, but the door was open and there was light coming down the hallway.

Darien's bedroom. She thought as her body began to relax, but then she tensed up. Darien is the Earth Prince; Prince Endymion; my Endymion.

"I love you as well my Serenity. I will find you again, and you will remember what we had." He said quietly.

Sailor Moon watched as his eyes closed and the hand she held went limp.

She remembered feeling something shattering deep inside her, and she screamed as she was finally able to react properly to the death of her soulmate.

oOo

Darien, Amara, and Michelle were still in the living room talking, but at the sound of the scream all talking abruptly stopped and he rushed to his room while they remained behind wide eyed.

The sound was full of agonizing pain; different then what had rendered her unconscious. This was full of sorrow, despair, grief, and heartbreak.

Michelle brought a hand up to cover her mouth, her eyes tearing up at the emotional pain that was so clear in that scream.

Amara put a comforting hand on her shoulder as they listened to Serena's scream trail off. She couldn't imagine what had caused that heartbreaking sound. Maybe it was as simple as being a combination of things she remembered, and the reaction just burst from her.

Michelle and Amara shared a sad look before looking toward the hallway where Darien had run, and hoped that Serena would be okay.

oOo

Darien slammed into the door jam to stop himself and grimaced in pain to see his Serenity hugging herself, her eyes closed, as tears leaked from her closed lids. He pushed away from the doorway and immediately went to her and wrapped her in his arms.

"I am here. I have you." He said as he held her tightly.

"Endy." Serena said, blinking away tears as she looked up at him. "You died." She said heartbreakingly as she wrapped her arms tightly around him. "You died. You died, and I couldn't, I wasn't, able to react properly to it."

"You died. You died. My soulmate died right in front of me!" She said through her tears before she closed her eyes, and pressed her face against his chest. "You should not have died!"

"I know. You are right." Darien said gently as he held her. "I should not have died, however, I am here now."

"Endy." She said through her tears as she held him tighter.

"I am here." He replied soothingly. "We are together. Never again will we be parted in such a fashion my love." He added reassuringly.

Minutes passed as the couple held each other, Darien comforting and reassuring Serena as she cried at the belated loss that should not have happened in the first place.

Eventually Serena's tears gradually slowed to a stop and she quieted as she relaxed in the arms of her soulmate. As she calmed from grieving over her soulmate her other memories began to come to her attention and she began to think about them.

She was confused because she had two sets of memories, and she knew one set was not supposed to exist. She was Serenity, Sailor Earth. Sailor Moon had never existed, so why had she been a nonexistent scout?

She also knew it was real since she remembered living it. How did that happen? She didn't remember dying as Sailor Earth, so she couldn't have been reborn on the Moon. Plus, everyone was the same as they had been during her life as Sailor Earth.

Or was it truly not real and everything she recalled as Sailor Moon was a lie?

"What happened?" Serena asked in confusion without moving from her soulmate's chest. "Why was I turned into Sailor Moon and believed myself to be a guardian to the Moon Princess?"

"It is a long tale my Serenity." Darien said before he calmly began to explain what happened in the past with the princess using her connection to the silver crystal to change reality to her benefit, and all the consequences that resulted.

Serena listened in disbelief as her Endymion told her about waking up in the morning unable to find her and quickly discovering that no one knew who she was, had never met her, that the position of Sailor Earth didn't exit, that he had never been engaged, and that no one knew about his golden crystal.

About the roller coaster of emotions he had ridden over and over again at being separated from her and unable to find her, never mind discovering that he was generally thought of as a playboy, knowing that she was alive being the only thing that kept him alive, and eventually discovering her on the Moon as a fifth guardian to the Moon Princess.

Learning from the Moon Queen about what actually happened, the extent of it, and why it had happened in the first place.

Not only had Serena literally been stolen from the arms of her soulmate, they had never been able to get married. She had been turned into a weak scout that had never existed, made into the specific protection of the one that had done it, been stolen from her home and her destiny, her existence wiped away from the two people she had thought of as parents and from the four guys she had seen as close friends and comrades, brothers, and forever searing in her mind the memory of the man she loved being killed and dying in front of her.

Tears started streaming from her eyes again and she cried deeply and for a long time in Darien's arms. Then she started to become angry with an anger that grew the more she thought of all that she had missed, what had been taken from her, and what she had lost in terms of both memories and time from her life on the Earth.

An anger that she knew would last a long time.

As her tears began to dry on her face it occurred to Serena that she was still transformed as Sailor Moon. She pulled away from Darien and quickly released the transformation in a bright pink light that left her in her school uniform.

She immediately reached up and released her hair from the buns she had been wearing and shook her hair loose. Then she snatched the brooch off the bow on her chest, and was about to launch it as far away from her as possible when Darien grabbed her wrist.

"Let's not do that." He said calmly. "Your anger is understandable, but the last thing we need is for that brooch to go through a few walls and into someone else's apartment."

Serena nodded and relaxed and, without thinking about it, put it in the subspace pocket she hadn't used since the last time she had transformed into Sailor Earth back in the Silver Millennium.

"You are right. I will hold onto it for now, and give it back to the one who gave it to me." She said seriously. "I certainly do not need it, and I definitely do not want it!"

"Yes." Darien agreed. "That is definitely the right choice. Besides, you have something better."

Serena smiled, thinking of the transformation stick that would turn her into the scout she truly was. Then she sighed heavily.

"This is a lot to adjust to. So much so I do not even know how I feel beyond sadness and anger." She said as she shook her head lightly. "At least the memories I was recalling make sense now. Some people were in both sets of memories, because it was the same lifetime and not two different lifetimes."

"And you are not twins." Darien said, and she blushed.

"True." She agreed. "That also means you were not cheating on me with myself." She said, and then sighed. "Why is it that I did not know you were the prince? It is clear as day."

"I believe you did know, but your mind did not want to let you make the connection and believe it while your memories were..in flux so to speak." He said, and she nodded.

"Like with the memories I dreamed of." Serena said thoughtfully. "Every time I dreamed of a memory there would be another part that I could not remember once I woke up that left me feeling incredibly sad; like I was grieving." She elaborated when he looked at her questioningly.

"I now know it was your death I was dreaming of, remembering, again and again." She said, and he grimaced.

"I am sorry you had to experience that so frequently. Once was more than enough as far as I am concerned." He said, and grimaced again as he remembered the pain of the attack before he shook the memory away.

"Give yourself time for your memories and feelings to settle." He advised. "I felt many things when I first remembered, but I made you my focus. In fact, I will give you something else to focus on."

Darien then proceeded to tell her about Amara and Michelle being Sailor's Uranus and Neptune, and how they had given them, her particularly, their loyalty. He added how Sailor Pluto had done the same, but that although he had accepted their pledge he had made it clear to them that they would have to speak to her about it since if she accepted they would be her Scouts.

"When did this occur?" Serena asked in surprise.

"After the fight at the school with the monster that used sharp paper, and could turn its hand into an axe." He answered, and she nodded, remembering that one; before Venus and Jupiter came along.

"I saw Neptune and Uranus following me after I parted from you, so I led them to the park where I train, and Pluto showed up moments later and that is when they explained what they wanted." He added.

Serena nodded as she considered this development instead of the chaos and emotion of her returned memories.

"Amara and Michelle are in the living room right now. If you feel up to it you can hear them out and speak to them." Darien said.

Serena nodded slowly, thoughtfully.

"Yes." She agreed firmly.

Darien nodded and he helped her to her feet before they left the bedroom and headed toward the living room.

oOoIRoOo

Meanwhile, Luna and Artemis, Raye, Lita, Mina, Amy, and their princess were gathered in a room inside Raye's home to have a meeting after the fight half of them had been involved in.

The four secret guardian scouts informed their princess and advisors of what happened during the fight, and the surprising and shocking events that happened directly afterward.

"I still want to know who those two scouts are." Lita said. "They're not guardian scouts right?" She asked Luna and Artemis.

"No." Artemis said firmly. "There are only five of you."

"They spoke to Tuxedo Mask easily; like they were used it." Raye commented.

"Their colors were aqua teal and navy blue respectively." Mina said. "They looked like real scouts, so if the five of us are the only guardian scouts then they must be from two of the other plants. Either Uranus, Pluto, Saturn, or Neptune."

None of them had any idea which scouts they could be, and Luna and Artemis were wishing they remembered more of the past since the knowledge was probably there and just hadn't surfaced yet.

"We were right not to trust Tuxedo Mask." Amy said into the silence. "Where could he have taken Serena? We know nothing about him!"

Luna, Raye, and Lita nodded in agreement. Mina and Artemis remained still and silent on the subject. They silently acknowledged that they knew nothing about him, but they still didn't believe he was an enemy; although Artemis was concerned about the masked man taking Serena.

Susanna remained silent, having no thoughts on the masked man she had only seen once one way or the other.

"We have no idea who he is or where he came from or even what exactly he wants." Luna said seriously. "Taking Serena could mean he wants to use her as a hostage to get to Susanna or the silver crystal."

"Could he try to force Serena to find the silver crystal for him?" Raye wondered in concern. "Did she have the Crescent Moon Wand on her or is it at her house?"

"She took it with her when she left for school this morning, so she either has it on her or she left it wherever she was before the attack happened." Artemis informed them.

"So it is possible she can be forced to find the rest of the rainbow crystals, so Tuxedo Mask can have the silver crystal." Luna said with a frown in her voice.

"What happened to her anyway to make it so she could be taken?" She asked in concern.

Mina, Amy, Lita, and Raye all wondered what had happened to Serena after the fight; why she had screamed like that. She had looked like she was in serious pain, and then appeared to collapse unconscious from it.

"I don't know what had Serena screaming, but I saw her tiara shatter. I wasn't able to see why though or if anything was revealed." Lita said as she looked around at everyone.

"I saw her tiara shatter too, and I saw something glowing on her forehead, but I wasn't able to tell what it was." Amy said.

"Maybe the tiara shattering means she isn't supposed to be a scout." Susanna wondered, speaking up for the first time since the meeting started. "Maybe what you all described was her powers being taken from her."

"Could that actually be true?" Amy wondered.

Mina shook her head and didn't say anything to that since she had seen what was revealed when Serena's tiara shattered. That definitely wasn't her powers being taken. Susanna's words just proved that she didn't like Serena, because she wouldn't give up her boyfriend.

"I also saw her tiara shatter, and I did see what was revealed." She said, and listened as nearly everyone asked what it was.

"It was a symbol for Earth." Mina informed them before she looked to Artemis. "I remember specifically asking if there was a scout of the Earth, and you told me no."

"Because there is no such scout!" Artemis replied. "I still do not remember everything, but I remember that much. The Earth does not have a scout."

Could this be what Serena has been unable to remember, and what had her waking in tears not too long ago or could it be part of that? He wondered as he furrowed his furry brow.

"He is right." Luna said. "I don't remember the Earth having a scout either. There was no such person; the position didn't exit. Serena had even asked me about that as well."

"So if there had been no scout for the Earth in the past then how do we explain the symbol on Serena's forehead? Weren't we all identified as scouts to be awakened by our planetary symbol glowing on our forehead?" Amy said.

Lita, Raye, and Mina nodded.

Luna frowned as she remembered she hadn't identified Serena that way.

"I didn't identify Serena by the symbol on her forehead." She said. "Instead it was by the power I had sensed inside her. Once I was sure of what I was sensing I instinctively knew she was Sailor Moon."

"Then that has to mean Serena isn't really Sailor Moon, right?" Susanna said with a frown.

"She has to be. She wouldn't have been able to transform into the scout if she wasn't." Luna said.

"Yes." Artemis agreed. "I also remember her being Sailor Moon in the past; the Queen herself picked her as a child."

"Not to mention she can use the Crescent Moon Wand." Luna added. "Only someone descended from the Moon can use it. Serena has already found two pieces of the silver crystal proving that she can use it."

Everyone looked around at each other in confusion. They didn't understand what was happening with Serena. She was Sailor Moon, but she now had the symbol for the Earth glowing on her forehead showing that she was the scout of the Earth and not Sailor Moon. But if she hadn't been Sailor Moon she wouldn't have been able to transform in the first place or use the Crescent Moon Wand.

How could she be both scouts?

"What happens now?" Susanna asked after a while of silence. "How are we supposed to find out which scout Serena is supposed to be?"

"Actually I think the more important question is how we're supposed to find Serena, and also if she is okay with whatever it is that caused her pain." Mina said.

"I tried to track Serena and Tuxedo Mask by their energy signatures, but wasn't successful with either of them. It's like their energy signatures were nowhere to be found." Amy said.

"Have you ever had such trouble with finding an energy signature before?" Artemis asked.

"I haven't." She answered as she shook her head.

"Maybe he has some way of blocking people who try to find him." Lita said thoughtfully. "Have you ever tried to follow his energy signature before?" She asked.

"No." Amy said in disappointment. "It never occurred to me simply because he always leaves quickly from fight scenes."

"Maybe you should try again." Luna suggested.

Amy nodded and pulled out her minicomputer before she opened it, and began to type on the tiny keyboard. It was only moments before she was shaking her head.

"Neither of their energy signatures are anywhere to be found; like they don't exist anymore." She said with a frown.

"Then Tuxedo Mask must have a way of blocking such scans or concealing himself and others." Artemis concluded.

"Then how are we going to find her?" Amy asked. "We have to find her before he can force her to find the rest of the rainbow crystals."

Everyone was silent as they considered what they could do to find Serena.

Mina sighed lightly and leaned her elbow on the table before leaning over to rest her face in her palm. She really hoped Serena was okay and nothing was seriously wrong with her with how much pain she sounded like she was in.

She didn't think Tuxedo Mask had kidnapped her, and she found it telling of where everyone's minds were in regards to him that they were making up motives for him.

He wouldn't even know about the rainbow crystals or that the job had been given to Serena to find them unless she had told him herself. He also wouldn't even know what the rainbow crystals were or what they were for unless she told him.

It's even possible that even though he was on scene when the princess was found he has no idea she is the princess. For all we know he doesn't know that a Moon Princess ever existed or if he even cared if he did know. She thought.

Mina sighed lightly again and was just about to rub the back of her neck when she paused. She frowned as she suddenly began to sense irritation, concern, worry, and suspicion.

She wouldn't have thought anything of it if not for the fact that she knew she wasn't feeling the majority of those emotions.

Then where are they coming from? She thought as she looked around at the others. Am I…am I sensing emotions?! She thought, a little incredulous.

However, before she could give it more thought she, and everyone else in the room, heard a sharp knock on the door, and before anyone could move it opened.

oOo

Serena saw Amara and Michelle right away as she and her soulmate walked down the hallway and into the living room, and could easily tell who was which scout. She and Darien sat in the middle of the couch, and she looked to the women before addressing them.

"Sailor Neptune, Sailor Uranus; greetings." Serena said professionally. "I understand you have something to say to me." She said, getting right down to business.

Amara and Michelle exchanged a look.

"May we contact Pluto so that she can be here for this?" Michelle asked.

"Yes. Of course." Serena said.

Michelle gestured with her gloved hand and her communicator appeared in her palm. She opened the cover and pressed the magenta button with a white symbol for Pluto on it and waited.

"Pluto here." A mature feminine voice answered instantly.

"Can you come to Prince Endymion's home to speak to Sailor Earth?" Michelle asked.

"I will be right there; Pluto out." The absent scout said.

Michelle pressed the button to end the call, and put her communicator away back in her subspace pocket.

In the next moments an elaborate white marble door appeared in the corner of the living room between the balcony and where the TV sat. The double doors opened inward, thick fog streaming out slowly onto the floor, and Sailor Pluto stepped out of the dark interior holding her silver staff.

Serena took in the appearance of this sailor scout that she had only ever heard of. Her long dark green hair, her black and white sailor uniform, the silver chain around her waist with keys attached to it, and her vibrant red eyes that spoke of age and intelligence.

She watched her take a few steps before she knelt in the space in front of the TV and bowed her head respectfully.

"Rise." Darien said firmly, and she did so.

"Prince Endymion." Sailor Pluto said respectfully before looking to Serena. "Sailor Earth. Greetings."

"Greetings Sailor Pluto." Serena returned politely. "I understand you ladies have something to say to me." She repeated her earlier words, and watched as Amara and Michelle moved to stand on each side of Pluto before they looked to her.

"Sailor Earth." Pluto said respectfully. "As I informed his highness when we first spoke, we did not meet in the past, but I knew of you and of your soulmate. My specialty as a scout allows me to guard the stream of time and watch it in its various forms."

"I watched the tragic events that led to the end of the Silver Millennium; brought about by the selfish actions of one who was supposed to ensure its continued prosperity into the next generation." She continued. "Since that time I have watched, searched, and waited patiently for the ideal timeline where a new Silver Millennium could flourish and peace would reign."

"When I found it I searched for all those who would be essential in making that happen. I found all but yourself and his highness; at least that is until you once again became the scout of the Moon." She said, careful not to call her Sailor Moon since she remembered Prince Endymion's reaction to the name, and didn't want to see Sailor Earth's reaction.

"As I watched you I saw the masked figure of his highness; yet at the time I was unaware of who he was. Recalling those who had been around you in the past I had my suspicion, and it was confirmed not long after that he was indeed Prince Endymion fighting alongside you." Pluto explained to the young woman who would be her Queen.

"With that confirmation I decided the time was right to bring in two of the essential ones. I approached Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune and awakened their memories of the past, and they chose to once again become sailor scouts." She continued.

"We were also aware of the tragedy of the past, not having been affected by it, and when Pluto awakened us she informed us of who else had been awakened and what had happened during that time. When we had been caught up to speed she informed us we had a choice to make." Michelle said, bringing Serena's eyes to her.

"You, Sailor Earth, or the Moon Princess." Amara said, shifting Serena's gaze to her. "It was a choice, but not the choice we needed to make. It took no thought or conversation to decide that we wanted no part of the princess no matter what happened this time."

"We knew when the princess was found, despite being a reincarnation, she would likely have the same personality and mindset that allowed her to selfishly and foolishly manipulate reality without thinking of the consequences of such a decision. Even more so when she eventually remembered the past." Michelle said seriously. "In light of that our actual choice was if we would choose to be loyal to you or remain independent scouts."

"We had obviously not met you in the past so we decided to observe you, and since you were not yet your true self we hoped to get a general idea of what you would be like when you finally did recall your true self." Amara said seriously. "Everything we saw, heard, and learned ultimately led us to our decision, and we informed Pluto right away."

"I had made my choice before I approached them." Pluto said. "In fact, it was made not long after the fall of the Silver Millennium. I had watched you as both Sailor Earth and during your time as the scout of the Moon, and was thoroughly impressed by your character, your integrity, your work ethic, your skill, and your power."

"With our decision made we approached his highness with our intent, and now we are approaching you with the same." She continued seriously, and Serena watched Amara and Michelle nodding just as seriously next to her. "We have decided to give you our loyalty, and by extension his highness as well."

Serena listened closely as all three women spoke to her. Darien had told her this was coming, explained how it went when they spoke to him, but she still found herself surprised at what they were telling her. These three scouts, each unique and powerful in their own right, were giving her their loyalty. Simply being herself had inspired such a level of loyalty that they had given it before she even remembered who she really was.

Another surprise was their mention of a new Silver Millennium. One where she and her Endymion were essential in bringing it about. That, along with the fact that they were giving them their loyalty, meant they would be at the head of this new Silver Millennium, which told her the Earth's kingdom would come back. The Golden Kingdom would be restored and prosper again.

And possibly best of all is that they want nothing to do with the Moon Princess. If I had known nothing else that would have needed to be an absolute requirement to make sure this new Silver Millennium happened. She thought seriously, and then blinked as a thought occurred to her. The Moon Princess is presumably the last of the royal Moon line. Are they only doing this because there is no other option aside from the princess?

"I understand you are uninterested in having anything to do with the Moon Princess, but were you all not loyal to the Moon Kingdom as a whole?" Serena asked, wanting to know if their words would hold up if knowledge of another Moon royal suddenly came to light.

"Yes." Amara answered honestly. "More specifically to the Queen, but with the Moon Kingdom gone we're free to give our loyalty to whoever we choose."

"Obviously the Moon Princess is not an option." Michelle continued on after her friend and fellow scout. "The only other would be if the Queen's reincarnation, if she reincarnated at all, appeared, but even if that was unexpectedly an option we would not choose her either. The loyalty we gave her was complete, however that was then. When the Silver Millennium ended our loyalty to her, and by extension the Moon Kingdom, ended as well."

"We always have the choice of who we give our loyalty to before we give it; regardless of who the person or persons are or what they may have done for us or even given us." Pluto said seriously. "In this time we are choosing those who will bring about a lasting peace and stability. We are choosing you, Sailor Earth, and his highness by association, because you have the traits that will help establish and maintain that peace and stability."

Darien remained quiet as he watched and listened, taking in his soulmate's expressions, what little she revealed, and comparing the speech to the one given to him. It was very similar, but there were differences in the details; information and opinions were given that were clearly saved for when they spoke to his soulmate directly about giving her their loyalty.

He was also pleased to know that if another Moon royal miraculously appeared and wanted to claim their loyalty and allegiance, because of their association with the Moon Kingdom in the past, they would not be swayed to give it simply because said royal was of that line.

Serena listened to the women's words intently and was satisfied with their answer. She did not think there was another royal of the Moon line waiting out there, knowingly or unknowingly, for their chance at restarting the Moon Kingdom, but she had needed to make sure they were serious about their intentions.

Although, the Moon Queen being reincarnated honestly hadn't ever crossed my mind. She thought before pushing it away as being irrelevant.

Taking in all of their words as a whole she was satisfied that they were telling her the truth, and she sensed their sincerity in their impassioned explanations. They wanted nothing to do with the Moon Princess and no other possible Moon royal would sway their loyalty because of the past. They had all observed her in their own way and learned what they could of her and got to know her in order to make an informed decision.

Her character and strength had been deemed desirable and necessary to help establish and maintain a lasting peace, and because of that these women were willing and choosing to give her their loyalty. They were trusting her, and her soulmate, to bring about a peace that was comparable to or even better than the last Silver Millennium.

It is inspiring and humbling, and makes me want to be the best I can possibly be. She thought, gazing at the three scouts, and made her decision.

"I graciously and humbly accept your loyalty Sailor Pluto, Sailor Neptune, and Sailor Uranus." Serena said firmly yet sincerely. "I am honored that you have such faith and confidence in myself and in my soulmate, and in return I, as the scout of the Earth, pledge to live up to the expectations you have in me and that I have in myself in order for the Golden Kingdom to be restored and the rise of a new Silver Millennium to be possible."

Darien looked on proudly as his Serenity accepted the three sailor scouts loyalty. She was calm in her silent deliberations, firm in her words, and sincere in her reply to their offer. It was an example of how she had conducted herself in the past as Sailor Earth, and would have continued to do so as the Earth's Princess and Queen.

Lovely and inspiring. He thought before deciding to add to her acceptance.

"In light of my Serenity's acceptance and pledge I feel it is only right to make a pledge of my own." He said firmly, gaining the attention of the four women. "I, as Prince of the Earth, pledge to also live up to the expectations you have in me and that I have in myself in order for the Golden Kingdom to be restored and the rise of a new Silver Millennium to be possible."

Sailor Pluto knelt on the floor, and Amara and Michelle followed suit. The three of them exchanged significant looks before nodding firmly and looking back to the couple.

"I pledge on my honor as a sailor scout to continue to guard the Gates of Time and the time stream." Pluto said firmly.

"We pledge on our honor as sailor scouts to continue protecting the solar system from outside threats." Amara said seriously for herself and Michelle.

"We pledge to fight alongside you, and protect the Earth from all threats." Michelle said firmly for the three of them.

"We pledge to defend and protect you, and your loved ones." Amara stated resolutely.

"And we pledge to serve you in any other capacity our duties will allow." Pluto said seriously.

Serena and Darien took in their words calmly and looked to each other before Darien nodded.

"We humbly accept your pledges and we thank you for your thoughtful and thorough considerations." Serena said for both herself and her soulmate.

"Now, please rise, and be at ease." Darien said as he gestured with a hand for them to stand.

"What is your name Pluto?" Serena asked curiously as she looked to the scout.

"My name is Trista." Pluto answered.

"I am Serena or Serenity, whichever you feel comfortable using if you do not wish to address me as Sailor Earth in a given situation." Serena said.

"Lady Serenity then." Pluto decided.

Serena nodded in acceptance, and Darien nodded in pleasure at the formal address. If Pluto was going to refer to him by his title then his soulmate should get the same respect. Lady Serenity would do just fine; at least until she could be referred to as Princess or Queen.

"The Guardian Scouts, their advisors and princess are having a meeting at Mars' temple." Pluto informed the group, and yet looked to Serena. "They are wondering what planets Uranus and Neptune are scouts of since they are not guardian scouts. As far as I have seen none of them have yet to remember anything about the sailor scouts that are not guardians."

"They are also discussing if Lady Serenity has been taken hostage to force her to use the Crescent Moon Wand to find the pieces of the silver crystal or to somehow get to their princess." She continued as she looked to the others.

"Some of the Guardian Scouts saw your tiara shatter and saw the Earth symbol on your forehead, and they are now wondering if you are truly Sailor Moon or a scout that their advisors say does not exit." She said as she returned her gaze to Serena.

Serena sat in silence for a few long moments, considering the information she had just learned.

"I believe it is time I let the Guardian Scouts know I am not being held hostage, and that Sailor Moon no longer exists." She said firmly.

Darien smiled proudly, and Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus nodded; satisfied that the truth was finally starting to come out.

oOo

Serena calmly walked up the stairs leading to the Cherry Hill Temple, and then across the grounds moving by what little light was available. She looked around idly, not anticipating ever having to come back unless it was under attack and the people were in danger.

She made her way to the family house and knocked on the front door. A few moments later she was greeted by Raye's grandfather.

"Hi. I'm here to see Raye and the others." She said, knowing all of them were here.

"Oh, come on in." Raye's grandfather welcomed her in. "Are you late for their get together?" He asked.

"Oh no. They're not expecting me, did not think I would be able to come, and I honestly will not be here long." She answered.

The elder man nodded and gestured her down the hallway where the girls were since it was the same room they always used.

"Thank you." She said softly, and began to walk down the hallway and he down another.

She glanced back to see that he had disappeared into another room, and looked back forward and continued on confidently; the last thing she wanted was to disturb that man with any shouting.

Keep calm Serenity. She reminded herself. Yelling is not necessary. You can get your point across with forceful words and a strong voice.

Serena paused outside the door and knocked sharply before she opened it; not giving any of them a chance to actually get up from their seat to answer the knock. What she found was everyone seated at the table; Mina, Lita, Amy, Raye, Susanna, Luna, and Artemis.

"Hello." She said calmly as she closed the door with a snap behind her.

Everyone looked at Serena in surprise, not at all having expected her to show up since they believed she was being held hostage by Tuxedo Mask. Even Mina, who hadn't actually believed that, thought at least the pain she had been in would keep her absent until at least the next day.

They were even more surprised to see her with her hair loose. None of them aside from Luna and Artemis had seen her with her hair down from the bun and streams she usually wore it in.

"Are you okay?" Mina asked, the first to snap out of her surprise. "You looked like you were in a lot of pain the last time I saw you."

"I am very well." Serena said as she walked toward them. "Thank you for your concern. The pain I experienced is not something I want to ever experience again, and hopefully I will never again be in a position to."

She stopped in front of an empty area of the table and looked around at the assembled group, at those she had been getting to know for weeks and months.

"I only stopped by to drop off some items I will no longer need." She said.

And with that simple statement Serena pulled out the transformation brooch, communicator, Crescent Moon Wand, and the rainbow crystal she had retrieved that very day from her subspace pocket and placed them gently on the table.

Everyone looked confused as each of the sailor items she used appeared, and frowned as her words about no longer needing them registered in their mind.

"I found this crystal at school today, and I wish you luck in finding the rest of the rainbow crystals." Serena said.

"What are you doing?" Luna asked agitatedly. "What do you mean you no longer need them?"

"I mean exactly what I said." She replied primly. "I will no longer need the items because I will no longer be Sailor Moon. The position had never existed before your princess acted selfishly and changed reality."

"What?!" Susanna cried out in surprise.

"What do you mean? How can you accuse our princess of such a thing?!" Amy asked in outrage.

"I can accuse her because I recall her being that way and doing exactly that. I know that for a fact, because I remember everything." Serena said seriously.

"There was never a scout of the Moon, and there will never again be such a scout. However, I will continue to fight the monsters when I sense their dark energy as is my duty and honor as the scout of the Earth." She continued just as seriously as she looked around at all of them.

"Guardian Scouts," She addressed them firmly. "keep that bitch well away from me if you wish to continue to have a princess to protect!"

With that firm warning in the air Serena turned and began to walk away in the stunned silence, but paused and looked back to Mina.

"This does not change my previous words to you. If anything they now take on more significance." She said seriously.

Serena nodded firmly to her before she turned and continued toward the door. She opened it and closed it firmly behind her before making her way out of the house.

Back inside the room everyone looked at each other with wide eyes, speechless.

"What did she mean by that? About her previous words?" Luna asked Mina, finally finding her voice.

"It's nothing. Just something she said that convinced me to become a scout." Mina said nonchalantly.

She didn't bother to say more, because it was none of their business. The words had been for her and her alone. And Serena was right; the words were now more significant.

Circumstances had changed.

oOo

Serena walked through the temple grounds and down the long flight of stairs, and was met at the bottom by her prince.

"It is done." She said with a soft smile.

Darien's eyes instantly flashed gold.

"Good." He said in complete satisfaction.

Serena smiled wider and hugged him.

"I miss seeing your eyes flash with your emotions." She said.

"Now that I have you back completely you can see it as often as I can make it happen." He said, and she grinned.

"Let's get back." She said.

Instead of replying Darien focused on his crystal. A warm pulse echoed through his chest and they disappeared in a flash of golden light.

They reappeared in his living room and returned to their previous seats on the couch, and turned their attention to Amara and Michelle who were no longer transformed; Trista having returned to her post before Serena and Darien left.

"How did it go with the Guardian Scouts?" Amara asked curiously.

"It went well as far as I am concerned." Serena said. "They were surprised when I told them I would no longer be Sailor Moon, and shocked when I said it was because their princess had changed reality and created the position."

"They likely would have said more had I given them the chance." She continued before shaking her head slightly. "I am glad I do not have to fight alongside them anymore. Although, I will miss fighting alongside Venus; she was good to have in a fight."

"I agree. However, at least you will not have to deal with Sailor Mercury's fog anymore or her suspicions. In addition to Sailor Mars' need to find a connection between us." Darien said.

"True. I will certainly not miss such." She agreed. "Now, is there anything else I should know now that I remember everything?"

"Yes. There are two events." He replied. "First, we have been rescuing my Generals."

"Oh!" Serena quietly exclaimed as she remembered her comrades, friends, brothers, and how they had already encountered Neflite, Jedite, and Zoycite.

"We decided to try and rescue them after the fight when you nearly killed General Neflite." Amara said. "We figured Prince Endymion was too busy with you to focus on them."

"Beyond that we didn't want you killing them and having that on your conscious when you finally remembered." Michelle said. "On top of that we were unsure if the Generals were with the enemy willingly or not. If they were we also wanted to spare you both the duty of having to eliminate them."

"Thank you for that." Serena said. "I already feel terrible for what I did to Zoycite and Neflite. I cannot imagine how I would have felt if I had killed them." She said with a frown, because she knew she had been trying.

"General Neflite was first." Amara said. "We captured him after he left the fight at the zoo, and brought him to a neutral location before contacting Prince Endymion."

"I was surprised and pleased when I saw Neflite." Darien said. "And even more so to learn that they had decided to attempt to retrieve the men."

"When I tapped into my power to begin freeing him I learned that he had been brainwashed, and his memories of his life before he worked for the evil organization were being suppressed. He was being kept loyal and prevented from any chance of remembering the past." He explained.

"Beyond that his body was not real." He added.

"Not real?" Serena repeated with a surprised frown.

"Yes. His body was not born of a human. They had taken his essence, his soul, and placed it inside the figure we had been fighting. His body had been left behind." He explained.

"Once I removed the taint from his mind and body I unlocked his memories of the past, both before and after the 'great change' as I call it. Of which the memories of before were also being held back by the power of the silver crystal." He continued.

"I cleared that away and when he awakened he was confused but he remembered everything. He gave his present day name after which his body stopped working and broke down as we have seen happen with the monsters once they are defeated." Darien said.

"And his soul returned to his true body?" Serena half asked half stated.

"Yes." He confirmed. "With his name I was able to find him. He was at a hospital in a room alone, and appeared to have been there for quite some time."

"And the same was done for Zoycite?" She asked, just to be sure.

"Yes." He confirmed.

"We captured him after the fight at the university." Amara informed her.

"After speaking to them both later it was revealed that they had been attacked after arriving home late in the evening. Neflite's parents had been attacked and rendered unconscious before he arrived home, and Zoycite's parents had been left untouched since they had apparently already been asleep." Darien explained.

"Both men had been in a coma for nearly two years." He added.

"And they were brainwashed in the past as well? The past that was changed?" Serena asked with a frown.

"Yes." Darien confirmed seriously.

"And that happened because the position of Sailor Earth was gone, I was gone, therefore some evil was allowed to grow unchecked, which ultimately influenced a woman who became obsessed with you and allowed her to spread that evil influence to the guys." She stated as she made the connections from her memories.

"Yes exactly that." He confirmed yet again, and she sighed heavily.

"What are their names now?" She asked, trying to distract herself from her anger as it grew at these new facts.

"Zoycite is Xander Aubrey, and Neflite is Nicolas Jacobs." He answered.

Xander and Nicolas. I guess we all will be getting used to the new names. Serena thought as she nodded slowly. At least I have already become use to my Endymion's present name.

"You said there were two events my love." She said.

"Yes." He said, his eyes happily flashing gold at the endearment. "The second is that I have informed Andrew of the truth about us all."

"Really?" She said in surprise, and watched him nod.

"Yes. He had noticed the differences in me after I regained my memories, and I wished to keep my friend. That meant telling him the truth, so he would understand what was happening with me. As well as in a given situation if I needed to leave suddenly." Darien explained.

"How did he handle it?" She asked.

"He was shocked, surprised, fascinated, amazed, and understanding." He replied. "He paid close attention when I was relating everything, and I imagine it was like a fantastical tale to him; as it would be for anyone hearing of our lives who had no part in it."

"Despite that he believed it and understood the serious implications of the various facts I related to him." He continued. "He is aware of the things we are capable of even though he has had no real visual evidence of it. He also understands just how powerful the silver crystal is, and how dangerous the Moon Princess can be with it in her possession considering what she thoughtlessly did in the past."

"He has continued to be understanding and curious, and will undoubtedly be pleased to learn you have remembered your true self." He concluded.

"I am glad you have had him to speak to about everything," Serena said, understanding that was a silent part of why he had revealed the truth to Andrew. "and I am glad he has been so understanding."

"It will definitely be interesting the next time I speak to him." She added thoughtfully.

"I am certain he will feel the same." Darien said.

"Have you two met Andrew?" Serena asked as she looked to Michelle and Amara.

"Not yet." Michelle answered.

"There hasn't been an opportunity yet." Amara said.

"We all need to get together, so you two can meet him at the very least." Serena said, and Darien nodded.

"We simply need to find a day and time when everyone is free." He said.

"Yeah; with everyone in school we'll have to work around everyone's schedules." Amara said.

"Speaking of school, I still need to do my homework." Serena said as she looked to the time.

"Ah, in that case we should go, so we will not be a distraction." Michelle said as she looked from Serena to Amara and back again.

"You have enough to distract you without us being here and adding to it." Amara agreed as she nodded.

With that the four said their goodbyes and that they would talk later, and the secret scouts of Neptune and Uranus teleported away to their respective homes, having teleported there to begin with.

Now that they were alone Serena sighed heavily but went and grabbed her school bag to start her homework, and with the time of evening it was Darien headed to the kitchen to make them dinner.

oOo

Serena appeared in an out of the way location in her neighborhood in a brief flash of blue green light, her school bag in hand, and with a quick look around she began to walk home.

Darien had wanted to bring her and escort her to her house, but she didn't think it was a good idea. It had already been hard to leave him, and it would have been much worse if he had come with her.

As she reached her house she pulled out her keys and walked up to the front door and unlocked it before she stepped inside. Almost immediately she was confront by her father.

"Where have you been getting home so late?! It's well after dinner time!" He said as he came out of the living. "And why is your hair loose?"

Serena kept herself from rolling her eyes as she closed the door behind her. It was a little late, but she had gotten home from dates with Darien later than this.

"I was with Darien. I wanted to spend as much time with him as possible." She said. I didn't even want to leave him now that I remember everything. "I finished all my homework, and I have already eaten." She added.

"Why would you want to spend time with him?" Her father asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Come now dad. He is my boyfriend." She said. My soulmate; my prince. "Of course I want to spend as much time with him as I can."

"And your hair?" He asked.

"I wanted it loose." She answered honestly. Never again would she wear her hair in that bun style.

"That's enough dear." Her mother said as she came out of the living room. "Go on Serena. Have a good night." She said with a smile.

"Thanks mom. Goodnight." Serena said before she headed up the stairs and to her bedroom. She closed the door behind her and turned on the light, and immediately saw Artemis sitting at the end of her bed.

"I like you, but I will not have you living with me reporting what I am doing to your princess and her scouts." She said firmly as she went and placed her school bag on her desk. "I do not care what they do, and what I am doing, be it in my civilian life or as a scout, is absolutely none of their business!"

"I agree." Artemis said just as firmly. "I swear I will not report what you are doing to my princess and the scouts, and I will not tell you anything about them in return."

"I want to stay with you." He added sincerely. "I like you, and I think we have made a good start at bonding."

"True. I think so as well." Serena agreed as she moved to where she had stored her bow and arrows. "I certainly like you better than Luna. You talk to me and do not criticize me or try to deter me from doing things in my civilian life."

Although, how our bonding will be of any benefit to either of us is a mystery since his loyalty is ultimately to his princess. She thought as she pulled out the box her weapon was stored in.

She took the bow and quiver of arrows and instantly put them in her subspace pocket, so she could have access to them whenever she needed the weapon like she had done in the past with her sword and spear.

"So, what are we to speak of now?" She asked as she put the box back where it was and went to her closet to grab her pajamas.

"Well, since you said you remembered everything have you recalled what was making you so sad when you woke up?" Artemis asked curiously.

"I have." She said as she brought her pajamas to the bed. "I was remembering the death of my soulmate, the Prince of the Earth, my Endymion."

"How will you find him, and what will you tell your young man?" He asked in some concern, not wanting her to have trouble with the two men.

"I do not need to worry about either. My Endymion is Darien, and he remembers everything as well." Serena answered as she began to change out of her uniform. She didn't bother mentioning that he was also Tuxedo Mask; deeming it unnecessary for him to know.

"I am sure that is certainly a relief." He said.

"It is." She said as she finished changing and went to hang up her uniform. "I had seen that the two looked identical from what I was remembering, but my mind would not let me make the connection. I kept thinking it was simply a resemblance and nothing more."

"I can hardly believe you are Sailor Earth. I have no frame of reference since it is not in my returning memories." Artemis said thoughtfully. "What was your life like as the scout of the Earth if I may ask?"

"You may." She said as she went and made herself comfortable at her floor desk. "My life was amazing. I was chosen as the scout of the Earth when I was six years old, and I transformed for the first time when I was eight. Training and studying were hard, however, I was not alone in my efforts. My Endymion was with me the entire time even though he was older."

"Was he very much older?" He asked curiously as he lay down on her bed facing her.

"Oh no. He was only four years older than me. Just as he is now." She answered as she opened her laptop and turned it on.

She was going to work on the college application she had intended to try and finish today after having spoken to her teacher about it after school.

"I learned to ride a horse, I learned to play the piano, I liked to go hiking, and I was an avid reader." Serena said as she looked over to Artemis. "And I got engaged when I was eighteen."

"To your young man of course." Artemis said.

"Of course." She said with a grin. "Oh and I loved traveling all over the planet, and using my powers. It was simply great when I could help people. There was this one specific time I recall especially."

oOo

Serenity's eyes snapped open as she woke suddenly from a deep dreamless sleep. She didn't know what had awakened her, but she knew it was because she had sensed something.

She looked around the dark room and saw nothing unusual, and she felt Endymion's arms still around her so she knew it had nothing to do with him.

Suddenly Endymion started to groan and she turned around and looked at him before she sat up; idly waving her hand in the air above her to produce a ball of fire large enough to illuminate the bed as it hovered at her will.

She watched Endymion turn on his back and toss his head from side to side as a frown formed on his face. She frowned herself, knowing something was wrong, and shook him.

"Endymion! Endymion, wake up!" She called, and his eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly.

"Are you well?" She asked, and watched him nod, but then he looked alarmed.

"People are going to be hurt and killed if we do not help them!" Endymion said as he looked at her. "Something is going to happen, and we need to protect them."

That must be what awakened me. She thought. They both had a connection to the Earth, so it wasn't surprising that she was warning them.

"Do you know where?" Serenity asked.

"No." He said as he shook his head. "However, I will have a look, and see what I can find."

"While you are doing so I will transform and get your clothes and armor together." She said.

He nodded, and they both climbed out of the bed. She produced more fire balls to give them more light without turning on the lights, and pulled out her white transformation stick as he moved toward the balcony doors.

Earth Planet Power! She said silently, not wanting to risk even the slightest sound at the late hour, and was covered in blue green light.

When the light disappeared and she stood transformed as Sailor Earth she hurried to the closet, and quickly gathered her prince's clothes and brought them out to the bed before returning to the closet. She gathered his armor and brought them out and carefully placed them on the bed before once again returning to the closet.

She grabbed his sword and his tall armored boots and brought them out, placing the sword carefully on the bed and the boots on the floor beside it, and returned to the closet. Gently she grabbed his cape and walked out of the closet to see him fully dressed and pulling on the boots.

"What are we dealing with?" She asked quietly as he began to don his armor.

"A tsunami." He answered seriously yet just as quietly as he situated each piece to his satisfaction.

He then put on his sword, securing the belt around his waist, and gently took the cape she held and draped it over his back and secured it to his shoulders.

Endymion then held out a hand to her and she grasped it without a word as she stepped closer, and the pair disappeared in a flash of golden light.

They reappeared in the middle of a large town by the sea, that was not unlike the one where their navy soldiers lived. It was daylight, which let them know they were on the other side of the planet. Still, they were on the Earth and the people recognized their prince and guardian scout, and called out their names as they wondered why they were suddenly there.

"Be careful." Prince Endymion told her, looking into her eyes.

"I will." Sailor Earth said as she nodded. "You be careful as well." She added, which he nodded to.

With those reassurances she turned and ran off toward the ocean, moving around people on the street, before she jumped onto the nearest roof and began to run across it. She leapt from rooftop to rooftop until she reached the edge of the town.

She jumped to the ground and continued to run at high speed, and didn't even blink at the sudden wall of gold that sprang up ahead of her. She knew that was Endymion protecting the town and people as an added measure to what she was about to do.

Sailor Earth ran right through it as if it was not there and continued on her path. As she reached the sandy shore she unconsciously tapped into her power, and made the sand solid as she ran so she wouldn't have difficulty moving on it with her boots.

After a few feet she slowed to a stop and narrowed her eyes as the water at the shore gradually began to pull back into the ocean. She looked to her left and then to her right before she took a deep breath to center herself, and knelt down on the sand before she lifted her arms up to stretch out at her sides and slowly began to stand as she concentrated on what she wanted.

The sand beneath her and the earth beneath that began to rumble as she gradually stood, her arms continuing to move upward as if she was lifting something higher and higher, and a thick solid rock wall sprouted from the sand.

It shot up into the air moving pass her height and going further until it reached as tall as the highest point of the royal palace. It stretched along the sand in both directions reaching the entire distance of the town.

She then willed the air to lift her up and within the blink of an eye she was moving upward away from the sand toward the top of the wall she had created. Once there she stepped onto the wall and looked out at the ocean.

From her vantage point she could see more of the massive wall of water swiftly moving ever closer. She could also tell that her wall was, thankfully, higher then the wave. However, she still needed to stop the wave in the highly unlikely event her wall failed and Endymion's barrier failed.

Sailor Earth took another deep breath and released it as she once again concentrated on what she was about to do. She lifted her arms up and straight out in front of her, and spread her fingers with her palms facing outward.

She pulled her hands and arms back before she pushed forward. She repeated the motion as she stared at the ocean and the massive wave heading for her, and repeated the motion again. She pushed forward and pulled backward, pushed forward and pulled backward, again and again and again until the wave began to slow.

Once it had slowed to her satisfaction she gently lowered her arms as if she was telling the water to calm itself, and watched the wave gradually lower as it moved forward. By the time it reached the shoreline it was a small wave that only had enough power to crash over the sand; it didn't even reach her wall.

oOo

"Wow!" Artemis said as she finished relating her memory, and she grinned at him.

"Yes, it was an exciting night, or rather day, to be sure." Serena said with a sigh before she turned back to her laptop.

She opened her web browser, the tab still up for the university she was currently applying to, and logged into the site to finish her application.

Artemis was amazed at the description of Serena's powers as Sailor Earth. As Sailor Moon all she had to use was her tiara, but what she had described just now was so much more. Manipulating a large wild body of water, sand and rock, and even the air!

So different than how the other girls use a single element. Serena can manipulate the elements around her while they can only produce them in an attack. He thought, and then reconsidered thoughtfully. She only described manipulating those elements, but that doesn't mean she isn't capable of producing them as well. She only gave that one example.

"I..I am at a loss for words." He said as he gazed at her, and watched as she glanced back at him over her shoulder. "All I can think is that your abilities sound amazing."

"I certainly think they are amazing too." Serena said as she typed in an answer in the application. "It was certainly amazing when I first started using them."

She remembered back to the hours and days of training after she came into her powers, and just how hard and strenuous it had been to learn the control she eventually gained.

"I also attended balls, musical performances, and opera singer performances." She said, changing the subject as she looked away from her laptop screen and to Artemis. "Such performances were even given in mine and my Endymion's honor as a gift to celebrate our engagement."

"Opera singer performances?" Artemis asked, imagining that scene.

"Yes." She confirmed. "As well as instrumental musical performances and balls. I remembered one a while ago. The King and Queen held a ball for us to officially announce our engagement."

"It was nerve wracking since I had to enter after the ball had started. It was timed so that I would enter at the exact moment the King ended his speech and announced who Endymion was engaged to." She continued.

"What was your entrance like? What was going on?" He asked curiously, wanting to know more about her life on the Earth.

"I was feeling nervous and excited." She said she remembered that evening. "I was wearing a deep ocean blue gown with gold pendants of the Earth's symbols, matching long gloves, and a unique cape made of sheer material that attached to a silk collar that matched the gown."

"Despite the beautiful gown and accessories I was actually transformed. Although, the only sign of it was my tiara being in place." She said with a smile. "I was escorted by one of my Endymion's Generals who was also our friend." She added before slipping into describing what happened after she arrived outside the ballroom.

oOo

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she stood poised, listening to what was going on in the ballroom. So far there was only the sound of music and murmurs of numerous voices, but all of that stopped suddenly and a deep voice she recognized as the King's began to speak.

"I am pleased that you all are having such a wonderful time, and it is my wish that you continue to do so. However, we must take a pause and remember why we are here." He said.

"We are here to celebrate a joyous occasion. My son and heir, Endymion, has found his soulmate; has found the one woman who can make him happy above all others. It was not much of a surprise, as we had seen it coming for quite some time, but we could not have been more pleased and proud that he finally asked and that she accepted." He continued.

"It gives me much pleasure to announce to you all the identity of my son's fiancée and my future daughter." He said, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

"I now give you the guardian of our beloved planet, the love of my son's life, Sailor Earth!"

The curtains were pulled open at his last word and she stepped forward to stand at the top of a long balcony in front of a golden railing. A thunderous round of applause greeted her as voices raised in cheer. She smiled and waved cheerfully before she turned to her left, and stepped toward a wide slightly spiraling stairway leading down to the ballroom floor.

She placed her gloved hand on the gold railing and began to calmly and elegantly make her way down to join the gathering. She looked over the finely dressed crowd before her eyes drifted to the head of the room below the balcony where the royal family stood.

The King stood with the Queen at his side, and off to their right side stood their son; her prince, her love, Endymion.

As she finally reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped off onto the floor she began to make her way toward him. She could see he was wearing shiny black tall boots, black dress pants, a thin collared black single breasted tailcoat with gold trim lining all of the edges from the neck collar, to the wrist cuffs, to the tails, and gold buttons.

It had gold epaulettes with thin delicate chains attached on each shoulder, and a black cape with a deep ocean blue inner lining to match her own gown secured closed with a clasp that was a golden combination of the two Earth symbols.

On the left side of his hip he wore a sword with a gold hilt in a gold sheath with sapphires inlaid in it. It was a ceremonial sword. However, it was real and could be used if need be, but it was not made for combat use; only decoration.

Endymion held out a hand to her and she grasped it confidently as she reached him, and they both smiled happily as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"I give you your future King and Queen; Prince Endymion and Sailor Earth, his future Princess Serenity." The King announced.

Serenity and Endymion looked away from each other and turned slightly toward the crowd, still holding hands, and listened to the cheering.

oOo

"Your name was Serenity?" Artemis said after she finished relating the memory.

"Is Serenity." She corrected and confirmed. "I consider that to be my present name as well; just as my Endymion still uses his name."

"Serenity it is then." He said as he nodded. "And it matches your other name." He added.

"Indeed it does." She agreed before she looked back to her laptop screen and began to type in another answer to a question.

"It sounds as if the guests were pleased with your pairing with the Earth Prince." He commented as he watched her.

"They were." She said. "I had gained their respect and confidence over the years, and they had witnessed us working together a number of times, and even simply witnessed us traveling together and going about our duties if we were in the same area on a given day."

"They were confident we would be fair and just rulers, and continue to provide them with peace and security." She added, and frowned as she was reminded that the actions of the Moon Princess had caused them to thoroughly break that promise even if no one knew it.

Serena pushed that thought away and focused on the screen in front of her and making sure she entered her answers and information correctly.

As she worked on the college application she continued to chat with Artemis about her life in the past as Sailor Earth. Although, she refrained from speaking of her prince's Guardian Generals, what her prince was capable of, and exactly what she was capable of.

When she finished that application she started another one for another university on her list. She worked on it until she eventually grew tired, it having been a long and exciting day, and decided to save her progress instead of continuing and making mistakes.

She closed the browser and shut her laptop down before closing it and getting to her feet. She stretched and went about brushing her teeth and bidding her parents a goodnight before she returned to her bedroom.

Closing the door she turned off the light and climbed under her covers and relaxed into her mattress.

"Goodnight Artemis." She said softly.

"Goodnight Serenity." Artemis replied, and she smiled at hearing her name.

oOoIRoOo

The Queen of the Dark Kingdom was upset. She was more than upset; she was angry. Angry that her generals, Neflite and Zoycite, had been killed.

At first she thought they each had been shirking their duties and disobeying her. That Zoycite was copying Neflite, and was hold up with him wherever he had found him. Perhaps even that they were hiding since the minions they had sent out had failed and been defeated.

However, after calling them and even having Malachite and Jedite search for them she realized that they were in fact dead. Her connection to each of them was really gone, and not being masked somehow or hidden altogether.

Clearly the scouts, and possibly the masked man, were more dangerous than she had originally thought. Even the last minion that Malachite had sent out had failed to return, which obviously meant he had been defeated.

Malachite! Come! She summoned another of her generals from her seat on her tall slender black throne.

She watched him appear in the middle of the cavernous room in front of her, and kneel on the black marble floor and bow his head to her.

"What do you intend to do after your last failure?" She enquired coldly, her piercing red eyes gazing down at him just as coldly.

"I believe we need information on the players and how they fight." Malachite said as he lifted his head and looked up the set of slightly steep gray stairs to his Queen. "We also need to have some idea of what exactly happens during those fights. With that in mind I intend to send out another minion, and this time I will secretly follow it and see what happens."

The Queen narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. She liked the thought of getting more information about those scouts and the masked man.

"Inform me of everything you learn; no matter how small." She commanded icily.

Even though it would be bad for my plans if they have the knowledge they might very well know something about how to find the Earth Prince. She thought silently.

She didn't know how she was going to tell her prince about the general's deaths. He would not be happy to learn that two of his Guardian Generals were dead.

Let's hope the others are not killed before I can find him. She thought quietly as she stared coldly at Malachite as he stood up and summoned the minion he had in mind for the reconnaissance he planned.

oOoIRoOo

Darien sat in his class at K.O. University Thursday morning in his usual seat at a desk against the wall on the same side as the classroom door.

It was a glorious new day, but most who saw him wouldn't think anything was different. He wasn't doing anything different, just sitting in his seat and watching people arrive for class, but his mind was still on the events of the last evening or rather one major event.

His Serenity finally remembered her true self. The Earth had its guardian scout back. He had his soulmate, his little scout, back completely. He could not express in words just how pleased and happy he was. All the secrets were out, and he didn't have to conceal part of himself anymore.

His soulmate had reacted how he thought she would when she awakened from the flood of memories. Grief, sadness, confusion, and anger were prominent, and after he explained it it was simply lingering grief, sadness, and anger.

Sailor Moon was no more. Never again would that made up scout exist. She would only exist in the memories of those who knew why she had existed in the first place.

And I suppose the Guardian Scouts, their princess, and their advisors. He thought as he briefly considered those associated with the former Moon Kingdom.

Now it would only be Sailor Earth. Sensing dark energy, patrolling to make sure the people living in the city were safe and secure, and no longer being weak and forced to work with those she didn't desire to.

They would fight freely and openly now. His Serenity as Sailor Earth, him in his royal uniform, Sailor's Uranus and Neptune, and Zoycite and Neflite once they had trained themselves and were ready. The only ones now missing from their group was Malachite and Jedite.

Another thing to be pleased about. There is no more need to hold back what we are doing when it comes to freeing my Generals. He thought with a tiny smile. My Serenity remembers them and knows what has happened to them, and that is all that matters. If the Guardian Scouts happen to see us taking my remaining brainwashed generals with us then it no longer matters. There is nothing they can do about it, and it does not concern them anyway.

Darien was also pleased he no longer had to hold himself back during fights. He could use everything at his disposal, which meant ending fights with monsters faster; especially with his Serenity able to use all of her abilities and weapons.

And that is only with my secret identity. In my personal life I am also free from holding back. He thought with a slightly bigger smile.

He could now call his soulmate by her past name outside the confines of his mind. He no longer had to edit himself to keep his soulmate from finding out who he really was, because she now remembered he was the man in her memories. He didn't have to hide the fact that she was his soulmate, and that he loved her.

He was especially pleased that she had instantly started to refer to him as her love, her soulmate, and, best of all, her Endymion.

The endearments simply roll off her tongue. He thought with a quiet happy sigh. I still need to speak to her about moving in with me after she graduates. He reminded himself, the thought suddenly coming to him.

He still very much wanted them to live together. He missed having her in his arms when he went to sleep and when he awakened; to have her simply sleeping in his bed even if he was still awake and busy. Just seeing her reclined with her hair loose around her and looking comfortable was something he greatly enjoyed and wished to experience again.

I have no doubt she will agree, and it will only be a matter of months before we are living together. He thought contentedly as he watched his friend Itachi walk through the door and head in his direction. Perhaps now that she recalls her true self she can spend the night regularly with me. That would ease my longing.

"Good morning Itachi." Darien greeted as his friend reached his desk.

"Morning." Itachi said as he sat in his seat directly behind his friend. "What's got you so happy?" He asked as he plopped his bag on the desk.

Darien was slightly surprised his happiness was so obvious.

"You can tell I am happy? It is that obvious?" He asked as he shifted sideways in his seat.

"It isn't obvious." Itachi said as he shook his head. "I can just tell. Your eyes are brighter, and you seem more upbeat instead of your usual calm."

"My girlfriend learned something about herself, and I am seriously happy for her." Darien said. "It means she will be happier and more content, which means I will also be happier and more content."

Itachi nodded and didn't bother asking what it was she had learned since if Darien had wanted him to know he would have mentioned it. Instead he remembered the one time he had met his girlfriend. She had been nice and very interested in going to their university.

"Did you know about it before she did or did you learn with her?" He asked curiously.

"Oh I knew about it long before she did. However, I was unable to tell her for fear she would not believe it. She needed to learn of it on her own." Darien answered.

"Good for her then." Itachi said as he nodded.

Before anymore could be said class began and they turned their attention to the front of the room and the teacher.

"We should hang out sometime soon." Darien said as they were getting their things together after class.

"Sure." Itachi agreed easily. "When?" He asked.

"I plan on spending the weekend with my girlfriend, so perhaps Monday if you are free after your classes." Darien suggested.

"Monday is good." Itachi agreed. "Will she be joining us?" He asked.

"Do you mind if she does?" Darien asked in return. "She does not have to. She can spend the time with her friends or doing whatever she wishes."

"I don't mind if she won't mind hangout with me." Itachi said with a shrug.

"She will not mind. She liked you." Darien assured him.

They began to suggest different activities. Go Kart racing, Laser Tag, Paintball, and an arcade. They couldn't decide in the time they had before they needed to part ways and get to their next class, so they opted to figure it out on the day of and meet up at the Crown cafe since Darien's girlfriend would be meeting him there anyway.

oOoIRoOo

While the secret prince of the Earth was in class Andrew Foreman was seated in an out of the way table in the university library with a number of books in front of him.

With his decision to try and become a general for his best friend he figured he needed to get started on the research he had decided to do on Generals. He wanted to have as much of an idea as he could before he went to Darien with his thoughts.

He opened the first book, a dictionary, and began to flip toward the section for the letter G. Once there he searched by spelling until he found the word he was looking for. There were a number of meanings, but he skimmed over them until he found the one he was looking for.

An officer of very high rank, especially in the army. He read the first one. A military officer of the highest rank. Used as part of the title of a job of someone who is in charge of all or part of an organization or company.

Hmm..that last one says it's for the workplace, but it also sounds like it might fit from what Darien said. The generals are his Guardian Generals. That means they are in charge of his physical safety. He thought as he closed that dictionary, and moved another in its place to see if it had anything different.

Applied to a person to indicate supreme rank, in civil or military titles. He read after finding the word. The holder of a senior military title, originally designating the commander of an army and now a specific rank falling under field marshal (in the British army) and below general of the army or general of the air force in the US army and air forces.

That one is more detailed. He thought as he scanned down the page for any other meanings that fit. A great strategist or tactician. He read before he saw a list of different General titles.

Brigadier general, colonel general, general of the air force, general of the army, lieutenant general, major general, and sergeant major general. He read before he closed the dictionary, and picked up a different book.

General, title and rank of a senior army officer, usually one who commands units larger than a regiment or its equivalent or units consisting of more than one arm of the service. Frequently, however, a general is a staff officer who does not command troops but who plans their operations in the field. He read looked through the next pages as they gave examples of generals throughout history from France, Spain, Sweden, Austria, Greece, Romania, China, and more.

Andrew closed that book and placed it on the small stack he had already looked through before he grabbed another dictionary.

General of the army is a military rank used to denote a senior military leader, usually a general in command of a nation's army. This rank is higher than that of just a general. He read.

So far the definitions were the same or similar with only a few differences that were just added details. Those details were good to know, but he didn't know if they would mean anything in terms of Darien's Guardian Generals.

Because it's not just about being a general but a guardian general. Are there ranks among the four generals? Is one the highest out of them all, the leader? He wondered as he closed the dictionary, and added it to the stack he had already looked through. Do they each have different duties when it comes to protecting and guarding him?

What about other duties? I know they're supposed to be guardians to him, but that doesn't mean he won't give them other duties or didn't in the past. Andrew thought as he grabbed another book. This one was supposed to have the description of the duties of an army general, and it did have a brief one.

The command is responsible for the combat readiness of active army units, as well as the training and supervision of the army during peacetime. This encompasses all strategic decision-making during wartime and peacetime. He read thoughtfully.

And that brings up the question of if the generals would have these same or these types of duties should there be war in addition to guarding Darien. Did they have to do these things in the past? He wondered as he closed the book.

Will it take a war for Darien to reestablish his past kingdom? Would I have to fight in that way if my idea actually works? As if I was really part of an army? He thought as he stared blankly at a nearby bookshelf.

Andrew knew that would be a problem since he had no skill in fighting. In fact, trying to be one of his friend's Guardian Generals would be a problem for the same reason. He didn't know how to fight, didn't know how to use a weapon, and didn't have any power like his friend obviously had.

Darien carry's a sword in his royal form, so I'm guessing he knows how to use it, and who knows if he can use anything else. He's mentioned Serena's true self knowing how to use a bow and arrows, spear, and a sword, and I'm guessing the Guardian Generals know how to use at least one weapon. He thought.

I would have to learn how to use a weapon and fight, but the not having any power might trip me up. He thought with a light sigh. I don't even have an idea what this power portion of being a general would look like. Darien showed me a glimpse when he showed me what he looks like in his masked persona and in his royal form, but that has nothing to do with using that power to fight.

And even though I sometimes hear about the sailor scouts on the news I never see what they can do. He thought with another sigh.

The only things Andrew had as an example of their use of power was things Darien had mentioned. The Moon Princess using the power of a silver crystal to change reality for the entire solar system in the past, that Darien was able to do the same if he wanted to, and the fact that he had made a bow, quiver, and arrows for Serena.

Those were strong examples, but still had nothing to do with using that power directly for fighting. It was an uncertainty he was unhappy with, but there was nothing he could do about it.

No fighting skills, no weapons training, and no power, but I still want to do this if it's possible. He thought seriously. He believed Darien when he said he would restore his past kingdom, and he wasn't the only one since some of the sailor scouts had given him and Serena their loyalty.

He wanted to be part of that. Not just because he wanted to keep his best friend in his life, but because he wanted to help. He wanted to be in the middle of the action, and wanted to see this former kingdom rise.

Andrew got up and began putting the books back, and when he finished he grabbed his things and went to one of the free computers since he hadn't brought his laptop to school with him.

He was going to see what more information he could find out about Generals before he had to head to class. He would check the public library after his last class to see if they had anything different.

oOoIRoOo

In a private room at Azabu-Juban General Hospital Zoycite sat on his bed relaxing after finishing his breakfast. It hadn't been the best food, but after remembering what he had been eating in the Dark Kingdom it was like a five star meal.

He intended to do some light exercising in a short while, to get used to the actions since he was set to be released tomorrow and would be able to start his training, but for the moment he was allowing himself to be lost in thought.

After having had time to thoroughly go through both sets of his memories of the past, and think about what he had learned from his prince, it was no surprise that he was angry.

The Moon Princess' selfishness and obsession with Endymion had caused her to completely screw them all over.

She had changed the relationship he and his fellow generals had with each other and their prince, taken Serenity from them, taken her from her destiny, took away the position of Sailor Earth altogether, which made it so they didn't know about the evil that had come to their planet, caused them to be brainwashed, caused them to betray their prince and planet, and ultimately led them to an early death.

Furthermore, the selfish princess had changed the entire course of their planet; let alone the course of the solar system. He didn't know how much time had passed between the present and the past, but he couldn't help wondering what the Earth would be like now if the Moon Princess hadn't changed everything.

Would the Earth still be the only planet populated or would the other planets still be populated and have their kingdoms? Would it be Endymion and Serenity's descendants ruling now?

What would life have been like if Endymion and Serenity had gotten married, and had their chance to rule? He wondered as he looked out the window.

Zoycite remembered being happy when his prince informed him and his fellow generals that he intended to propose to Serenity and wanted them there as witnesses. He recalled watching from behind a tree and silently cheering his prince on as he began the proposal, and then cheering out loud and clapping when she said yes.

I was looking forward to their wedding. He thought as he shook his head lightly. He had never been to one and had been curious how it would turn out; especially since he was going to be in it.

Hopefully this time around they get to have that wedding. Maybe sooner rather than later. He thought, remembering what he had felt last evening.

A burst of energy had passed through him like a wave while he was lying in bed. The only way he could describe it was earthy, and he had immediately wondered if it had something to do with Serenity.

Maybe it's a sign that she remembers, and Lady Earth is truly back. He considered. If it's true then the only ones unaware now are Malachite and Jedite.

He wasn't considering the Guardian Scouts or their princess since as far as he was concerned they didn't matter outside of being citizens of the Earth. Although, he did acknowledge that the princess could be a thoughtless threat once she had the silver crystal in her hands.

Considering her selfish and heedless actions of the past it was a very real possibility that she could be a threat for a number of reasons.

Jealousy of Serenity for being with Endymion even if she didn't yet know he was the prince of the Earth she had obsessed over in the past, jealousy that Serenity had been with him in the past regardless of which scout she had been, her ignorant want to have command over Serenity as a scout, as she presumably did her guardians even if she didn't remember the want yet, and more importantly her entitlement to have everything she wanted, which included Endymion.

At least she'll be a threat once she remembers the past since I don't know if she's like that now. He thought with a light shrug. Of course another entitled woman is Beryl, and I know for a fact that she's a threat.

That woman had had him attacked and kidnapped just because she wanted him under her control. That was the only reason he could see her doing that when he had no influence over anything in this time.

Well, that and just so she could try and use my presence to lure Endymion to her. He thought. Something that might have possibly worked if she was smart enough to approach him with a story about him having been part of the Dark Kingdom all along instead of attacking and capturing him.

But she hadn't found his prince and now he remembered everything, and considering what Endymion had said about how he remembered it was possible he would have learned the truth the moment Serenity was awakened as the scout of the Moon.

Still, none of that happened. Beryl did what she did in this time, and Jedite and Malachite are still stuck with her. That has to change quickly. He thought. I'll be out of here tomorrow and then I can start training so I can help free them or at least be present and ready when they're captured.

Zoycite knew he needed to get back into using his powers and his weapons. In fact, he couldn't wait to start, couldn't wait to be back in his uniform, but he was unsure how he could; he didn't have it anymore.

Perhaps Endymion will know. He considered before he got to his feet and began to stretch so he could start his light exercising.

The sooner he started the sooner time would pass, so he could be gone from the hospital and free to get to his training, because he wanted Beryl and her Dark Kingdom gone; badly!

oOoIRoOo

The morning was well underway and the newly awakened scout of the Earth, all the Guardian Scouts, Moon Princess, and feline advisors were going about their day as usual if a little more thoughtfully in response to recent events.

The humans were all in school and the feline advisors had been left to their own devices for the time being. Of the two Luna was currently walking around on her way to see Artemis to speak to him.

She was still shocked that Serena, the first scout she had awakened, wasn't actually Sailor Moon. She was also still so confused about that fact, because she knew, absolutely knew, that Serena had been Sailor Moon in the past.

There was certainly no doubt that she had been Sailor Moon all these months since she had awakened her. She had been able to transform every time she needed to, every time she wanted to, and she had clearly been able to use the Crescent Moon Wand; at least three times since she had given it to her!

Only someone who had been born on the Moon could use it, so if she had somehow been this unknown Sailor Earth that meant she had been born on the Earth in the past. If that was the case how in the world could she use the wand as she had?

Is it possible Serena isn't this, as far as I remember, nonexistent scout, and is just using this situation to stop being a guardian scout? She wondered as she walked.

But that didn't make sense. Serena had never had a problem being a scout and doing her duty as far as she knew. The only issues had been squabbles between her and Amy and Raye every once in a while.

Plus, Serena had said she would continue fighting. She couldn't do that properly if she couldn't transform, so maybe she was this unknown scout.

Aside from that confusing mystery Luna was still burning with curiosity about what happened after Serena had been taken by Tuxedo Mask. Where had he taken her? Had he done something to prevent himself and Serena from being found since Amy had been unable to locate either of them?

Did he now know Serena was Sailor Moon? Did he get information out of her about the princess or the girls? Did she know who he was now? Had she learned what his motives were in always appearing and helping at fight scenes? Had she met the two new sailor scouts, and learned which scouts they were; what their identities were, and why they were suddenly around now?

And what exactly does Serena remember? She wondered since Serena had said she remembered everything. If that was true she could have important relevant information that could help them, and even shed light on the enemy they were fighting.

She should also know why she had been Sailor Moon in the past and present if she is really Sailor Earth. She thought as she reached the quiet neighborhood where Serena lived.

Luna moved suitably along the sidewalks, using fences, tree trunks, and occasionally moving into the street and hiding behind car tires to avoid being seen. The last thing she wanted was to be seen as a regular stray cat, and have someone try to grab her and keep her or turn her in to an animal shelter.

After a few long nerve wrecking minutes she reached Serena's house. As she had every time she had stealthily come to the house she looked around carefully, and then scaled the tree in front of the house before jumping onto the balcony that led to Serena's bedroom.

She easily spotted Artemis through the glass doors half reclined half sitting up on the end of Serena's bed. His back was to the balcony so she tapped on the glass with her claws, and watched as he turned his head and spotted her.

oOo

Artemis, meanwhile, was at the Tsukino house lounging in Serena's bedroom; his mind full of their conversation from last night.

He now knew that the Earth Prince was around, the same man that apparently his princess held affection for in the past and who Serena's past self as Sailor Moon was seeing, and that he was Serena's young man. Furthermore, the prince remembered everything just as she did.

He had not asked who Tuxedo Mask was, because he had agreed to keep their talks free of anything to do with the Guardian Scouts, his princess, and Serena's scout duties. But he was very curious to know if she knew who the masked man was.

Could he in actuality be the Earth Prince? He wondered.

It would explain why he had taken her after she fell unconscious as the girls had described. If he was the Earth Prince then he was her soulmate as she had clearly stated, which meant judging by his behavior with her he had already remembered the past and knew who she really was long before she did.

Of course Artemis was still surprised that Serena had turned out to be a scout he had believed didn't exist. If they had not talked last evening it was a possibility that he still would not have believed that she was Sailor Earth.

However, he truly believed her after hearing her describe, in almost vivid detail, a memory of her dealing with a natural disaster in the past. Her using her scout powers sounded amazing, and he already wished for the opportunity to see her in action.

She described using the earth, water, and air elements. Those are either the only ones she can use or she can also use fire. He thought, and then sighed lightly as he gazed at the partially open door. I very much want to see what that would look like. Did she only use them for her scout duties or casually as well?

As he listened to the sounds of Serena's mother going about her morning it suddenly occurred to him that Serena being a different scout explained her instinctive urge to go on patrols of the city. As guardian scout to the Earth she likely had done a lot of traveling around making sure all was peaceful on the planet.

It also explains her ability to sense dark energy. That would definitely help her keep the planet safe. He thought as his ear flicked at a sound.

It was also just now occurring to him that with her engagement to the prince of the Earth, if things had not been changed as she said they had, Serena would have been Queen of the Earth.

Would she have remained Sailor Earth? Doing her duty to protect the planet while also performing her duties as the planet's queen? He wondered curiously. Could she have done that? Would it have been allowed?

But then again who would have stopped her, and why would she have needed to stop being a scout just because she fell in love with the future ruler of a planet? Plus, being a scout is for a lifetime, and depending on how she was chosen there may have been no one to replace her anyway. He thought realistically.

Of course that brought up other questions. With being Sailor Earth had she known those two new scouts that had appeared when she remembered her true identity? Did she know why they were suddenly around?

I would have asked her last night, but… His thought cut off as he heard tapping on the glass of the balcony, and turned his head to see Luna sitting outside looking at him.


Artemis glanced back to the partially open door before he stood up and focused on the balcony doors. After a few moments a beam of light shot from the crescent on his brow and struck the doors. A clicking sound was heard and one door swung open slightly.

"Hello Luna." He said as he moved to the edge of the bed and leapt to the floor.

"Hello Artemis." Luna said as she slipped inside the bedroom and sat in front of him as he sat down. "How have you been?" She asked.

"Thoughtful." He answered simply. "You have to admit there is so much to think about."

"True." She replied. "So did you learn what happened to Serena? Did she tell you where Tuxedo Mask took her, and if he had done anything to prevent himself and Serena from being found by Amy?"

"Does she know who he is? Does he now know who she is? What of his motives? Does she know them now? Does she know anything about the two new scouts? Does she know why she was Sailor Moon in the past and present if she was really Sailor Earth?" She continued to ask rapidly. "There is so much to know!"

"I did not ask about any of those things." Artemis said calmly. "She was adamant about not speaking of her scout life, and I agreed not to tell her anything about our princess and what the girls were doing as scouts."

"So you learned nothing of value from her?" Luna asked disappointedly. "She could have told Tuxedo Mask everything about us, and now we still don't know anything of his motives!"

"Even had I asked I highly doubt she would have answered." He said. "She quite clearly said what she did in her civilian and scout lives was none of our business, and she did not care about what we do."

"Did you learn nothing from her?" She asked in exasperation, disappointed he hadn't learned the answers to any of her questions. "Did you at least learn if she is really Sailor Earth?"

"She really is Sailor Earth." Artemis confirmed. "We mostly spoke of her life as said scout since I have no memories of a time where there was a scout of the Earth. She said she was chosen as Sailor Earth as a young child. It sounds like she had a very filling life outside of her duties."

He didn't bother telling her about Serena's scout powers. The girls would likely learn about them if they happened to end up facing a monster together, but he didn't want them to learn the information from him.

"She also said she was engaged to the prince of the Earth, and that there was a ball thrown by the King and Queen of the Earth to introduce her as their son's fiancée and the future Queen." He added.

Luna's eyes widened in surprise at that, having heard all about her princess' past feelings for the same young man from Amy and Raye.

But that was with Serena as Sailor Moon in the past. Did Susanna have those feelings for the prince when Serena was Sailor Earth? She wondered. It would explain in part why she was angry with Susanna. The other part being Susanna supposedly changing reality.

But is all of that really enough to be upset with Susanna? Is it really necessary? She thought, her loyalty to the young woman showing through.

"I'm surprised by that fact, but do you think that's reason enough for her to be angry with Susanna to the point of calling her out of her name?" Luna asked as she remembered Serena calling her princess a bitch.

"I am surprised that Serena actually used a curse word since I have never heard her use such language." Artemis admitted, having been shocked himself when she called Susanna what she did.

"However, she said that Susanna changed reality in the past. We know that she became Sailor Moon presumably as part of that change, which means she somehow went from being guardian to an entire planet to being one of five guardians to a princess." He continued.

"From what she told me last night she also went from being engaged to be married to a young man she had apparently known nearly her whole life, on a path to become a Queen, to only being courted by the young man; and this after he approached her and introduced himself according to what the girls have remembered and related." He said.

"Can you see it from her point of view Luna, especially with what we have learned from the girls?" He asked her seriously. "It sounds like when reality was changed Serena was somehow taken from her home planet and placed on the Moon and given new memories. To the point where she did not even remember the young man she was engaged to outside of his title as prince of the Earth."

"And if you take that a step further to what we ourselves have remembered it also means that more than she was given new memories." He continued, this having only now occurred to him.

"I remember her being chosen by the Queen to be Sailor Moon, I know this for a fact, but she told me last night she was chosen to be Sailor Earth when she was only six years old. She was eight years old when she was chosen as Sailor Moon, just as the other girls, if I recall correctly. That's two years later than she remembers." He said.

"Would you not be angry as well?" He asked seriously. He knew he would, and he didn't even have all the details of what happened as Serena apparently did.

"I can see it from her point of view, but it would make much more sense if we knew what exactly happened!" Luna said with a sigh. "She said she remembers everything, so why didn't she say how it happened or give details?"

"I did not ask, but I think Serena is going to continue her life from the past as Sailor Earth, at least as much as she can in this time, and I believe she did not know any of us beyond our titles in the past as said scout." Artemis explained. "Actually I do not even believe she would have known of you and I since she would have had no reason to know of the Moon Queen's advisors."

"That makes sense." She said as she nodded slowly, and then fixed him with a look as she continued. "That also means there's no reason for you to remain here. Now that we know that Serena isn't actually a guardian scout you can come live with our princess with me."

"My stance on that has not changed." He said, holding back a sigh. "I still do not see the need for both of us to live with Susanna, and I still want to be free to travel around to each of the girls. Beyond that I am comfortable here. I do not have to pretend to be a mindless feline, and submit to being touched against my will."

Besides that his opinions about his princess had not changed, and he was not even factoring in the new information of her having changed reality in the past. He still did not like her personality and attitude. She was still arrogant, selfish, wanted things her way, and wanted what she wanted.

A major example was of her wanting Serena's young man, and he had no doubt that she would be worse about that if she knew he was the same prince she had held affection for in the past.

At least that is something Luna has not asked about. What Serena would do with her boyfriend when the Earth Prince appeared, so I do not have to lie about that since that is not my business to tell. It certainly has nothing to do with our princess despite her past affection for the young man. He thought.

Aside from those things he still enjoyed living with Serena. Just as he had told her; he liked her and wanted to continue bonding with her, and he was pleased that she liked him more than Luna. That also wasn't surprising considering the way Luna tried to behave with her.

Something she likely will not miss now that she does not have to interact with Luna. He thought.

He honestly couldn't wait to see what changed and didn't change now that she remembered her past as Sailor Earth. He had already seen this morning that she was now wearing her hair completely loose, something she had apparently done daily in the past, and from their conversation the previous night he knew that she spoke differently.

Will she patrol more, train more? Will she spend more time with her young man, her prince? He wondered.

"You could have that with Lita since she lives alone or possibly even Raye since her family temple has so much open space." Luna countered.

"That is true." He agreed reasonably. "However, with Lita she runs the risk of being kicked out of her home if it is learned that she has a pet since we do not know if her apartment allows that, and with Raye her grandfather may not allow pets either or want them roaming the property for patrons to see."

"And before you mention them Mina wouldn't care where I live, and Amy's mother is a doctor and may have issues with having cat hair around." He added. Of course he didn't shed very much, and he always groomed himself to minimize that more, but it could still be an issue.

"The only one who seems to have a problem with where I am residing is you." He said as he looked to his fellow guardian and advisor.

"That's because I think you should live with our princess. It's what we did in the past." Luna insisted.

"We lived in the Moon Palace in the past with our own rooms." Artemis said in exasperation. "We did not live in the Queen's private rooms or follow her around the palace!"

"We do not need to be so involved in our princess' or the scouts lives. We need to be able to guide and advise them when necessary, but not interfere in their daily lives." He said firmly. "Although, I acknowledge our princess needs more guidance since her life has been impacted the most with needing to be guarded."

"Yes she needs more guidance, so you should be there to help with that." She said.

"I still believe you would be best to give her instant guidance and advice since she may feel more comfortable speaking to a female." He said, and then looked at her carefully. "Unless you do not feel up to the challenge. Is that it? Do you feel you cannot guide and advise her on your own?"

He didn't know if he actually believed that, but he wasn't entirely sure that wasn't the case. Was it simply her want to have them both with their princess or was she not feeling up to handling their princess' personality and attitude on her own?

"No!" Luna answered emphatically. "I can handle it. I just thought it would be better to continue to do what we did in the past."

"This is not the past Luna." He said gently, not wanting to hurt her feelings. "This is modern times and an entirely different planet. Things cannot be exactly as they were in the past. You are going to have to accept this."

Luna sighed heavily.

"I don't want to." She said.

"You are going to have to." Artemis said firmly.

oOo

Mina sat in one of her morning classes and held in a sigh as she stared down at her textbook. It was silent with only the sound of pages turning, sighs, and coughs here and there since they were supposed to be reading a chapter in their textbook.

She had already read it days ago so instead she was lost in thought, and her thoughts naturally went to the major revelations that were revealed yesterday.

Serena wasn't Sailor Moon, had apparently only been the scout because Susanna's past self had caused her to be that scout somehow and it had carried over to this life, and was actually Sailor Earth instead.

She had seen the symbol glowing on her forehead when her tiara shattered, but it was still shocking to have Serena confirm it. Then to see her returning pretty much everything having to do with her as Sailor Moon cemented the reality.

If I'm to believe Serena, and I have no reason not to, then the Moon Princess was supposed to only have four guardian scouts; Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter. She thought as she idly turned the page in her textbook. That means if Serena hadn't been made Sailor Moon in the present I highly likely wouldn't have agreed to be Sailor Venus after meeting Amy and Raye.

She shook her head slightly as she recalled their words from that day on why they accepted the role as a sailor scout. Amy had agreed because she liked the speech Luna had given, and Raye had agreed because she wanted to help fight a monster. Serena's reasoning for accepting had made much more sense.

"She said 'sworn duty as a sailor scout'. The brooch made me feel nothing, her information was only interesting, but that phrase felt right. I don't know what that means, if my duty as a sailor scout is different than what I've been told it is as a guardian scout, but I believe my instincts guided me to accept being a scout." Serena had said.

She was right; apparently her dirty had been different. Maybe that had been her instincts from her Sailor Earth side coming through. She considered. I guess it makes sense why the brooch made her feel nothing, because she was never supposed to have it, because Sailor Moon hadn't been a real scout.

Remembering that day made Mina recall how the others had tried to ask her what Serena had meant with her parting words to her.

oOo

"What did she mean by that? About her previous words?" Luna asked her.

"It's nothing. Just something she said that convinced me to become a scout." She said nonchalantly.

"What did she say to you?" Amy asked.

"It's personal." Mina said simply.

"Oh come on! You can't leave us hanging like that!" Raye insisted.

"I can, and I will." She replied calmly.

"What's so personal about it?" Lita asked, sounding a little confused.

"It just is. It's my business, and it's going to stay that way!" Mina said firmly.

oOo

Only Susanna's foolishness had redirected their focus, but their insistence had only served to bring the memory to the front of her mind.

"You said you felt pride and reluctance. Ignore the reluctance and focus on the pride. You must have been happy as a scout in the past, and it is only circumstances that cause the reluctance now." …"We both know that being a scout is for a lifetime, and that our duty is to guard and protect the Moon Princess. However, this is not the past. This is the present, and circumstances can change. So focus on that pride, become Sailor Venus again, and just maybe circumstances will change."

Mina remembered the passion in her voice and the intensity in her eyes, and wondered if that had been Sailor Earth coming through. It also made her wonder if that was generally what Serena had been like in the past as Sailor Earth or if she had been that way only when she was 'on duty' so to speak.

I wonder what that past looked like. She thought as she continued to pretend she was reading. Serena's past self on the Earth as Sailor Earth, and me and the others on the Moon. What had it been like to be the guardian of an entire planet? Could the lose of that be why she's so angry with Susanna?

She was still getting used to sensing emotions, still surprised she actually had the ability she had remembered having in the past, but last evening had been very clear when Serena arrived. She had been a bit distracted by her unexpected arrival, but not enough not to notice what she was sensing from her.

She had looked calm and poised, but there had been anger, almost rage, hiding beneath her exterior. And beneath that she wasn't sure, but she thought she had sensed sadness.

Was it just sadness or was it more? She thought with a light frown. And what did she mean by 'changed reality'? What had changed? Aside from the fact that no one remembered there had ever been a scout of the Earth.

Obviously Susanna's past self had gotten one more guardian bringing the number up from four to five, and presumably they had gotten new memories since Artemis remembered Serena's past self being chosen to be Sailor Moon when she was a child.

Had Tuxedo Mask been a new person, created along with Sailor Moon, and what of those two new scouts? Had they been there the whole time or were they also part of the 'changed reality'?

And speaking of changed reality. She thought as she remembered her memory dream from last night.

oOo

Sailor Venus stood in her Queen's office in front of her desk having requested the meeting to deal with an issue she felt was on the verge of getting out of hand.

"I am concerned about the tension between my Princess and my fellow scouts and Sailor Moon." She said in concern as she gazed at the Queen. "Princess Selene wants the Earth Prince for herself despite having never met him, Mercury and Mars want Moon to stop seeing him so Selene can have her chance at him, and Jupiter seems to be torn between both sides."

"And what do you think?" The Moon Queen asked gently.

"I think Sailor Moon should go with her heart, but I admit I wonder how that will even work considering she is a guardian to our Princess, and that is supposed to be for a lifetime." She answered.

"I want my daughter to be happy, but unfortunately for her the Earth Prince is not interested in her." The Queen said. "He has my full blessing to pursue his interest in Sailor Moon, and I know that he is completely serious about courting her and marrying her."

"I fully intend to release her from her duty as one of my daughter's guardians when she makes her decision to marry Prince Endymion." She added seriously.

"You are that sure she will accept his proposal if he makes it?" Venus asked in surprise.

"I am certain both that he will propose, and that Sailor Moon will accept it." The Queen said firmly.

"It will be fine. My daughter has four other guardians, and that is more than enough to protect her. Until the couple's decision has been made Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and my daughter are going to have to put aside their differences and learn to work together with Sailor Moon." She added.

oOo

Mina blinked the memory away as she glanced around the room. She wondered if the Moon Queen had been aware of this change in reality, and that was why she supported the relationship between Sailor Moon and the Earth Prince; why she had been so certain that he would propose.

Was Serena's past self as Sailor Earth in a relationship with the Earth Prince too? She wondered curiously as her teacher began to call the attention of the class back to her.

oOo

Raye sat in class with her fellow classmates trying to listen to her teacher lecture about an event in history, but was very much distracted by the memory of the scout meeting from yesterday. She was sure she wasn't the only one; it was just too much not to be uppermost in their minds.

Yesterday's monster attack had been the same as usual, but afterward was entirely different. Serena suddenly screaming as if she had been set on fire, her tiara shattering off her forehead, and being taken by Tuxedo Mask after she collapsed.

She and the others had gone from thinking she had been kidnapped by the masked man for any number of reasons, and learning her shattered tiara had revealed the symbol for Earth, to her showing up like she hadn't been kidnapped and telling them she was done being Sailor Moon.

But not just done. That the scout had never existed, and she would continue being a scout but a different one. Sailor Earth. She thought with a barely there sigh. Her saying that bluntly is at least proof that Mina was right when she told us about seeing the Earth symbol glowing on her forehead.

But it was still shocking to see Serena calmly placing the items she had as Sailor Moon on the table and saying she wouldn't need them anymore.

And then claiming that Sailor Moon hadn't existed in the past before Susanna, or at least her past self, had 'changed reality'. What did she mean by that? How could the princess have changed reality? She wondered. Did she use the silver crystal? Is it that powerful?

And Serena knows all of this because she remembers the past. Or at least she claims she does. She thought. She said she remembers everything, so does that mean she remembers the past with her as Sailor Moon and her as this supposed Sailor Earth? Does that mean she knows who those two new sailor scouts are? Does she know who Tuxedo Mask is? Does she remember her relationship with the Earth Prince?

That reminded Raye of the one time she had seen Serena's boyfriend and how he looked just like the Earth Prince.

Should I finally tell the others that her boyfriend looks exactly like the Earth Prince? She wondered as she looked down to her notebook.

She wasn't sure she should since all it would do is make Susanna more determined to get him as hers, and while she hadn't cared before, even thought Serena should allow her the choice between him and the Earth Prince, now she thought that would go against her duty to protect her princess since Serena's threat had been very clear.

"Guardian Scouts, keep that bitch well away from me if you wish to continue to have a princess to protect!" Serena's threat echoed through her mind in her firm tone before her thoughts drifted back to the meeting after Serena had left.

oOo

Raye ran her fingers through her hair, and closed her eyes to keep from rolling them at Susanna. That was sure to be disrespectful to the young woman she was supposed to protect.

The discussion about the Crescent Moon Wand and how they were going to find the rest of the rainbow crystals without Serena was important and she paid close attention to the details of what they would do. It was simple and straightforward, but with her guarding Susanna the most she wondered if it would really be so simple.

And speaking of guarding Susanna, are we going to have to protect her from Serena now? She wondered.

"Now that that's settled I'm concerned about Serena's threat." Lita said. "Are we going to have to protect Susanna from her now?"

Everyone looked around at each other uncertain and concerned.

"I don't know, but I believe you should be appropriately cautious of her in light of her words." Luna suggested.

"She should be fine as long as she stays away from her." Mina said with a shrug. "And since she has no reason to approach her there's no need to worry."

"Except for her interest in Serena's boyfriend." Lita pointed out.

Raye nodded in agreement; already having seen Susanna blatantly approach the guy while he was with Serena and holding her hand. It was clear evidence that they were a couple, and him kissing her right in front of Susanna was a clear show that he was happy to be attached to her and not looking to change that.

"Key words are 'Serena's boyfriend'. He's unavailable, so her interest is irrelevant." Mina said.

"That's not going to stop me from talking to him." Susanna said seriously. "We'd make a better couple than him and Serena."

Raye watched as Mina shook her head, Lita rolled her eyes, and Amy look thoughtful.

oOo

Raye closed her eyes briefly and kept herself from shaking her head since her teacher was looking in her direction. She thought she understood the look from each of her fellow scouts.

Mina likely thought Susanna was taking her chances, and didn't think she needed to be protected from her own foolishness. Lita likely thought Susanna was foolish to want a guy who was already in a relationship, and who she hadn't met as far as Lita was concerned since she didn't know she had met the guy in a sense.

And Amy likely truly thinks Susanna and that guy would make the better couple even though she doesn't know the guy and hasn't met him. She thought. Even I wouldn't have thought that before I actually saw the guy. I just thought she should have her pick between him and the Earth Prince. Now I'm wondering how Serena will pick between her boyfriend and the Earth Prince since she presumably remembers the prince and her relationship with him.

Raye hummed lightly as another thought suddenly occurred to her.

I've been wondering about the connection between Serena and Tuxedo Mask. Could he actually be the Earth Prince? She wondered. With the way he took her after she collapsed and how he only ever speaks to her I can't help but wonder. She thought as she gazed at the board her teacher was writing on.

It was an interesting thought, but after a few thoughtful moments she decided that would be too much of a coincidence. Tuxedo Mask was not a royal, was still very much an unknown, and had kidnapped Serena for some reason.

He's likely the one who put that Sailor Earth nonsense into her mind in the first place. She thought as she rolled her eyes.

oOo

Lita sat on the bottom bench of the bleachers in the gym as she waited her turn to be on one of the basketball teams. As she watched her classmates running back and forth and bouncing and passing the basketball around her mind began to wander. Naturally it wandered to the events of yesterday and the shocking revelations.

The first and most important was that Serena wasn't Sailor Moon. She was another scout altogether. One that wasn't supposed to exist. Sailor Earth.

She had been taken by Tuxedo Mask after collapsing after screaming in obvious pain, her tiara shattering to apparently reveal the symbol for Earth, and then before they could figure out how to find her to rescue her she showed up, looking perfectly fine, talking about no longer being Sailor Moon. That the scout hadn't existed before their princess had changed reality.

Not our princess, but your princess. She made a clear distinction. Lita thought as she tracked a classmate that was running down the court with the basketball. Clearly she no longer sees Susanna as someone associated with her in any way, which was further emphasized by her threat to keep Susanna away from her if we wanted to continue to have a princess to protect.

And what did she mean that Susanna 'changed reality'? Or at least Susanna's past self? She wondered with a frown. How could she have changed reality, and why would she have wanted to? And of course we only know this because Serena claims to remember the past. Can we even be sure she's telling the truth? What if she's lying? Maybe she's just tired of being a scout, and got this story of the princess changing reality and creating Sailor Moon and really being Sailor Earth from Tuxedo Mask.

He did take her after she collapsed, so who knows what he told her or did to her. After all, we've been more than advised that he's an unknown and could be another enemy aside from the one we're fighting, if not part of them entirely, and a possible danger to our princess. She thought, and remembered back on that very subject being discussed at the meeting.

oOo

Lita shook her head to clear it from talk about Serena's boyfriend and if he and Susanna would make a better couple then him and Serena, and decided to move the conversation to something that was actually important.

"Where does all this leave us in terms of Tuxedo Mask?" She asked as she looked around at everyone.

"He's still an unknown." Luna said after a few moments of silence. "He could still be an enemy or even part of the one we're fighting, and who knows what he did or said to Serena while she was with him. We have no idea how long she was with him after he took her."

"Yeah, and we still don't know who he is or what his motives are." Amy added seriously.

"Yes." Luna agreed. "If you see him at a fight scene again then remain cautious and wary of him."

oOo

Lita blinked out of the memory and scanned the basketball court to make sure she hadn't missed anything. Satisfied that she hadn't she went back to her thoughts.

So remain cautious and wary of Tuxedo Mask, and remain appropriately cautious of Serena. She thought with a light sigh, never having thought she would need to protect her princess from one of her fellow scouts.

But then again if I believe Serena's words she isn't one of my fellow scouts, at least not a guardian scout, and if I don't believe her words then she's still Sailor Moon and just seriously shirking her duties because she might be tired of being a scout. She thought.

Although, if Serena is truly tired of being a scout then why would she say she would still be one as Sailor Earth? She could have made up any excuse if that was the case. She wondered. And Mina did say she saw the symbol for Earth on her forehead. She reminded herself, which meant that Serena's words on being Sailor Earth could very well be true.

And if it really is true, and she remembers the past as she said, then she could have information that we need to know. Like who Tuxedo Mask is, why he comes to monster fights, and how he knows when a fight is happening? She might even know who those two new scouts are, and why they suddenly appeared and look like they know Tuxedo Mask. She thought as she watched a classmate from one team take the ball from a classmate from the other team.

She should definitely know why she was made Sailor Moon in the past beyond the princess supposedly having 'changed reality'. Lita thought before her thoughts moved to something else that she had been curious about since Serena left the meeting. How did she make her scout items appear out of thin air like that?

oOo

Amy sighed lightly as she walked through one of the hallways in her school on her way to her next class. She was on her third class of the morning and done well to keep focused, but now in between classes her mind began to drift back to the surprising revelations of last evening.

Serena had essentially quit being Sailor Moon while claiming their princess had created the scout in the past by changing reality, and that she was actually Sailor Earth; a scout Luna and Artemis said didn't exist. All this after being kidnapped by Tuxedo Mask.

She didn't know if she actually believed that Serena was this Sailor Earth she claimed to be. She had seen no evidence of it. Mina said she had seen the Earth symbol glowing on her forehead, but she hadn't seen it with her own eyes. This could just be an attempt by Serena to get out of her guardian duty to Susanna.

Yes. Maybe she just got tired of being a scout, but if that's the case then she wouldn't have claimed to be a different scout. Unless she liked being a scout and just didn't want to deal with guarding our princess like we're supposed to. She considered as she walked.

She didn't know, but even with Serena's claim of not truly being Sailor Moon she still couldn't believe she had given back everything that she used to be Sailor Moon.

Her communicator, her transformation brooch, the Crescent Moon Wand, and even a rainbow crystal she had found yesterday. Everything! She thought as she shook her head lightly.

If nothing else it showed that Serena was clearly serious about not being Sailor Moon anymore. She could not transform without her brooch after all, and the Crescent Moon Wand. She wasn't just no longer willing to be a guardian to their princess she was giving up her duty to find the remaining rainbow crystals.

Amy couldn't help thinking back to their discussion on what to do about that particular situation.

oOo

Amy, a little irritated with Mina and ignoring what her princess had just tried, moved their meeting in a different more important direction.

"How are we supposed to find the rest of the rainbow crystals now?" She asked as she looked to Luna and Artemis.

"Yeah." Raye agreed as she looked to Luna. "Didn't you say only someone descended from the Moon could use it?"

"Yes." Luna confirmed.

"Then how could Serena use it?" Lita asked. "If she isn't really Sailor Moon then she wasn't descended from the Moon."

"She would have been from the Earth." Mina said as she nodded.

"I don't know." Luna said, clearly just as bewildered as the rest of them. "I certainly remember her being Sailor Moon in the past." She added as she looked to Artemis.

"Yes. I recall her being Sailor Moon as well." Artemis agreed. "I very much remember her being chosen as a child."

"That still doesn't leave us with a plan to find the rainbow crystals." Amy said.

"And without putting Susanna in danger." Luna added as she nodded.

"She would only need to retrieve the crystal from wherever it is once it's found, but couldn't the rest of us do the actual finding?" Mina suggested.

"Yeah. We could take turns in order to cover as much ground as possible." Lita agreed as she nodded.

"How many crystals are left?" Susanna asked, finally speaking up after her embarrassing actions.

"We don't know." Luna answered. "With the one Serena found today that makes three. There shouldn't be too many more."

"Well then how does the wand work? And how am I supposed to get the crystals when they're found?" Susanna asked.

"The wand will alert whenever it is near a rainbow crystal." Luna answered. "Unfortunately I have no idea how you would go about retrieving the crystals."

"Do you know Artemis?" Amy asked.

"With the first crystal Serena said she channeled her will through the wand. I assume she did the same with others she found." Artemis said.

"So we'll take turns with the wand?" Lita asked, wanting to confirm.

"Yes. I believe that is a good idea." Luna said as she nodded.

"Switching every day or every couple of days?" Raye asked.

"Every couple of days should be enough." Artemis said. "You can contact each other with your communicators when you're ready to make the switch or if the wand alerts then you can contact Susanna."

"Yes. That way she can come to the location if she doesn't have the wand at the time and retrieve the rainbow crystal." Luna said.

"So who's going to have it first?" Mina asked.

oOo

Amy had volunteered to take the first turn with the wand hoping to find a rainbow crystal quickly, and had it sitting safely hidden in her school bag. Part of her wanted it to alert since that would mean a crystal had been found quickly and easily, but the other part of her was hoping it wouldn't because that meant everyone around her would hear it; and she wouldn't be able to stop it.

Plus, how would I be able to stay with the person who had it, and contact Susanna and the others at the same time? She wondered a little worriedly.

After she had volunteered to carry the wand first they had all agreed that when the wand alerted whoever had the wand would stay with the person who had the crystal and contact the others and the princess, so the princess could be brought to them and retrieve the rainbow crystal in the safety of their presence.

She wondered how Serena had dealt with this pressure, but in the next moment realized she didn't have to; at least not all of it. She had somehow been able to retrieve the rainbow crystals herself and didn't need to contact everyone and wait for them while not being found out by the person with the crystal.

Maybe this is really why she decided to stop being Sailor Moon. To avoid having to deal with getting the rainbow crystals. She thought as she stepped into her next classroom. She's likely not some nonexistent Earth scout; just irresponsible and imprudent. I was right to be suspicious of her all along.

And Tuxedo Mask too. She added, and nearly paused in sitting at her desk as another thought occurred to her. Is this all because of him? He kidnaps Serena and she suddenly comes back talking about not being Sailor Moon, and instead another scout that likely doesn't exist. Maybe he also had something to do with the pain she was in.

After all, who knows what he could have done in the fog. She thought, ignoring the fact that she had created that obscuring obstacle. He was closest to her when it cleared, and he hadn't been before I spread my fog. Why did he make his way toward her? How was he even able to see in the fog when the rest of us can't?

It brought Amy's mind back to how he had been able to leave the way he had with Serena, and how he was able to block her scans from finding them.

I don't know if Serena's at school today, but if I see her I'll give her a close look to see if she's acting unusual for her. She decided as her class began to start, because if Serena wasn't being imprudent then she might have been brainwashed.

oOo

Susanna sat with her friends at their table during lunch eating and gossiping. She was listening with half an ear, but not really paying attention to them. She was too busy thinking about the events that happened at the meeting yesterday with her Guardian Scouts and cat advisors.

So much had happened last evening. First she had learned that something had happened to Serena after the monster fight they had been in, then that she had been kidnapped by the masked man she remembered seeing when she had first met them, and then Serena shows up looking perfectly fine and clearly not being held captive.

Then she surprisingly hands over everything that made her Sailor Moon, and revealed that she was actually another scout altogether, Sailor Earth, and that a Sailor Moon hadn't existed in the past until I changed reality! She thought, still feeling surprised and shocked by that accusation.

I still can't believe she said that! Why would I have done something like that? Actually, how would I have done something like that?! She thought incredulously.

Maybe it's the silver crystal they all talk about. She considered as she popped a piece of fruit into her mouth. They say it's so powerful, so maybe it could really do that.

Susanna didn't know, so she pushed it aside since there was no way for her to know aside from remembering the past and that hadn't happened yet. Instead she turned her attention from how Serena became Sailor Moon to the fact that she was apparently another scout altogether.

Sailor Earth. It's still hard to believe, but she said she remembered it and she believes it so I guess it's true. She thought as she remembered back to Serena saying it was her duty and honor to be the scout of the Earth. Still, I was right in a sense that she wasn't supposed to be Sailor Moon. It's just too bad I'm not supposed to be that scout either.

She held in a sigh and tried to hold in a blush, but caught sight of Raye and her face flooded with color, even though the other girl wasn't looking her way, as she unwillingly remembered back to what she had done not long after Serena had left the room after her charged words.

oOo

Susanna sat at the table with the others looking around in shock, and speechless at Serena's parting words.

"What did she mean by that? About her previous words?" She heard Luna ask, and snapped out of her wide eyed shock to see the black cat was looking at Mina.

"It's nothing. Just something she said that convinced me to become a scout." Mina said in a calm tone.

She was very curious about what Serena had said to her to convince her to want to be a scout, not thinking about the fact that that meant she hadn't actually wanted to be a scout, which meant she hadn't wanted to be a guardian to her, and everyone else was curious as well since they started asking what Serena had told her.

As curious as she was she also didn't particularly care what Serena had told Mina, not enough to question her herself or pay attention to what the others were asking. Instead she got up and moved around the table to where Serena had placed her sailor items and knelt down in front of them. She pocketed the yellow crystal to add to the others back at her house, and then picked up the round golden brooch ignoring the wand and communicator.

It was heavier than it looked and smooth on the back, and she wondered how Serena had been able to wear it on her school uniform top with no way to secure it. It had a large crescent moon on its face with a large round pink gem almost sitting in the crescent, and four small gems on the edges of the rounded sides.

Serena said there was no Sailor Moon in the past and that she's not that scout now since they never existed, but I'm the Moon Princess so can't I be that scout? She wondered as she touched the small blue, orange, red, and green gems around the brooch.

She had some kind of power inside her for her to have been identified as the princess in the first place, so why shouldn't she be the new Sailor Moon; the true Sailor Moon?

"Since Serena isn't Sailor Moon maybe I can be Sailor Moon." Susanna said, cutting off all talking in the room as everyone looked at her.

Some were incredulous, some were surprised, some were thoughtful, and some were unreadable. Still, she knew she wanted to try. It should work since she was the Moon Princess after all.

"I don't know." Lita said slowly. "How would you be able to fight?"

"Practice?" Susanna replied with a shrug. "It can be done. I just need to know how to transform."

Everyone was silent as they looked at each other and her.

"It would be too dang…" Luna began to say.

"Say "moon prism power"." Mina said, cutting her off before she could finish.

"Alright!" Susanna said as she stood up. She moved away from the table and held the brooch out in front of her as she imagined the girls did since she had never seen any of them transform.

"Moon Prism Power!" She said confidently as everyone stared at her.

Unfortunately nothing happened. There was no light, no sparkles, no flashing, and not even an instant outfit change into the sailor uniform Serena had worn. Nothing.

She could not stop her face from flushing in embarrassment, but at least she was able to hide her disappointment.

oOo

Susanna looked away from Raye as she began to turn her head in her direction. She knew they had all been silently laughing at her, and she hated that she had been embarrassed in that way.

But I truly thought it would work. She thought with a sigh. She had really figured that with her being the Moon Princess, reincarnated from the Moon, then she should be able to be a scout.

Being a scout would have allowed her to prove that not only was she the true scout of the Moon, but that she was better than Serena as a scout. Of course she had no idea how Serena was as Sailor Earth, but that was a small barely existent concern.

What is a concern is what she looks like as a scout. She thought as she took a sip of her drink. Does she look the same as she did as Sailor Moon or completely different? Already she looks different with her hair loose and down from the bun and streams I'm used to seeing her hair styled in.

Susanna had no idea if Serena would continue to wear her hair completely loose or in different styles, and it suddenly occurred to her if Serena's boyfriend would like her hair styled differently.

Maybe he won't. Maybe he'll be repulsed, and dump her. Then I can just step in and comfort him, and before I know it the cutie will be my boyfriend like he should have been all along. She thought as she continued to eat her lunch.

oOoIRoOo

Serena had to keep herself from humming happily as she made her way through her classes. She was still so very pleased to remember who she truly was, and to remember her prince and who he was to her.

My prince was faithfully with me nearly from the day we first met; as Darien and Tuxedo Mask. She thought as she pushed some of her loose hair behind her ear. He was true to his word that he would find me, and I would remember what we had.

Of course that thought soured her mood as she was reminded that those had been his dying words to her; that her soulmate had died right in front of her, and she hadn't known because she had been made into a nonexistent scout and hadn't known him beyond being the Prince of the Earth.

Although, at that devastating point in time she had already been in love with him, but she still had not known he was her soulmate. She had just known that she loved him and didn't want him to die.

She grimaced as she once again remembered feeling like something inside her had shattered, and now she wondered if that had been just her true suppressed feelings for him coming through or actually their connection breaking at his death.

Perhaps it was both. She considered quietly before she closed her eyes and looked inside herself for said connection.

It took a few long moments before she found the glowing white string that was her side or their link, and she followed it until she came upon the complicated knot that tied it with the glowing gold string that was her Endymion's side of their link.

She wrapped her mental fingers around the glowing gold string and sighed lightly.

He is alive. My Endymion is alive and well; our connection is intact. She thought in relief, fully aware she was still recovering from her current and remembered grief.

Serena opened her eyes as the bell rang signaling the end of class, and began to pack up her supplies into her school bag.

"You ready?" She heard a feminine voice say, and looked up to her best friend Molly standing at her side.

"Yes." Serena said with a smile as she closed her bag and stood up as she grabbed it by the handle.

The two friends walked down the row between desks and left the classroom and began to move down the hallway to head to their next class.

Molly glanced over at her best friend. She couldn't help noticing she was different today; especially wearing her hair loose as she was since she hadn't ever done that before. She wasn't surprised at the actual full length of her hair, but she was surprised at her leaving it loose.

Beyond that her friend was also happy, more so than she had been after making things official between her and her boyfriend, and she wondered what was causing it; why the difference. Had something happened between her and Darien? Did they have another weekend camping trip planned? More horseback riding? Or something else altogether?

Oh! Maybe she's going to be spending the night at his place or he asked her to do something special with him. She considered, curiosity starting to eat at her.

"Alright Serena." She said, gaining her friend's attention as they walked. "What's going on? Why are you different today? You're wearing your hair loose, and you're happier than I've ever seen you; and that includes when you first started seeing Darien."

"I simply have a new lease on life," Serena said with a smile. "and I wanted my hair to match the way I feel. I will be wearing it this way from now on."

"A new lease on life." Molly repeated as they turned into a stairwell and began to head down the stairs. "And where did this new lease come from?"

"From something I learned about myself yesterday." Serena answered as she remembered the pain of her true memories of the past breaking through. "It was..an enlightening experience."

"Ah." Molly replied, understanding her friend wasn't ready to tell her exactly what it was she had learned. "I thought you were going to say you were going on another camping trip with Darien this weekend or even spending the night at his place."

"We actually do have another camping trip planned for this weekend with Kagome and Sesshomaru, and I would absolutely love to spend the night at his apartment, but neither of those are why I'm different today." Serena said as they reached their next class.

"Well I can't wait to find out what was so enlightening that it's caused this change in you." Molly said as they stepped into the classroom.

They headed toward their seats, which were situated side by side in this class, and put their things down and began to take out their supplies in preparation for class to start.

Serena checked the time before she finished arranging her supplies on her desk and got to her feet.

"I am going to run to the restroom. I will be back hopefully before class begins." She told Molly, and watched her friend frown but nod.

She hurried out of the room and jogged to the closest girl's bathroom and hurried inside. She made use of one of the stalls before she came out and began to wash her hands in one of the sinks.

"Serena!" She heard a familiar voice say her name, and looked over to see Mina coming out of one of the stalls.

"Hello Mina." She said with a smile. "How are you today?"

"I'm good." Mina answered as she began to use the sink next to hers. "What about you? How are you doing? Are you okay?" She asked in concern, still remembering her screams from last evening.

"I am well. Truly well. Thank you." Serena said as she turned off the water. "I have felt perfectly well since waking from that painful episode."

"I'm glad to hear that." Mina said as she washed her hands.

"We will have to arrange to spend some time together in the near future." Serena said as she quickly dried her hands.

"Are you busy this weekend?" Mina said as she turned the water off and moved to dry her hands.

"Yes. Darien and I are going camping with my friend Kagome and her boyfriend." Serena said.

"Ah, we'll have to figure something out." Mina said as she finished drying her hands.

"Indeed." Serena agreed as they left the bathroom. "We will figure it. Bye!"

"Bye!" Mina said, and they both rushed away in opposite directions to get back to their classes before the bell rang to announce the official start of class.

The day continued on, lunch time came and went, and finally the school day was over. Serena walked with Molly after school, but parted a few blocks from campus since they were heading in different directions. Molly was off to her mother's jewelry store and Serena was on her way to the Crown cafe.

Once there Serena hurried up the stairs and opened one of the glass doors and stepped inside. She immediately looked toward her usual booth, and smiled to see her soulmate there as usual.

"My Endymion." She breathed as she reached him, watching as he stood up.

"My Serenity." Darien said lovingly before he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply.

"Mmm…let us leave here." Serena said as they parted. "I do not wish to deal with even the possibility of seeing the Moon Princess."

"Neither do I." He agreed before he began to lead her back the way she came. "We shall go to my apartment where we will be comfortable and can speak openly."

Serena nodded and they left the cafe and headed for his car. A fairly short car ride later had them at his apartment building, and inside his apartment and settled on the couch together; the television remaining off.

"There is something I have wished to know since I remembered the past." Darien said, and she nodded. "What happened after I died?" He asked, having deliberately waited to speak of such for when they were alone.

Serena closed her eyes briefly, not wanting to think about his death but knowing he deserved to know what had happened to her.

"The princess was killed by the solider that had been attacking her and then he turned his attention to me and began to walk toward me while holding a bloody sword." She began as she opened her eyes. "I grabbed your sword before I could even think and quickly dispatched him to the next life."

"I remember being shocked and confused since I had never used a sword before." She said, and then paused and closed her eyes briefly. "At least I believed at the time that I had never used a sword before, and acted as if I had the experience of years behind me."

"I was confused, but I thought it had something to do with what you had said about how I was not supposed to be Sailor Moon, and even how you knew my name when I had never revealed it." She continued, and he nodded understandingly.

"While I was considering that I was struck in the back by the same attack that hit you. I knew I was dying since the same had happened to you, and I decided that I would take that woman with me." She said with an angry frown as she remembered her anger at the woman who had killed her soulmate.

"I threw your sword at her and watched the blade sink into her chest." She said matter of factly. "She screamed and drifted toward the ground out of my view, and I collapsed onto you as I lost the last of my energy. I remember my head resting on your chest, and hoping that we would be born on the same planet next time."

Darien nodded slowly as he took in her words. It made sense that she had wondered about his words to her as he was dying since he had no longer worried about how she would take his words. He had simply needed her to hear the truth before he was gone.

He didn't spare a thought about the Moon Princess' death.

However, I am sorry my love was killed nearly directly after me. He thought with a light sigh. Although, part of me is pleased she did not continue on in that false identity.

"I am sorry that you were killed my lady." He said sincerely. "I wish that had not happened. However, I am also pleased you did not continue to live a false life."

"I am as well." Serena agreed. "I am also pleased that you found me on the Moon, and tried to help me remember my true life while courting me."

"I would not have done anything else." He replied with a small smile.

Serena smile in return and caressed his face lovingly.

"I have another matter I wish to ask you about." Darien said.

"Of course. What is it?" She asked.

"I wish to know if you will move in with me after you graduate." He said. "I miss living with you as we did in the past before all was changed, and I wish to spend as much time with you as possible."

"Oh yes." She said as she nodded eagerly. "I would love that, and it would be even better if I get into your school."

"Do you want help with that?" He asked.

It only took one look for Serena to understand he meant for him to use his crystal to guarantee her acceptance into the school.

She looked away from him and considered it for a few long moments before she made her decision.

"No." She said, deciding against his offer. "I wish to know that I got in under my own merit. However, if I am rejected I may reconsider your offer."

"I will be ready should you change your mind and wish to proceed with my offer." Darien said, and she nodded.

"Now! There is something I wish to do; something that has been on my mind nearly from the moment I awakened this morning." Serena said before she gestured slightly with her hand.

A short white stick with a tiny gold ball on the top and bottom appeared in her palm. On top of the gold ball at the top of the stick was a miniature blue and green swirled sphere, and on top of that was a thin gold pendant of the Earth's secondary planetary symbol; a circle with a cross inside it.

"I wish to transform into my true self for the first time in this life." She said as she looked away from her transformation stick.

Darien's eye flashed gold.

"I cannot wait!" He said before he got to his feet and closed the curtains across his balcony to ensure no one would see her transformation.

He returned to his seat and she got to her feet and moved around the coffee table and stood in front of the TV and smiled at him before she looked to her transformation stick.

"Earth Planet Power!" Serena said firmly.

Darien watched as blue green light came out of her transformation stick and swirled around to surround her body. All her clothes vanished, leaving her completely naked in the light, and her fingernails were colored to match her power.

He wondered if her nails remained that color beneath her gloves. He had seen her in the past without her gloves on while she was transformed but dressed differently and her nails were not that color. However, he was unaware if that had been a conscious decision on her part.

She raised her transformation stick up high above her head with both hands, her hair rippling in the breeze of her power, and a thick solid blue green ribbon streamed out of the sphere and swirled around her and down the length of her body.

It closed in tight to her body, wrapping her up almost like a mummy, blocking her figure from view, and after a few moments the blue green light flashed brightly.

When it cleared his Serenity stood transformed into the scout uniform he had not seen outside his memories since the night she had been taken from him in the past.

A white bodysuit that left her shoulders bare with a white sailor collar that had a single dark green stripe around the border. On her hips was a white skirt that transitioned from dark green to deep blue at the end, and around her waist just above her skirt was a deep blue medium sized ribbon belt that connected to a matching bow at her back with thick ribbons trailing just pass her knees.

A deep green bow with a good circle at its center sat on her chest, white gloves covered her hands with gold bands wrapped around her wrists, a dark green choker circled her neck, and dark green high heel knee-length boots covered her feet.

Completing the look was a flesh colored tiara with a golden gem, triple stud flesh colored earrings, and a solid white cape trailed from her shoulders down to the ground.

Darien sighed in pleasure at seeing his little scout standing poised and graceful before him. Her hair, much longer than it had been in the past, fell in gentle waves down her back and nearly matched the length of her cape. He wanted to run his fingers through the long loose length, and in the next moment he decided that he would.

He loved seeing her in her high heel boots as opposed to the nearly flat ones she wore as the scout of the Moon. The high heels alone added maturity to her over all appearance.

The cape was another element that added maturity to her appearance. Every soldier of the Earth that had a high level of status wore a cape, so in addition to making her look more mature it was another symbol of her high status; the other being her position as guardian scout of the planet.

He even enjoyed her bare arms and shoulders in lieu of the shoulder pads and long gloves, because it somehow made her look more serious and because they were displayed nicely.

Serena looked down at herself and smiled lightly as she stroked her gloved hands down her sides and over the front of her skirt. She shifted her legs as she looked down at her boots, and took a few steps to remind herself of the feel of walking on high heels.

I missed this. She thought as she grabbed the side of her cape and gently swayed it to the side as she turned to head back in front of the coffee table.

She honestly didn't know how much she had missed being Sailor Earth until this moment. In fact, she didn't know she actually had missed it beyond the frustration of her sparsely returning memories and understanding what she had been capable of as the Earth scout as opposed to her weakness as the scout of the Moon.

"Serenity?" Darien said, and she looked over to see him looking at her in slight concern.

"I am well." Serena said reassuringly as she moved around the table and sat at his side on the couch. "I simply did not realize how much I missed being Sailor Earth even though I did not entirely remember what I was missing."

Darien nodded understandingly. He had felt similarly when he took on his royal form for the first time in this life.

"Now you can transform any time you wish." He said as he reached over and ran his fingers through her hair. She shivered, as he knew she would, and his eyes flashed gold.

Serena smiled at him, but otherwise didn't react beyond the shiver at his action, and changed the subject.

"I still wish to train near water even though my reactions will be different now that I remember myself." She said.

Darien nodded in agreement, remembering their fight with the monster at the swimming pool.

"Anytime you wish to go I am ready." He said simply as he continued to run his fingers through her hair.

Serena nodded and vaguely wondered if they would get a chance during their double date camping trip this weekend.

From there the couple drifted into talking about the past after the 'great change', so Serena could understand more fully what had happened and what had been real, despite her status as Sailor Moon, and what was fake.

This included Darien's death and the identity of the woman who had been the cause of it as well as her own. Plus, how the same woman was part of the evil they were currently fighting, and how it all connected from the past to the present.

They ended their time together with Serena doing her homework, remaining transformed the entire time at the request of her soulmate and as a reminder that her identity had been returned to her.

They had dinner together after she finished and enjoyed each other's presence, both pleased that Serena remembered herself and exactly who he was to her, before Darien escorted her home.

She greeted her parents, ignoring her father's unhappiness, and Artemis once she was in her bedroom, and went about readying herself for bed. Once she was finished she turned off the lights and climbed into her bed and quietly chatted with Artemis until she fell asleep.

oOoIRoOo

Serena's eyes opened slowly Friday morning with the sound of her alarm going off, and she reached over and turned it off weakly. Before she could do anything other than bring her arm back to her side she began to cough a wet hacking cough.

She grimaced once it stopped and groaned miserably pulling her covers closer around her as she shivered.

I'm sick. She thought, surprised and confused since she had actually never been sick a day in her life.

She couldn't understand it. She had been perfectly fine when she went to sleep last night, and had no trouble sleeping at all, and now she was coughing, feeling weak, and cold even though she was still under her warm covers.

Another cough seized her, shaking her whole body, and making her feel like she was going to cough something up. Thankfully nothing did come up as the cough stopped.

Why? How could this have happened? She wondered miserably.

"Serena?" She heard a quiet familiar voice, and opened her eyes, not having realized she had closed them, to see Artemis sitting at her side looking at her in concern.

"Are you unwell?" He asked.

"I'm sick." Serena said, still surprised. "I've never been sick before. I.."

She trailed off as she suddenly remembered a time where she actually had been sick. It was the exact same situation; never having been sick before, suddenly waking up feeling terrible, and the result that followed over the passing days.

Her eyes widened and she pushed her covers away and got to her feet as quickly as her weakness would allow. She pulled her hair free and stumbled toward her bedroom door, discovering that her weakness was already affecting her movements.

Serena slowly and cautiously made her way down the stairs and grabbed the phone. She quickly dialed her soulmate's number, and leaned against the wall as she looked toward the kitchen where she could hear her parents talking.

"Hello?" She heard his voice, and smiled despite her situation; loving the sound.

"My Endymion." She greeted him softly. "I need your help. I'm sick. I need to get somewhere safe where no one will be in danger." She said, not even worrying about school. There was no question that she wasn't going.

"Ah. I understand." He replied, no doubt remembering the same thing happening in the past. "I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm going to drive there to keep up appearances."

"Alright. I'll be waiting. Bye." She said.

"Bye." He said before she hung up the phone.

Serena began to make her way laboriously back up the stairs and to her room where she collapsed onto her bed in exhaustion. A few moments of resting she slipped her legs under her covers and pulled them up and over her and tried to get comfortable.

"Serena," Artemis said quietly, glancing at the open door as he carefully climbed over her and settled at her side. "what is going on? Is it something beyond you being ill?" He asked in concern since she had hurried out of her room mid-sentence.

"As I said, I've never been sick before, but I remember being sick once in the past." Serena said as she shifted onto her side so she could look at him comfortably. "It is the start to my powers awakening." She revealed.

Artemis' eyes widened at her words. It had not even occurred to him that her powers would have to awaken inside her. He thought she would simply be able to use them immediately like she had as Sailor Moon and as the other girls had.

"I have called Darien so he can take me somewhere safe, and so no one will be in danger and no damage will be done here." She explained.

"Danger?! Damage?!" He said, his eyes widening all over again. "What do you mean?"

"In the past I was told that my covers caught fire while I was asleep, and only my Endymion coming to check on me raised the alarm that saved my room and kept the fire from spreading." She explained. "That is when we learned about my powers since I did not have any before then."

"None at all?" Artemis asked in surprise.

"Only the typical sailor scout abilities; speed, strength, teleportation, etc." She answered. "Beyond that I just had my weapons to use."

"Oh my." He breathed, imagining her going around as Sailor Earth with no fire power, and only fighting with a bow and arrows.

Suddenly she began to cough and he watched her cover her mouth and close her eyes as if she was in pain. He shifted closer and began to purr, hoping the action would comfort her somehow.

Serena panted lightly as she smiled at Artemis and lay her arm across his middle.

"You don't have to worry about staying out of sight of my family." She said. "I don't care if my parents see you since I intend to tell them the truth about me when I get back."

"You are truly going to tell them?" Artemis asked in surprise.

"Yes. I don't want to keep it from them. I'm proud of who I am, and of my duty to the Earth." She said firmly before she cleared her throat with a grimace. "Plus, now that I remember my true self I will be spending less time at home. I will be training, patrolling, spending more time with my prince, and making sure not to neglect my studies and my friends."

"Of course I will not neglect you either." She added reassuringly. "You chose to stay with me rather than your princess or the Guardian Scouts you are an advisor to, and I do not want you to regret that."

"Thank you." He said before he began to purr again, this time in pleasure as well as to comfort while they awaited her young man's arrival.

oOo

Darien parked his car along the curb in front of his Serenity's house and noted that her father's car was still there, which meant the man was still at home and he would have to deal with both her parents. That was fine since it wouldn't stop him from getting to his soulmate and getting her safely away.

He turned off the engine and got out of the car before closing the door securely and headed to the front door of the house. He rang the doorbell and took a step back to wait.

"Good morning Darien." Mrs. Tsukino said a few moments later when the door opened to reveal her standing there.

"Good morning Mrs. Tsukino." He greeted politely. "I am here to see Serena."

"Oh she hasn't come down yet, so I don't believe she's ready to leave." She replied with a slight frown. This was not like her daughter.

"I know. That is why I am here." He said before he stepped forward.

Darien moved passed her and through the hallway, and headed up the stairs like it was his house and he had every right to be there and knew where he was going. Once he reached the top he heard the sound of rough coughing, and followed it to an open doorway only to see his soulmate lying in bed with a white cat laying at her side.


"Hi Endymion." Serena said quietly as she looked toward him.

"Hi Serenity." Darien said as he stepped into her bedroom for the first time. He looked around briefly, taking in the slight clutter that was reminiscent of the way she left their rooms in the past, before he focused back on her.

"How are you feeling? Has anything major happened yet?" He asked as he reached her side.

He well remembered her powers awakening in the past. He would never forget the sight of her bedding catching fire with her in it. She had been fine, but her bed had been destroyed. It had been luck that he had raised the alarm so quickly that saved her room.

"I feel terrible, but nothing has happened yet." She said, understanding perfectly what he meant. "I hope to be safely away before it does."

Ikuko Tsukino, who had followed the young man since she hadn't wanted him to see her daughter appearing inappropriate even if they were dating, heard everything with confusion, and saw that not only was her daughter clearly sick but there was a white cat she had never seen before lying comfortably at her side.

"What is going on?" She asked as she stepped into the room, bringing the attention of all the occupants to her. "What do you mean if anything major had happened? What do you mean about being safely away, and where did that cat come from?" She asked, looking first to her daughter's boyfriend before looking to her daughter still lying in bed.

Serena sighed before it turned into a long cough.

"There is a great deal going on that you are unaware of mother, but I do not have the time to explain it all this moment. I need to leave at once." She said after she caught her breath.

"I will explain some of it." Darien said before he concentrated on pulling up a large chunk of his chakra and willing it into the form he wanted before focusing on where he wanted it.

A moment later a small cloud of white smoke appeared to his left near the end of his soulmate's bed. The smoke dissipated quickly leaving an exact copy of himself standing there.

The clone blinked as he looked around before he accepted the original's keys and wallet. From the original's memories he was aware of what was happening and of exactly what he needed to do.

"I will handle it." He said as he nodded firmly at the original. "You both should leave since we have no idea if things will progress quicker than it did in the past."

Darien nodded in agreement before he turned his attention to his soulmate. He leaned over and began to pull the covers back from her, glancing briefly at the white feline as it moved out the way, and arranged her hair on her lap before he picked her up in his arms.

He focused his mind on precisely where they needed to go, and tapped into his golden crystal and its well of power. It pulsed warmly in his chest before the couple disappeared in a flash of golden light.

Ikuko gasped loudly; her eyes widening so much she feared they would pop out of her head.

"What?!" She blurted out in complete shock and confusion. "Where did they go? How did they leave? How are you here and yet you just left with my daughter?!" She asked rapidly as she looked to the copy of her daughter's boyfriend.

"Come Mrs. Tsukino." The clone said gently yet firmly as he began to guide her from the bedroom. "You should get your husband since I am sure you want him to know what has occurred and hear what I am to explain." He said as they began to move down the stairs.

Artemis followed silently, wanting to hear what he would say, and not yet sure if he himself would speak.

"He's in the kitchen." She said faintly.

"Would you rather we speak in the kitchen or in the living room?" The clone asked calmly.

"In the kitchen." She answered quickly. "That will at least give a slight warning of my son coming since I don't know if I want him to know any of this."

"Very well." He said as he followed her.

She pushed open the door and they stepped into the kitchen where he instantly saw Mr. Tsukino sitting at a little table. The older man frowned at the sight of him, and he refrained from shaking his head and simply waited for his Serenity's mother to begin the conversation.

He knew this wouldn't take long since he didn't plan on telling them everything. He would leave most of it for the original and Serena. Plus, he needed to get to school. Now that he existed and the original had gone with Serenity he needed to live Darien's life for as long as was necessary, and he didn't need to be late to his first class of the day or miss it altogether.

"Kenji dear." Ikuko said as she sat down next to him, nearly collapsing into her seat. "I..I don't even know how to start this conversation." She said as she looked from her husband to the living breathing copy of her daughter's boyfriend.

"Perhaps I can help." The clone suggested, really wanting to get this conversation started since he had somewhere to be and couldn't stay and talk for long.

"Please." She said, almost pleadingly, truly not knowing how to begin.

"Serena called me earlier to inform me that she was ill and needed me to come and bring her to a safe location." The clone began, and saw her father frown in confusion. "That is why I am here. She has been brought to a safe location and will remain there until it is safe for her to return."

"What is this nonsense?!" Kenji said as he looked from his daughter's boyfriend to his wife and back again. "I don't understand. Are you saying Serena is sick and that she's been taken from the house?"

"Yes." The clone confirmed seriously.

"He picked her up and vanished in a golden light after making him!" Ikuko said a little frantically as she waved at the young man.

"What? That doesn't make any sense honey." Kenji said as he frowned in confusion.

"And yet it is entirely true." The clone said seriously.

"That still doesn't make sense. Are you trying to say you aren't real?" Kenji said as he shook his head.

"I am real. However, I was created by Darien only a few minutes ago in part to explain what I could of the situation, as well as in case anyone saw him enter the house so that they can also see him leave, and lastly to live his life until he returns." The clone explained.

"Are you trying to say you're some kind of..copy, clone, of my daughter's boyfriend, and that she isn't up in her bedroom right now because she somehow isn't safe being sick at home?!" Kenji asked incredulously.

"Correct." The clone confirmed seriously.

"This can't be real." Kenji said incredulously as he shook his head. "Did this really happen? Serena is really gone, and he's a copy?" He asked as he looked to his wife.

"Yes! That's exactly what happened. I saw it with my own eyes!" Ikuko said seriously. "I don't know how he made a copy of himself, and I don't understand why Serena had to leave just because she's sick. She should be at home!"

"Good question." Kenji agreed. "How did my daughter's boyfriend make you, and how did he disappear from the house with her? And why exactly did he leave with her?"

"He created me from his innate power, and he used that power to leave with Serena." The clone answered. "The reason she needed to leave the house is because her illness is not a normal illness. Like the original she too has power, and her illness is the start of her powers awakening."

"It is a dangerous time for those around her, as well as the environment she is in, so it was imperative that she be taken to a location she could not damage or destroy." He continued.

"The original." Kenji repeated with a frown.

"It is what I call the one who created me. He has the ability to create more clones, and so I, and any others he creates, refer to him that way because he is the creator; the original." The clone explained.

"How did Serena get this dangerous power? Where did it come from?" Ikuko asked with a frown. "How did you, he, get his power?"

"We both were born with our powers." The clone answered simply.

"Born with them?!" Kenji said in incredulous surprise. "What do you mean? How could that be possible?"

"That involves a greater, and longer, explanation that I will leave to the original and Serena to give." The clone said.

"Why? Do you not know the answer?" Kenji demanded to know.

"I know exactly why, however, I do not have the time to explain it." The clone answered. "I also believe you will want to ask Serena any questions you have or will have after hearing the explanation."

Artemis for his part sat quietly under an empty chair listening to what was being said. He was still surprised that Serena's young man, the Prince of the Earth, could create a clone of himself, and from what he had just heard he could apparently create more than one.

Actually living breathing cognizant clones capable of thinking and acting on their own. To the point that this clone is going to be taking the young man's place until he returns. He thought, clearly remembering him giving the clone his wallet and keys.

It was also clear that like Serena he could teleport as well, and maybe to a very far distance depending on exactly where he took Serena. He thought.

Of course, he also hadn't remembered the girls could teleport until she mentioned it earlier, and he did not believe any of them had remembered how to do it if they remembered it at all.

He shook his head lightly and flicked the tip of his tail as he listened, and understood that the clone would not be disclosing that Serena was a sailor scout or exactly who he was. His explanation made sense; especially since Serena had said she would be revealing the truth to her parents.

"I'm proud of who I am, and of my duty to the Earth." He remembered her saying, and hearing said pride in her voice.

It made sense why she would reveal the truth aside from simply not wanting to keep it a secret. If she was going to be away from home more training, patrolling, and fighting monsters then it would make sense to tell them so she would not have to lie.

Although, he wasn't exactly sure he would advise the girls to reveal their scout identities to their families. Then again none of the girls did any such patrolling, and only Mina did any training. The others didn't seem to feel it was necessary the last time he mentioned it.

Although, Lita did seem interested. He considered. Still, as far as he knew even she had not taken steps to begin training.

"Well, do you know where that cat came from?" Ikuko asked.

Artemis froze. He didn't know if the young man knew anything about him, if Serena had mentioned him at all, and wasn't sure what would happen. He assumed that Serena would mention him when she revealed the truth to her parents since she said he no longer had to hide from them, but he could be wrong.

And even still he was unsure he wanted to say anything at this point in time, and especially without Serena's presence. He had no idea how they would react or if they would force him to leave the house.

"What cat?" Kenji asked in confusion.

"There was a white cat lying on the bed with Serena." Ikuko said. "It looked comfortable there, and she had looked comfortable with it. I assume she's familiar with it."

"That is for Serena to explain." The clone said simply as he refrained from looking down where he knew the feline was.

Although I have not the first idea why the feline is staying with Serenity when it is an advisor to the Guardian Scouts and Moon Princess. He thought. Perhaps it is affection or something else, but either way it has nothing to do with me at the moment since the feline has never spoken to me.

"If you will please excuse me I need to leave before I am late to my first class." He said before anymore could be said or asked of him. "I will see myself out." He added before he turned and left the kitchen.

He walked through the hallway and glanced up the stairs to see who was obviously Serenity's younger brother appearing fully dressed and yet clearly tired beginning to come down the stairs.

"Who's that?" He heard him say to himself as he reached the front door.

An introduction for another time with the original. The clone thought as he opened the door and stepped out.

He closed the door firmly behind him, and pulled out his keys as he began to head to his car.

oOo

Darien and Serena appeared in the foyer of Tellus Castle, the floating castle of the scout of the Earth, in a golden flash of light.

He blinked in the bright lighting before he turned and hurried toward the hallway leading to the very room he had been directed to in the past. He had been one of the few who knew about the castle in the past, and the only one Serenity had given permission to go there at any time, so he knew the layout enough to know exactly where to go.

Serena coughed and then grabbed his shirt and turned her face into his chest and coughed harder, her whole body shaking in his arms. He hated that she was feeling so unwell, but he knew there was nothing he could do. No medicine would help her. Her illness would have to run its course as her powers awakened inside her.

Soon he slowed to a stop outside a door at the end of the hallway, and before he could shift her Serena reached over and turned the handle. The door opened to reveal a large stone room that looked like a cabin.

The walls, floor, and two doors, one on the opposite side of the room and the other off to the side, were made of dark gray stone blocks, and stepping inside and closing the door revealed that the door was also made of stone and only designed to look differently from the outside.

There was a full sized bed, two chairs, and a fairly large fireplace all made of blue green marble with gold designs aside from the mattress, covers, and seat cushions. All were designed, except for the soft materials, to withstand the burgeoning powers of the scout of the Earth until she had gained enough control to not hurt anyone or destroy anything.

Darien moved toward the bed and placed his soulmate on the soft surface before helping her beneath the covers. Then he moved toward the fireplace and lit a fire and stoked it until the flames were high and it crackled merrily.

"Are you hungry? Do you need anything?" He asked as he sat in one of the chairs at her side.

"No. I'm not hungry and I don't need anything." Serena said as shifted on her side to face him. "You're here, and that's all I want."

"Then it's a good thing I'm here," He said with a smile as he reached over and ran his fingers through her hair that was not trapped under the covers. "and a good thing we're here." He added before he looked around the room.

Not only was the room perfect for containing her powers it also had the unique ability to allow time to pass differently inside it; faster than on the outside. After all, the scout of the Earth couldn't be away from her post for weeks or more learning her powers.

Darien was not exactly sure how the room worked, how it was able to speed up time or how it knew exactly how much to speed it up, but he was glad for it. He was willing to stay with her as long as it took to get her powers under control, but he knew they couldn't afford to be gone very long.

The evil organization was still sending out monsters, Malachite and Jedite still needed to be freed, and the Dark Kingdom in general still needed to be dealt with, which included the obsessed and delusional Beryl.

"Do you want me to fix your hair, so you will be more comfortable?" He asked as he looked back to his soulmate. Her hair was still loose, and he thought she would be more comfortable if it was out of her way so it wasn't getting tugged every time she moved.

"Sure." Serena said quietly, and he nodded.

"I shall be only a moment." Darien said before he got to his feet and walked to the side door.

He opened it and stepped inside a small circular foyer that had three doors not including the one he had just opened. He stepped toward one of the doors and opened it to reveal a closet/dressing room filled with hanging and folded clothes, shoes, and a vanity table, mirror, and matching chair.

He stepped inside and grabbed a brush off the vanity table before he left and headed back to his Serenity, making sure to close all the doors behind him.

Serena had begun to pull her hair out from beneath the covers and he helped her before he began to brush her hair from the top of her head halfway down before repeating the motion.

As he brushed her hair he began to notice that it was two-toned. There were no windows but there was light in the room beyond the fire he had lit, so he leaned closer as he passed the brush along her hair and saw that there were darker strands among the blonde.

His eyes brightened suddenly as he realized her hair was beginning to change back to the golden color it had been in the past. He opened his mouth to ask her if she had noticed, but saw that her eyes were closed and her breathing was deep.

That she had fallen asleep was an unexpected side effect, but he believed it was best she sleep through as much of her illness as she could to make it easier on her.

I will simply mention it later. He thought as he continued to brush her hair, intending to arrange it into a braid since her usual high ponytail wouldn't be comfortable while she was resting.

oOoIRoOo

Darian's clone made his way to the original's apartment after his last class and dropped off his books and school supplies before he headed for the phone. He quickly dialed Amara's phone number, noting that they had to come up with a better way to get in contact with each other for situations such this, and waited as it rang.

"Hello?" Came the breathless voice of Amara, leaving him to conclude that she had run to answer the phone.

"Amara, this Darien." He said as he leaned against the wall near the phone stand.

"Oh hey. What's up?" Amara asked.

"I have something to inform you of." He answered. "Do you believe I would be able to get Michelle on the phone at this time of day? She needs to hear this as well."

"Yeah. I think so. I literally just walked through the door, but she should have already been home by now." She replied.

"Very well. Please hold on a moment, and I will try and get her on the line." He said.

"Okay." She said.

Darien's clone pulled the phone from his ear and went about putting Amara briefly on hold while he dialed Michelle's phone number. Once he had he switched back over and heard the ringing.

"You are still here Amara?" He asked, making sure he had done it right since it had been a while since the original had done so.

"Yeah." Amara said as they listened to the ringing.

"Hello?" Came the calm voice of Michelle.

"Michelle, this is Darien. I have Amara on the line as well." He said.

"Oh, hello you two." Michelle said.

"Hey there." Amara replied.

"First I need to inform you both that I am a clone." He said clearly.

"A clone." Amara repeated in confusion.

"Yes. A construct of the Darien you know, made from his power and capable of doing nearly everything he can." The clone explained. "I exist because the original is with Serenity. She has begun to come into her powers, and needed to be taken to a safe location where there would be no danger of anyone getting hurt."

"She will remain there, and obviously not attend any monster fights until she has them firmly under control." He added.

"Oh my! Her powers must be volatile for her to need to be taken away to a safe location." Michelle exclaimed quietly.

"Indeed, they can be without control." He agreed. "Will one of you please inform Trista since I do not have the means to?"

"I'll do it." Amara volunteered readily.

"Thank you." The clone said. "The original will be remaining with Serenity until her powers are under control, so I will be here acting in his place until then."

"Can you let me know if there is a monster attack?" He asked. "I would not bother with them, however it would not due to link the original's masked persona's absence with Serenity's absence if it can at all be helped."

"Yes." Michelle answered. "I will get the alert on my mirror, and we can use the same methods we do to contact you after capturing one of your generals. I simply have to let Trista know; even though she is likely already aware."

"Thank you." The clone said.

"Do you want us to participate in the monster fights now that Serena remembers?" Amara asked seriously.

"Yes." He answered firmly. "Clearly I will need to continue in the original's masked persona, however beyond that we fight as we mean to go on. If the Guardian Scouts happen to see us at fight scenes then that is one way they may realize who the original truly is once he and Serenity are out fighting together."

"Because the masked persona will be no more, and we will be there interacting with you as usual." Amara said.

"Exactly." He said. "Thank you ladies. I will leave you to your current activities, and I will be heading out to inform Andrew of my identity."

"Okay. Good luck with that." Amara said.

"Yes, and give him our greetings please." Michelle added.

"I will be sure to. Goodbye ladies." He said.

"Bye!" Amara said.

"Goodbye." Michelle said.

The clone hung up the phone and returned it to its stand before making sure he had his keys and wallet before leaving the apartment. He got in his car and headed for the cafe since he knew Andrew was working and in that particular part of the Crown establishment that day.

When he arrived he parked only two buildings away from the Crown and made his way up the stairs and inside the cafe. Right away he saw his best friend standing behind the front counter just handing drinks to a young man and woman.

"Hey!" Andrew greeted as he approached the counter.

"Hello." The clone said as he leaned against the counter between two stools rather than sit.

"Perfect timing. I was going to call you since I want to talk to you about something I've been thinking about for a while now; about your other life." Andrew said.

"Ah." The clone hummed as he nodded. "I wish to speak to you as well; to give you a very important update."

"Well, I get off in an hour, and we can talk then." Andrew said.

"Excellent. I shall wait here, and we can go to my apartment and speak there." The clone said as he pulled on one of the stools at his side and sat down.

During the wait the two friends chatted about inconsequential things while Andrew helped and served whoever approached the counter.

Sometime later the cafe door opened and the clone turned to look, wanting to be aware of what was going on around him since he needed to survive while the original was away with Serenity.

In walked a girl in a familiar red and gray school uniform and he looked away as another girl in the same uniform followed them in. He was not entirely sure, but he believed those girls were the same that followed around the reincarnated Moon Princess.

"Hey cutie!" He heard a feminine voice call out from behind him that instantly made the rage that simmered inside him begin to boil. "Have you finally given up that ditzy blonde to spend time with me?" He heard her add as she appeared at his side.

He ignored her, trying to keep his anger under control at the disrespect to his soulmate, and looked to Andrew to see him raising an eyebrow at her before his eyes shifted to him.

"You're not going to ignore me are you?" She said in a pouting tone as she moved closer to him.

The clone closed his eyes briefly to find the strength to continue to ignore her, not particularly interested in causing a scene in the cafe; especially since Andrew wasn't finished working and he would have to remain in the establishment to wait for him.

Then again I could wait out in the car for the last few minutes until his shift ends. He considered as he checked the time by the clock on the wall behind the counter.

"You remember me right?" She asked softly as she stepped closer to him. "I'm Susanna; in case you forgot."

Shall I hit her or simply push her away; forcefully? He asked himself since the wench was nearly pressed up to his shoulder.

"Hey! Susanna." Andrew said, deciding to save his friend the trouble of speaking to or possibly hurting the girl. "Back off! He doesn't want to talk to you. He has a girlfriend, and doesn't plan on changing that no matter how much you talk at him." He said bluntly as he stared at the girl.

"Now how about you step out of his personal space before you embarrass yourself any more than you already have." He added firmly.

"No! I want to…" Susanna began, but he cut her off.

"I don't care what you want. I will not have you harassing costumers!" He said firmly. "The man doesn't want to talk to you. His silence, and lack of even looking in your direction, should have told you that. Now go away before I call the police!"

Susanna frowned, face red, but huffed and walked away after glancing at the cutie whose name she still didn't know.

"Thank you." The clone said gratefully, pleased he did not have to speak to the female or even look at her.

"No problem." Andrew said as he watched the girl return to her little group of followers. "As curious as I am to see how you deal with her when you're ticked off I didn't think now was the time."

"Oh I assure you I am indeed angry." The clone said quietly. "The anger is always there, and her voice alone is enough to bring it to the surface."

"Always there?" Andrew repeated with a slight frown.

"Always." The clone confirmed. "It was there in the past after she changed reality and was unaware of what she had done, it was there before I saw her for the first time in this life, it spiked higher when I actually did see her for the first time, and it remains rising to the surface when she speaks to me or I think about what she did."

"You're going to have to do something about that eventually." Andrew said in concern.

"I am aware." The clone said as he nodded. That was a task for the original, and likely wouldn't be addressed until all of his Generals were free now that his Serenity remembered herself.

Andrew nodded and moved to greet a pair of guys that had just entered and approached the counter. He took their order and as he moved around making their drinks and putting in their request to the kitchen he kept an eye on the Moon Princess, Susanna as she had helpfully supplied, and his friend.

She was keeping her distance, but constantly looking over to his friend. Darien, on the other hand, didn't look in her direction at all but he still looked around, especially when the cafe door opened.

After having read up on the definition of a military general and thinking of war-like things his mind was still full of that information, so he was noticing that his friend was keeping aware of his surroundings; constantly aware, and yet he was subtle about it.

I suppose that is something I will have to get use to doing too if he accepts my idea. He thought as he handed the guys their drinks.

A few minutes later he brought the guys their snacks and then went about gathering his things and saying bye to the girl relieving him and taking on the next shift. Then he walked toward Darien and his friend got to his feet and they left the cafe.

Within a couple of minutes they were in Darien's car and headed to his apartment. Less than half an hour later they were inside his apartment, and Andrew was making himself comfortable on the couch.

"Would you like a beverage?" The clone asked.

"Sure; whatever you have is fine." Andrew said.

The clone nodded and headed into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of soda and then grabbed the phone before he joined Andrew on the couch.

"I need to make a call. It will only take a few minutes." He said as he handed his friend the drink.

"No problem." Andrew said as he nodded.

The clone then dialed the number he remembered his Serenity dialing for her friend, and brought it up to his ear to wait as the line rang.

"Hello, Higurashi residence." A mature feminine voice answered a few moments later.

"Hello, this is Darien Shields; is Kagome home?" The clone asked as he idly watched Andrew take a sip from the bottle of soda.

"Yes she is. Hold on please." The woman said.

"Of course." He replied.

oOo

Kagome pushed the door open and stepped into the kitchen where the phone was and grabbed the handset.

"Hey Darien! This is a surprise." She said.

"Yes I am sure it is." Darien said. "I am calling to unfortunately let you know that Serena and I will be unable to make our camping trip since she has become ill."

"Oh no! Is she okay?" Kagome asked in concern.

"She is as well as an ill person can be." He answered. "I do not wish to cancel our planned weekend, but rather reschedule since Serena and I were both looking forward to the trip. Her becoming ill was very unexpected."

"Of course! I would like that too, and I'm sure Sesshomaru would too." She said.

"Yes. I am going to call him next or would you rather call him and break the news?" He asked.

"I'll call him." She said.

"Very well. I hope you and Sesshomaru will still go on the trip, and have a good time without us." Darien said.

"It would be nice to get away. I'll ask Sesshomaru when I break the news to him." Kagome said.

"Then I shall let you go, so you can get in touch with him." He said.

"Alright. Thank you for letting me know about Serena, and I'm sorry our trip won't be happening this weekend." She said.

"You are very welcome, and I am sorry as well." He said. "However, I am looking forward to when we can reschedule."

"Same here. Bye Darien." She said.

"Goodbye Kagome." He replied.

Kagome hung up the phone, and sighed heavily. She wanted to call Serena and see how she was doing, but she didn't want to disturb her if she was sleeping. She knew that if Darien was calling her then that meant Serena was too sick to call her herself.

"Ugh!" She groaned quietly.

She hated that Serena had gotten sick and would miss out on their camping trip, but she hoped she would be okay and get well soon.

And be ready for when we reschedule. She thought before she picked the phone back up and began to dial her boyfriend's phone number.

She needed to let him know the news, and see if he still wanted to go with just the two of them or do something else.

oOo

The clone hung up the phone and placed it on the coffee table before turning his attention to his best friend.

"Serena's sick?" Andrew asked with a light frown.

"In a matter of speaking." The clone answered. "Let me give you my update and you will understand."

Andrew nodded.

"First, my Serenity has finally remembered her true self." The clone revealed.

"Oh! When did this happen?" Andrew asked in surprise.

"Wednesday evening." The clone answered. "There was a monster fight and she began to have a headache during the fight. Only moments after the monster was defeated it happened; the pain I mentioned experiencing when I remembered."

Andrew grimaced as he remembered his friend describing pain so agonizing to the point that he couldn't even think. He was sad that Serena had experienced that.

"I can still hear her screams." The clone said reminiscently. "There was nothing I could do about it, and I didn't like that she was experiencing that pain, but I was also very pleased."

"I can imagine." Andrew said. His friend had his soulmate completely back. It was understandable that he was happy.

"Her tiara shattered and revealed the Earth's secondary symbol glowing on her forehead. It was dramatic, but glorious to witness the truth of who she really was being revealed." The clone said. "She passed out after that and I brought her back here. Eventually she woke up after assimilating her memories, and reacted as I imagined she might have."

"How did she react?" Andrew asked.

"She screamed. It was a terrible heartbreaking sound. She was grieving; finally able to react to my death in the past." The clone said. "Once I got her calmed down I explained everything that had happened in the past, and then came her anger which was not surprising."

"So she remembers everything now and knows why everything happened the way it did in the past?" Andrew half said half asked.

"Yes." The clone confirmed.

"So what's left now?" Andrew asked. "The Outer Scouts are still going to give her their loyalty right?"

"They already have." The clone said. "They were here that night. Neptune and Uranus were at the fight scene watching from the cover of trees, and came back here after Serenity collapsed. Once she was awake and calm they contacted Pluto and the three of them explained why they wished to give her their loyalty."

"She accepted with such grace and humility that it was just one more example of why they wished to give her their loyalty to begin with." He added.

"Wow." Andrew said, wishing he had been able to see that.

"Now. The issue of Serenity being ill." The clone said, redirecting the conversation. "Sailor scouts do not get ill. Serenity has never before been ill in this life, and in the past she was only ill once."

"In that instance we believed it was simply a normal illness. We had yet to learn that sailor scouts did not become ill even though she had never been ill a day in her life before that instance." He explained.

"It was not until I went to check on her late one evening and did not get an answer that I found her unconscious in her bed, and her covers on fire." He continued, and Andrew gasped in shock.

"At the time I did not know if she had been asleep or unconscious, but considering the chaos that happened once I raised the alarm about the fire I concluded that she was unconscious since she did not wake with the noise." The clone said.

"We later learned that her illness and the fire was a result of her powers manifesting, so that is what is happening now." He revealed. "She called me this morning and informed me that she was ill, and I immediately went to her house and got her away before her powers could begin to manifest."

"So her house doesn't catch fire." Andrew said in understanding.

"Not only that, but that nothing else happens and no one gets hurt. She can control the elements. That means the worry is not only fire, but water, earth, and air as well." The clone said. "I recall a time when her powers were still manifesting and she sneezed. Water came spraying out of her nose, blowing her hands away from her face and soaking the covers she was under."

Andrew stared in shock.

"It was very amusing, and I admit I laughed after the shock of what I had witnessed. However, those are two examples of why she could not remain at home." The clone said.

"So where did you take her? Where could be safe enough?" Andrew asked as his imagination began to run wild with what Serena could do.

"She was taken to her floating castle since it has a special room specifically for when the scout of the Earth comes into her powers." The clone said.

"Floating castle." Andrew repeated in surprise.

"Yes. We did not know she had that castle until she became ill and needed to be taken there in the past." The clone said.

"And it's still there?" Andrew asked, still surprised. "I mean obviously it's still there since you brought her there today, but you know what I mean."

"Yes it is still there. It was protected and concealed through the years. Only those who know it is there and how to find it can see it and get to it." The clone explained.

Andrew nodded, taking that in.

"That leads to the next piece of information you need to know." The clone said, and Andrew nodded. "I am a clone" He stated plainly.

"What?!" Andrew said in confusion.

"I am a clone. A construct made from Darien's power; capable of nearly everything he can do and with all the knowledge he has." The clone explained. "He created me just before taking Serenity to her castle, so that he could remain with her among other things."

Andrew stared at his friend, or rather the clone of his friend, and could not tell that he was a clone. He supposed that was the point of a clone; not having any distinguishing qualities that could tell them apart.

"I don't know what to say." He said as he shook his head.

"You do not need to say anything. I simply wished for you to be aware." The clone said.

"Alright." Andrew said as he nodded, and continued to treat this clone as his best friend. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"Yes. Another of my Generals has been freed." The clone revealed.

"Did this happen Wednesday too?" Andrew asked.

"No. This happened on Monday before my date with Serenity." The clone said.

"Was it the same as with the first general? I mean the situation with his memories and identity of the present being suppressed?" Andrew asked.

"Yes. The situation was exactly the same." The clone confirmed. "He was confused about why he had two sets of memories of the past, and horrified and angry when I explained why it happened and who was responsible."

Andrew nodded thoughtfully. "Any more updates?" He asked curiously.

"No. That is all." The clone said. "What did you wish to speak of?" He asked.

"Ah well, I'm not exactly sure how to say this, so I'll just say it bluntly." Andrew said, and the clone nodded. "I wonder if it's possible to become one of your Guardian Generals?" He asked.

Darien's clone's eyes widened and he straightened in his seat as he listened more closely to his friend.

"At first I thought of being a replacement in case your Guardian Generals didn't survive to be freed, but then I thought even if that wasn't the case I still wanted to be one. In fact, learning that the first general had been freed didn't change my mind, and even now with this latest general it still hasn't." Andrew continued.

The clone was honestly surprised. When the original had told Andrew the truth about him he had not considered anything beyond a deeper closeness of their friendship as a result. That he wanted to be one of his Guardian Generals was a definite surprise.

"I am surprised. I do not know what to tell you." He said as he blinked at him. "I can answer for the original, since I am him, but I do not have an answer yet. I will need to think on this."

"Tell me your thoughts and reasoning, everything, so I can relay this to the original if I do not come up with an answer before he returns." He said firmly.

oOoIRoOo

While Darien's clone was listening to Andrew's thoughts and reasoning on wanting to be one of his Guardian Generals Sesshomaru Taisho was hanging up his phone after speaking to his girlfriend.

He was displeased to learn that Darien and Serena wouldn't be able to go on their camping trip. He had been looking forward to seeing the couple and spending time with them.

Of all Kagome's friends he had met so far Serena was the only one he liked. She was the same age as Kagome and her other friends, but she wasn't always in his girlfriend's business and had a life of her own. Whereas the others, at least the girls since Kagome was unfortunately friends with his half-brother, were forever asking about him or somehow running into them when they were out on a date.

He absolutely hated those instances since they would invite themselves to join them on the remainder of their date, and then monopolize all her time like they didn't see her nearly every day at school! Then they would ask about their relationship. He could understand their curiosity, but they never stopped after she gave a general and purposely vague answer. They wanted to know more, they wanted details.

They wanted something to gossip about. He thought with a sigh as he leaned back in his office chair.

Those girls were intrusive, pushy, and meddlesome. He remembered how they had tried to set Kagome up with his half-brother, and continued to try even after the two of them had started to date; apparently claiming she was only settling for him since she couldn't admit she really wanted his younger half-brother.

Preposterous. He thought as he shook his head lightly.

Serena thankfully wasn't like that. She had a boyfriend of her own, her own set of friends, and goals of what she wanted to do after she graduated. He had yet to hear any of Kagome's other friends' mention any life plans for after they finished high school.

Then there was Darien. He may have started as just Kagome's friend's boyfriend, but he now considered him one of his few friends.

He didn't have many because he was picky. Some people that had been his friends from high school or new friends ended up judging him for having a girlfriend that was still in high school even if it was her last year or they ended up turning into partygoers or weren't serious about their university education.

Darien wasn't like that. He also had a girlfriend who was in her last year of high school, didn't go out partying and drinking, and took his education seriously. He also liked his personality as it was similar to his own; calm, quiet, and serious. Even his quiet affection for his girlfriend was like him.

He was also pleased that he knew Andrew who he considered another of his few friends. Andrew didn't have a girlfriend but he also wasn't a partygoer, and he was just as serious about his education and future plans. He also had a similar personality to them, but was more lively; although in a quiet way.

Sesshomaru was also pleased that through Darien he had been introduced to another guy that had the potential to be a good friend. Itachi Uchiha was younger than the three of them by a couple of years, but he also appeared to be serious about his education from what he had learned.

He wasn't into drinking and partying, and knew exactly what he planned to do when he finished university. He didn't know yet if he had a girlfriend, but he had been able to tell that he was calm and quiet.

He supposed it all came down to maturity. His small group of friends, and potential friend, were mature whereas his former judgmental friends hadn't been.

It was simply a shame that he would miss out on spending time with the couple because Serena was sick.

But how did she get sick so suddenly? He wondered, because it sounded like it was a sudden event since they would have let them know sooner instead of the day they were to leave.

Then again she could have woken up sick this morning. He considered. And why did Darien call Kagome instead of Serena calling? He wondered.

It sounded like she had a serious cold, but not to the point where she was incapable of speaking. After all, Darien had to learn she was sick somehow.

Sesshomaru didn't know. He just hoped she got better. For now, however, he and Kagome would find something else to do for the weekend since they both had decided they wanted to save the camping trip for when the other couple could come.

oOoIRoOo

Sailor Pluto stood at her post, staff in hand, gazing around alertly through the fog as she made sure all was well with the timelines. Currently nothing was out of place or being disrupted, and thankfully the desired timeline she watched the most was still on track to its ultimate destination.

Suddenly she heard beeping echoing through the dark foggy space of her post, and she gestured with her free hand and watched her communicator watch appear in her gloved palm. It was black and gold with a series of golden discs circling the cover with the symbol of Pluto emblazoned in the center.

She opened the cover, idly watching it swing upward like a clamshell, and saw the turquoise button with the white symbol for Neptune on it flashing and pressed it.

"Pluto here." She answered.

"There is a monster attack happening. Can you please inform his highness?" Came Neptune's calm and soothing voice.

"Of course. Pluto out." She said before she pressed the turquoise button again to end the call.

Pluto closed her communicator and returned it to her subspace pocket before she looked off into the fog a distance to her right to see where Prince Endymion was currently located. Once she found him she lifted her staff, her eyes glowing a smoky gray as she tapped into her power, and began to create a doorway.

oOo

Darien's clone sat in the living room of his apartment early Saturday evening studying. He had actually been up doing the original's homework and studying all last night and all day since he didn't need to eat or sleep and had nothing else to do.

All had been quiet since his conversation with Andrew. There had been no phone calls, no unexpected visitors knocking on the door, and no alerts to any monster attacks.

That was perfect as far as he was concerned. It meant he had not been in danger of being dispelled, which could happen if he was hit hard enough such as in a major car accident or in the case of a monster attack being hit with something stronger than the chakra he had been made with.

Just as he had finished the thought, and before he could move his thoughts in another direction, a flicker of color caught his eye and he looked over to see an elaborate white marble doorway appear in the corner of the living room between the balcony and where the TV sat.

The double doors opened inward, thick fog streaming out slowly onto the floor, and Sailor Pluto stepped out of the dark interior holding her silver staff before she knelt on the floor.

"Rise." He said calmly from his seat on the couch.

"I have come to inform you that Neptune has reported a monster attack in progress." She said after standing to her full height.

"Thank you. I shall head to the scene momentarily." He said.

"Very well. I shall return to my post now." She said before she turned and walked back through the open doorway.

The doors gently swung closed before the elaborate doorway disappeared as if it had never been there.

The clone put the textbook he had been studying on the coffee table along with the pen and notebook on his lap even as he tapped into his connection with the Earth, that thankfully being something he could do as a clone, to see where the monster was.

Images of people, places, and locations flashed through his mind rapidly before they slowed and the monster and area around it solidified. Right away he saw that it was a massive gorilla that looked as if it was twelve feet tall.

It had glowing orange eyes, two thick legs, four thick arms, two on each side of its body, and was covered in slightly long white fur. A light blue loin cloth-like skirt wrapped around its waist, and it had thin gold bands around each of its upper arms. The claws on its meaty fingers and toes were brown, thick, and long, its face flat, and its chest clear or fur showing pink skin.

The clone turned its attention to the area around it, and noted that it was a construction site. He widened the view to get a better picture of the situation, and saw that it was a large building being constructed with six levels. The other buildings around it were of similar height and occupied by the businesses inhabiting them.

There were no walls yet, on the outside or inside as far as he could see, and there was a yellow construction-type elevator attached to the side of the front of the building as well as scaffolding. People who were walking on the sidewalks in the area were running away, and there were no passing cars so it appeared they were being stopped from going by the area.

The clone split his focus and concentrated on his masked persona, picturing the familiar mask and tuxedo in his mind, and transformed in a bright golden light. Once he stood in his disguise he looked for a place to arrive before he released the scene and willed himself there.

He disappeared in a golden flash and reappeared the same way on the sidewalk directly across the street from the building under construction. Immediately he tapped into his connection with the Earth, so he would be aware of what was happening around him and not be caught by surprise by anything.

So he was very quickly aware of one his oppressed generals, Malachite, standing on the roof of the building his back was to. The white haired man was in the middle of the roof, so he hadn't seen him arrive and considering his position he wondered if he actually intended to fight when he saw the monster being attacked.

Or perhaps he is here to observe. He thought as he stared up at the gorilla monster climbing up the scaffolding and reaching for workers who were trying to scramble away without falling.

He was also aware of the moment Uranus and Neptune appeared in flashes of navy blue and aqua teal respectively directly behind him on the sidewalk.

"Welcome ladies." He said calmly without a glance in their direction, keeping his eyes on the monster and his mental eyes on Malachite.

"Ugh! It looks bigger in person." Sailor Uranus said as she stepped up to Endymion's clone's left side and stared at the monster.

"I believe it is the biggest monster we have seen to date." Sailor Neptune said as she stepped up to the disguised prince's clone's right side and looked at the monster.

"It is." The clone agreed and confirmed even as he wondered if he should inform them of Malachite's presence.

He did not believe they were aware of his presence since they seemed to only know a general was around when they arrived during or just after a monster fight.

The two of them could take him by surprise. He was perfectly capable of handling the monster on his own, but did he want them to try and capture his general while the original was away?

No I do not. He answered himself seriously.

The original always used his crystal to free the men of any trace of connection to the Dark Kingdom, and as a clone he didn't have access to that as it was with the original. There was the possibility that he could do it, but it would likely take all of his energy and he would dispel long before the original returned.

My dispelling would alert him to the situation and he could return to handle it, but it would likely be before he is ready to. He thought as he narrowed his eyes slightly. And there is also the chance that I do not have enough energy to complete the process of freeing Malachite. That is a more important reason to not attempt it, and therefore not alert the ladies to his presence.

"Let us get its attention shall we?" The clone said now that he had made a decision about Malachite's presence.

He raised a hand toward the monster, calling on his chakra, and before either scout could respond or do anything a large bolt of golden lightning shot out of his palm. It streaked through the air and slammed into the monster's furry back.

It roared loudly in clear pain and instantly stopped reaching for the workers trying to get away, and looked down to see who or what had hit it.

World Shaking! Uranus thought firmly as she aimed her hand up toward the monster, and watched as streaks of wind energy gathered toward her hand and formed a ringed sphere that shot through the air.

The monster, seeing the attack rapidly coming, let go of the scaffolding and leapt to the ground. It landed on its hands and feet and roared at them before it stood up straight and roared again, but this time an orange beam of energy came shooting out of its mouth at them.

The three fighters scattered safely out of the line of fire before they began to attack.

Deep Submerge! Neptune thought firmly as she aimed her hands at the monster from where she had stopped still on the sidewalk but right across from the creature.

Swirling water gathered toward her hands forming a ringed sphere of water energy that shot toward the monster's side.

World Shaking! Uranus thought as she stopped on the sidewalk across the street and stuck her hand out in front of her.

Just as before streaks of wind energy gathered toward her hand and formed a ringed sphere that quickly shot through the air toward the monster.

The masked clone stopped in the middle of the street and raised his hand as he called on his chakra, and launched his sharp rose petals with the addition of gold wind surrounding them making them all the sharper.

The three attacks sped toward the monster nearly at the same time, but before they could connect it leapt up high into the air to avoid them.

oOo

Malachite moved forward quickly until he stood at the edge of the roof with a clear view of what was going on down on the ground.

He had been watching his minion, keeping an eye on it to see if it was successful in gathering energy or if it would be interrupted and attacked and exactly what would happen during said attack, and all had been going well.

The minion had been gathering energy perfectly fine, snatching people off the street and those on the scaffolding of the building being built, and even appeared to be enjoying itself when it was suddenly roaring in obvious pain.

He hadn't seen what had happened to it, but now he was seeing that it was under attack by three fighters. He had seen none of them before, and only recognize the description of one of them; the male in the group.

He was the masked man his fellow generals had described; he had the tuxedo, cape, and mask in exact details. The two females on the other hand matched the general description he had heard of the sailor fighters in terms of their outfit, but not the exact physical description of any of the five that had been reported.

As he watched he saw that the three of them worked well together. They moved swiftly, attacked almost in unison, and were silent when they did so. He was high up but the area was quiet, since everyone had fled, and he could tell that they weren't even talking to each other.

He also noted that while none of their attacks hit each one still looked powerful. Although, he could not tell exactly how powerful since none of them damaged the unfinished building they hit instead.

oOo

The clone narrowed his eyes and disappeared in a flash of gold light only to reappear the same way in the air above the monster.

He quickly called on his chakra, and a golden staff made of solid chakra formed in his hand. He covered it in rock, unbothered by the feel of it appearing beneath his gloved hands, and lifted it and swung it down sharply; cracking the monster over the head and sending it crashing back down to the ground.

Seeing this Uranus and Neptune didn't hesitate, and launched their attacks simultaneously at the downed monster.

World Shaking! Uranus thought as streaks of wind energy gathered toward her hand forming a ringed sphere that shot through the air.

Deep Submerge! Neptune thought as swirling water gathered toward her hands, and formed a ringed sphere of water energy that shot forward.

In a flash of gold light the clone disappeared from the air as he began to descend and reappeared back in his original position in the middle of the street, chakra staff still in hand, and watched the two attacks collide with the monster and listened as it roared.

He decided in that moment to make sure the monster was destroyed right then and there; no seeing if it would recover and attack or try to flee.

He stepped forward while willing his staff into the form of a whip that stretched from his hand and began to trail along the ground lengthening as he walked. He covered it in transparent gold wind blades, and stopped closer to the injured monster, now missing two arms and patches of fur along its body, than he would have recommended for anyone.

The monster spotted him after gathering itself somewhat from the attacks, but his arm was already moving, the whip flashing around in different directions so rapidly it left after images of itself as he repeatedly struck the gorilla monster.

He finally stopped after a few long moments and the monster got up and began to roar at him, likely intending to attack, but it began to fall to pieces landing on the ground in wet chunks before turning gray and crumbling to dust.

As he watched each piece turn to dust, making sure all of the creature had been destroyed, he saw through his connection to the Earth Malachite teleport away before he caught sight of the Guardian Scouts arriving together.

He was not sure of how much they had seen of the end of the fight at the distance they were at, but he was glad of his decision to come dressed in his masked persona. He knew the original wouldn't want them knowing about him being a prince without his soulmate at his side.

Neptune and Uranus walked over and joined him in watching the monster's remains to make sure it was truly destroyed.

"We have company ladies." The masked clone informed them. "Let us return to what occupied us before the monster attacked shall we." He suggested as the last of the monster's remains crumbled to dust.

They glanced around and easily spotted the Guardian Scouts running down the middle of the street toward them.

"Yes let's." Neptune said as she looked away.

Uranus simply hummed in agreement.

With their agreement the three of them disappeared in flashes of gold, aqua teal, and navy blue respectively.

oOo

Malachite appeared in the middle of the cavernous room in front of his Queen's throne and knelt on the black marble floor and bowed his head as he waited for permission to speak.

"What did you learn?" The Queen asked with an icy calmness from her seat on her tall slender black throne.

"First, my minion was destroyed, losing the energy it had gathered." He said as he lifted his head to look up at her, figuring he should get that out of the way even if she likely already suspected that fact.

The Queen narrowed her eyes, but remained silent.

"It did well until it was suddenly attacked. I was at a vantage point where I could not see what hit it, but when I moved to a proper angle I saw that none of the Guardian Scouts were there. Instead there were two scouts that I had never seen before or heard of. Only the two of them and Tuxedo Mask fought my minion." Malachite explained.

"Describe these scouts." She demanded.

"The uniform was the same as I had heard described, but the colors were different. One scout wore navy blue and white and had short pale tan hair, and the other wore white and aqua teal and had wavy teal hair just past her shoulders." He reported.

The Queen had never heard of them based off that description and did not remember any scouts by those descriptions either.

Are they guardian scouts to the Moon Princess as well or do they have some other assigned duty? She wondered.

"Continue." She said as she stared at him coldly.

"The two scouts worked well with the masked man; defeating my minion before the other scouts arrived." Malachite reported. "I wonder if that means they know each other since they have never appeared at any previous encounter with a minion that I know of or if they are just good at working with others."

"Either option is a possibility." She said. Perhaps these new scouts know something of the Earth Prince. She considered.

The Queen's frustration was taking on new levels at not being able to find even a hint of the royal man she desired. She still had nothing to help her locate him beyond his physical appearance, and so far she had seen no male that looked as she remembered him looking.

And the Moon Princess and Sailor Moon were still alive, and out there in a position to find him before her and be her rivals for his affection yet again. Although, she acknowledged that it was more Sailor Moon than the Moon Princess since she simply held affection for him whereas Sailor Moon had been courted by him.

Still, it outraged her that those little moon girls could even be her rivals, that they had been her rivals in the past, and that Prince Endymion had preferred one of them, Sailor Moon, over her. What had he seen in that little moon scout that he hadn't seen in her? She'd been all but invisible to him in the past, and it galled her to admit that even to herself!

This time will be different. She thought. This time I will make sure neither of those females are a rival to me. Sailor Moon will be dead and the princess will either be dead or one of us, which will in turn make her one of my subordinates to command. He will not want someone who is below him in his own hierarchy.

Considering her memories of the past The Queen considered the possibility of that being part of why he had been fine pursuing Sailor Moon. She had been low in the Moon hierarchy as only one of five guardians to the Moon Princess, but she had not been part of any level of the Earth's hierarchy.

She was actually similar to his Guardian Generals. She thought, and held in a frown as she thought of the small group of men even as she stared down at one of them.

Of course she was still concerned about having to tell Prince Endymion two of his generals were dead, not at all looking forward to his anger, but it was a small concern since he was not yet there for her to worry about it.

Hopefully the other two are not lost before I find him. She thought quietly as she stared coldly at Malachite.

"Although the fight was short their attacks were powerful; damaging my minion even though I picked it for its overall strength." He reported. "They were fast, efficient, attacking almost in unison, and were silent as they attacked."

"Describe the attacks they used." The Queen said with a cold firmness as she slid her fingers along the arms of her throne.

She had never cared to know what the scouts or the masked man's attacks were or how powerful those attacks were; just knowing that they as fighters sounded as if they were powerful had been enough.

"The scout in navy blue and white used an attack made of energy and wind that formed a sphere with a ring, and the scout in white and aqua teal used an attack in the same shape but made of energy and water." Malachite reported.

"The masked man used multiple attacks. The first was a spray of what looked like golden flower petals from his palm, then he made a golden staff appear in his hand that might have been made of rocks or at least looked that way, and last he somehow made the staff turn into a whip." He said.

"And it is not an attack but he could also teleport." He added.

The Queen narrowed her eyes. She didn't remember ever seeing any of the Guardian Scouts teleporting in the past, and since he didn't mention it he clearly didn't see the new scouts doing it.

And the Guardian Scouts likely arrived on foot since he saw them arrive but didn't mention teleporting. She thought.

"The Guardian Scouts arrived in the end although it was too late to be of use." She said, wanting to confirm she had been informed correctly.

"Only four of them." Malachite reported.

"Who was missing?" She asked.

"Sailor Moon." He answered simply.

The Queen instantly wondered if she simply had not been able to make it with the other guardians or if something had happened to her. She would not deny hoping something had happened to remove her and save her the trouble of having her killed.

"You and Jedite will have to decide among yourselves who will send out the next minion." She said seriously. "Inform him of what you have learned. We need energy, and I still want Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon dead, and the Moon Princess either dead or captured."

"Yes my Queen. I will inform him at once." Malachite said before he bowed his head. He then stood up to his full height and teleported away to find his fellow general.

oOoIRoOo

The secret Guardian Scouts sat around Lita's living room with their feline advisors having gathered at her apartment after leaving the fight scene. They had been surprised to find themselves only arriving in time to witness the monster being defeated by Tuxedo Mask who had been in the company of the two new scouts.

Then to their surprise after the two scouts had looked their way all three of them had disappeared in flashes of light as they had the day Serena had essentially quit the team.

"So it was only Tuxedo Mask and the two unknown scouts there?" Luna asked from where she sat on the coffee table with Artemis.

"Yes." Amy confirmed. "Just those three. Serena wasn't there as far as I could see."

"Ah, so you didn't get to see her as Sailor Earth?" Luna asked with a disappointed sigh.

"No." Mina said in disappointment since she wanted to see what she looked like as Sailor Earth too. "Maybe she's still being affected by the pain she experienced on Wednesday." She suggested even though Serena had assured her she was fine.

Artemis listened but remained silent since he knew exactly why Serena hadn't been there.

"Are we even sure Serena was telling the truth about being Sailor Earth?" Raye asked skeptically. "Maybe she's not really this scout that doesn't exist."

"I've been wondering the same thing since she told us." Lita said. "Although, Mina did see the symbol for Earth on her forehead."

"I'd wondered if Tuxedo Mask brainwashed her when he took her for her to come back and say she wasn't Sailor Moon, accusing Susanna of making her that scout, and claiming she was a scout that didn't exist." Amy said.

"I thought the same thing." Raye said as she nodded.

"No." Mina said as she shook her head. "Regardless of what may or may not have happened after he took her it doesn't change the fact that I clearly saw the symbol for Earth glowing brightly on her forehead."

"I admit I'm still unsure myself if she's really Sailor Earth." Luna said as she looked at the others. "She was firm in her words and clearly believes it, but I need proof that it's true."

"Even after what I told you, you are still unsure?" Artemis questioned as he looked at her.

"What did you tell her?" Amy asked curiously. Did Serena tell him something or even show him what she looked like as Sailor Earth? She wondered.

"Yeah, did she tell you why she had been made into Sailor Moon? Or what she meant by Susanna's past self changing reality? Or who Tuxedo Mask is, why he shows up at monster fights, and how he even knows when a fight is happening?" Lita asked.

"And what about those other two scouts? Does she know which ones they are or why they suddenly appeared and look like they know Tuxedo Mask?" Raye asked.

"First, she told me quite plainly that what she did in her civilian and scout life was none of our business, and that she did not care to know what we do; and that includes Susanna." Artemis said seriously. "I agreed not to tell her anything that was happening with you girls or the princess nor would I tell you all anything about her."

"With that agreement I asked about her life in the past as Sailor Earth since I obviously had no returning memories of the time she remembers." He continued. "She said she had been chosen as Sailor Earth when she was six years old, and became engaged to be married when she was eighteen."

Of course he was not going to tell them about her scout powers as per his agreement with Serena, and he also wasn't going to tell them about the activities she had engaged in in her daily life. If they wanted to know those kinds of details they could very well ask her themselves.

"Did she say who she was engaged to?" Raye asked, curious to know if Serena would have to be on the lookout for more than the Earth Prince if he didn't happen to be her boyfriend like she believed after seeing him for the first time.

"Yes. She was engaged to the prince of the Earth," He revealed. "And apparently there was a ball thrown by the King and Queen of the Earth to introduce her as their son's fiancée and the future Queen, so clearly they were approving of the match."

Mina, Raye, Lita, and Amy's eyes widened at that surprising piece of news.

By now they all knew that in the past as Sailor Moon Serena had been seeing the Earth Prince, and they all definitely knew of their princess' crush on the man, but most of them had not thought the relationship would get to the point of marriage considering she was a guardian scout to their princess.

But that was as Sailor Moon, and what Artemis had just revealed was Serena as Sailor Earth, which meant even as that scout she had had a relationship with the Earth Prince. One that had progressed much farther than the one she had as the scout of the Moon.

Already questions were popping up in their minds and being blurted out loud.

How long had she known the Earth Prince before she became engaged to him? Had Susanna's past self had a crush on him then as well? Had the prince somehow not been affected by this change in reality for him to approach and basically date her as Sailor Moon? Or had she just been the type he was attracted to and it had been inevitable?

"Did we know about this engagement?" Lita asked as she looked around to everyone.

That question brought up more questions.

Had they known Serena when she was Sailor Earth? Were they friends? Had they known the Earth Prince? Had they been invited to the wedding? Had they known those two scouts? Were there other people that they knew or knew of that hadn't made an appearance in the present yet?

"This is very surprising." Amy said a little blankly.

"No kidding!" Lita said. She couldn't believe Serena's past self could have been a Queen.

"Sounds like she has no problem talking about the life she remembers." Mina said since she doubted it had only been those specific facts she had told him. "Wow. She would have been the future Queen of the Earth." She said, still very surprised about that on top of the fact that Serena was Sailor Earth.

This led her mind back to the prince of the Earth, and her thoughts about Serena's boyfriend. As soon as she had seen him she had immediately thought he looked like the Earth Prince from her memories. His looks and his behavior, as little as she had seen, had her suspicious that he truly was the reincarnation of that royal man.

She had only seen him the one time when they were introduced, but since then she had even began to suspect he might remember the past. It was in the way he had talked and his general behavior.

I could be wrong. She admitted to herself. Maybe he's just a rare gentleman. I don't know, but I'm going to keep my thoughts to myself. Susanna doesn't remember, and she doesn't need any more incentive to go after Serena's boyfriend.

"Yeah that's crazy." Raye said as she slowly shook her head; especially since she strongly suspected Serena's boyfriend was the reincarnation of the Earth Prince.

Are they just destined to be together? She wondered. After all, if Serena was engaged to him as Sailor Earth, was courted by him as Sailor Moon, and now, if she was right, was dating him in the present then that had to mean something.

And I still haven't mentioned my suspicion that the guy might actually be the Earth Prince. She thought with a light sigh.

She knew she should let the others know her suspicions, but that would mean Susanna would know. She didn't particularly care if her princess knew, still thought she should have a chance with the guy whether he was a prince or not, but she didn't want to deal with the fall out of Susanna knowing that possible fact.

Especially since she seems to be stalking Serena's boyfriend like she did the prince in the past; at least as much as she can. She thought.

"Her supposed engagement to the Earth Prince and what could have been her future role as Queen is surprising. It was surprising when I first heard and it still is." Luna said. "After all, you all were guardian sailor scouts and set to protect our princess, but for a sailor scout to become the Queen of a planet is not something I remember hearing of."

"However, to answer your question I am still unsure." She said as she looked to Artemis. "I need to see her transformed for myself."

"Well, I imagine the only way that will happen is if you happen to be at a fight scene or if one is caught by news cameras and it is broadcast on TV." Artemis said, knowing from her personality that Serena would never consent to transform simply to give Luna proof of her scout identity.

"So it was only the two unknown scouts and Tuxedo Mask at the fight scene." He said a few moments later, wanting to move the discussion away from Serena.

"Yes." Mina said as she nodded. "Only the three of them fighting, and it was obvious they were quick and efficient since the monster was defeated before we got there."

"Did you see exactly what was done to defeat the monster?" He asked the girls.

"The two scouts only used a single attack each and they looked like spheres." Amy said. "We were too far away to see any more detail then that."

"The sphere's shot off their hands toward the monster." Raye added as she remembered watching the attacks.

"Tuxedo Mask used a whip." Lita said before she shook her head. "We were too far away to see more details, but were close enough to see him walk up to the monster and use his whip. It moved so quickly that it looked like he was using a bunch of whips at the same time, and then the monster got up like nothing had happened when he stopped before suddenly falling to pieces."

"And he walked up to the monster?" Luna asked, trying to imagine that from what she remembered the man looking like.

"Yeah. He looked calm about it from behind at least; like he wasn't facing a monster at all." Mina said.

"What happened afterward?" Artemis asked. "You said they disappeared, but was that all?"

"Not that I noticed." Raye said with a frown as she thought back on the scene they had been running toward.

"The two scouts looked our way at the same time, like they had been informed we were coming and wanted to see, but Tuxedo Mask never looked back." Mina said.

"Before that they both walked up to Tuxedo Mask calmly. Obviously we were too far away to hear anything they may have said if they said anything at all." Amy said.

They all considered those facts thoughtfully, still curious and concerned about who those scouts were and why they were suddenly showing up now; plus how they knew the masked man.

"If Serena is truly Sailor Earth and had been in the past then I think it's very possible the three of them knew her considering how they all reacted that day when she was in pain." Amy said.

"It's definitely possible; just like we might have known her." Mina agreed. "I also think it's possible they could remember that past with how they reacted after she passed out."

"Did she really say nothing about this Artemis?" Raye asked.

"Nothing." Artemis said seriously. "She did not mention Tuxedo Mask being in the past and she never mentioned those two scouts."

Although, he still suspected that the masked man was in fact the Earth Prince, which would mean that copy of himself that he made was the masked man out fighting earlier. Which meant, if he was right, the young man was very powerful; to create a copy of himself that could then go on and do everything he could.

He was likely holding back during all of the monster attacks, which was likely to conceal his true identity from being discovered before he was ready. He thought.

"She was very serious about not speaking of her scout life. There was no slipping up. I think she was very deliberate in what she said." He said.

"I don't like that at all!" Luna said in agitation. "I have so many questions. I still want to know how she could use the Crescent Moon Wand, and why she was made into Sailor Moon if she was really Sailor Earth. Not to mention who those two scouts are, and if they're a threat or not."

"I want to know who Tuxedo Mask is, and what he said and did to her after he took her." Amy said.

"Me too." Raye agreed. "I also want to know how Susanna's past self could have changed reality." I also want to know how we're going to protect her if she approaches Serena and her boyfriend, but that's another matter. She thought.

"Well, I still want to know why Serena didn't show up to the fight." Lita said.

"Maybe she was busy, and Tuxedo Mask and those scouts finished the monster before she could get there." Mina suggested thoughtfully. "After all, they finished it before we got there."

"Or maybe it's like I said earlier and she's still being affected by the pain she experienced." She added.

"I want to know if she still has her ability to sense dark energy." Amy said as she looked around at the others. "Maybe she lost it, and that's why she wasn't there: she didn't know about the monster."

"Or that ability is one she had as Sailor Earth since I do not recall her having that ability in the past as Sailor Moon." Artemis countered.

"I don't remember her having that ability in the past either, so it is possible." Luna said.

"I wonder what attack she has as the scout of the Earth." Lita said curiously. "As Sailor Moon she used her tiara. Do you think it's the same or similar? Or if she had some other attack altogether?"

"That would be interesting." Raye said as she tried to imagine Serena using something other than her tiara.

"Maybe it would look like the attacks those two scouts used." Amy suggested, remembering the large spheres.

"I hope we get to see whatever it is." Mina said.

"Me too." Artemis said, having been told Serena used the elements and having a verbal example had him extremely curious to see her in action.

"At the next monster attack you should keep an eye out for Serena to see if she shows up, and if she does then to see what she looks like as Sailor Earth and what she is capable of." Luna told the girls.

The four secret Guardian Scouts nodded seriously, and wondered when the next attack would happen; some hoping it was soon while others were content to wait however long it took.

oOo

Meanwhile, inside the stone cabin room within Tellus Castle Serena and Darien were inside an interior stone room designated for training. With time passing faster within the cabin room four days had passed since they had been there, and Serena's illness was at its tail end and she was able to start training.

Just as had happened in the past her powers had manifested during that time in various ways. Not long after she had fallen asleep when they had first arrived at the castle, and after Darien had finished braiding her hair, he had noticed the covers rippling with every breath that came out her nose. As the minutes passed it grew stronger to the point where they were only staying in place by the weight of her arm.

It had been interesting to watch, and he had kept a close eye on it in case it grew even stronger, but he had been glad it hadn't been fire this time.

Now she stood in the middle of the room, her hair up in a high ponytail, while he stood off to the side watching what she would try next yet fully prepared to protect himself at a moment's notice should her powers go array. Already she had practiced with her earth and air elements, so it was a tossup between water and fire.

Serena slowly waved her hand in the air in front of her and watched as a baseball sized ball of fire appeared. It floated where she wanted it and remained there and stable before she slowly waved her hand again and produced a second fireball. That one too remained floating next to the first one and remained stable.

She took a steadying breath and proceeded to slowly and carefully create three more, so she had five softball sized fireballs floating in the air in front of her. Slowly she began to combine them into one large sphere of fire nearly the size of a large beach ball.

Suddenly she sneezed, the sound loud in the large room, and fire sprayed out of her mouth. The sphere of fire she had created expanded out of her control in every direction, and the fire coming out of her mouth connected with it and added to its power causing the fire to flow everywhere.

Darien, already surrounded by a golden barrier to protect himself having put it up as soon as he saw the fire expanding after she sneezed, listened to his soulmate coughing. As he lost sight of her he was glad she wasn't affected by her own powers or he would be worried she was within the fire burning up.

A few long moments later the fire slowly began to move away from him until he could see his Serenity again. Her hands were out in front of her and her face was a mask of concentration as she pulled the fire toward her and back into a manageable sphere; clearly larger than before.

His fire goddess was coming back, and she was a pleasure to watch.

She moved her hands around and the sphere gradually shrunk, stretched, narrowed, and elongated until it was a flaming staff. She grabbed it with both hands and carefully began to swing it around, thrust it forward and backward, spin it, and slam one end onto the ground and then the other.

The staff held its shape the entire time, and he was very proud of her success.

What will she practice next? He wondered, releasing his barrier as he watched her snuff out the fire.

She coughed a few times back to back, and he grew concerned when she put a hand to her chest.

"Are you alright?" Darien asked.

"I am." She answered as she looked his way. "I'm just getting it out before I do what I am going to try next." She added, and he nodded.

"You might want to put your barrier back up." She said.

He hummed and put his barrier back up; curious about her next actions.

Serena looked away and took a few breaths to make sure she wasn't going to be interrupted by another coughing fit before taking as deep a breath as she could. She held it for a few seconds as she concentrated before breathing it hard through her mouth.

Water came bursting pass her lips like a fire hose and gushed onto the floor.

When the water stopped she looked around critically before she took another deep breath and breathed out another bursting flow of water. When that stopped she was satisfied when it looked like the floor was covered in approximately one and a half to two feet of water.

She took a calming breath before she started coughing as the action irritated her throat. Once it stopped she focused and lifted her feet above the water to step up onto the liquid and stand as if it was a solid surface. She lifted her other foot and when she was sure she was stable she lifted her arms up, her hands out in front of her, and watched two thin tendrils rise up.

She turned to her left and repeated her actions and watched two more rise up. She turned again and motioned with her arms and hands, and two more rose up. Finally she made another turn that had her facing her prince, and again she lifted arms and hands and two more tendrils rose up.

The eight water tendrils waved gently as if they were caught in a current, and she spun on the ball of a foot causing the tendrils to swirl around her and upward.

When she stopped she was surrounded in a narrow dome thin enough for her to see through. She then spun again holding one arm out to her side with her fingers flat and pressed together.

A line was cut into the dome and she stopped and gestured with both hands, and manipulated the top portion of the dome into a blob shape in front of her while the rest of the dome fell and merged with the rest of the water beneath her feet.

Serena took another calming breath before she began to move the blob around in the air from her left to her right, up and down, diagonally and zigzag before she swiftly spun around, the blob following her movements, and sent it streaking forward when she stopped.

It flew through the air rapidly and crashed into the wall; splashing and streaming down the stone.

She then focused as she slowly raised her arms and watched as the water a few feet in front of her rose up in an open circle. She gestured with her hands and manipulated it closed and into a hallow adult human sized sphere as if she was containing someone.

She walked over to it and inspected it while keeping her focus to keep the sphere in place, and as she calmly walked around it she concentrated and watched as six inch spikes suddenly sprouted out all over the sphere.

After a few long moments they shrunk and smoothed back into the sphere, and as she continued to walk around the sphere sharp blades sprang out around its circumference and began to spin rapidly until they were nothing but a blur.

Serena let it go on for a few more moments before she willed the water blades to shrink and smooth back into the sphere. She stopped walking around the sphere and stepped back to her original distant position, and then slowly manipulated the sphere and shaped it into a slender water dragon.

It rose up nearly to the ceiling and moved its head around as if looking around, which she made it do, and then willed it to descend toward her head first and wrap around her in a wide circle. It wound around layering on top of itself before it merged into a wide dome barrier around her.

She looked around mentally inspecting the barrier and found it weak in multiple areas, so she knew that was something she was going to have to work on.

Sighing lightly she willed the barrier to split open and eased down to merge back with the water covering the floor. Then she allowed herself to sink into the water until her feet touched the floor before she gradually began to convert it back into energy where it touched her and absorb it back into her body.

"Are you ready to take a break?" Darien asked as he moved forward, and watched her look his way as the water slowly disappeared.

"Alright." Serena agreed with a shrug before glanced down to the remaining water.

"Are you hungry?" He asked as he reached her.

"No." She said as she shook her head.

"Do you believe you should eat something anyway?" He asked curiously, and watched her tilt her head thoughtfully.

"I probably should if only to help keep my energy up." She admitted as the last of the water disappeared.

"What would you like?" Darien asked as he released his barrier and began to lead the way to the door.

"Soup," Serena said instantly. "but then I might sneeze and it would be all gone if I'm not careful."

He smiled in amusement as he pictured that possibility.

"A sandwich then?" He suggested instead as he opened the door.

"Sure. Sounds good." She said as she stepped into the cabin room.

Darien stepped in behind her and closed the door before he headed across the room to one of the three doors in the room, and opened it to reveal a small circular foyer with three closed doors; not including the one he was stepping through.

It matched the interior of the cabin room with being made of dark gray stone blocks, so it was protected from Serena's powers if the door happened to be open. He walked across the floor and opened one of the doors to reveal a small kitchen, and wasted no time getting started on his soulmate's meal.

Meanwhile, Serena stepped across the floor and plopped down on her bed. She was doing well in training since her illness was tapering off and she was able to do more, but she knew she was going to need more time to have full control of her powers.

More time meant staying in her castle, in this special room, and despite its specialty it also meant missing more time on the Earth.

And away from school, and my parents. She thought with a sigh.

Thinking about her parents made her remember what they had learned from Darien's clone about what happened after they left. His clone had given them less then the basics; only informing them that he was a clone, that she and Darien had powers, and that she was coming into her powers which was why she had to leave as she had.

He had also left the explanation of why they had powers to her and Darien, so they could answer her parents' questions.

She wanted them to know, but that was going to be a very long and complicated conversation. Already she didn't know where to begin. Did she start when she became Sailor Moon in the present or did she start all the way in the past when she was chosen as Sailor Earth?

Then again did the conversation have to be complicated? Could she not simply tell them she was Sailor Earth and leave out the change into Sailor Moon that should have never happened?

No I can't do that. I was Sailor Moon in this time first, and I know there has been talk on the news of the Sailor Scouts and possibly images. She thought. I will be showing them what I look like as Sailor Earth, and they could very well make the connection that I look like Sailor Moon. No the truth, the entire truth, must be told.

Plus, there is Artemis' presence to explain and that involves speaking of being Sailor Moon. Not to mention they could wonder why I am not working with the other scouts. She considered, and moved her thoughts back to her original question.

I'll start from the beginning; when I was chosen as Sailor Earth. She decided firmly just as her soulmate came back into the room holding a plate full of a sandwich and a mug full of something.

"Here you are my lady." Darien said as he handed her the plate.

"Thank you." Serena said as she accepted the plate.

She shifted back to lean against her pillow and the head board, and set the plate on her lap as Darien sat in the chair next to the bed and set the mug on the nightstand.

"Will you be there for the explanation to my parents?" She asked before she took a bite of the sandwich.

"Of course. I would not be anywhere else during such a time." He answered, and watched her smile as she chewed. "Will you tell them everything?" He asked curiously.

"I will; from the past to the present." She said firmly after she swallowed. "Is it okay to speak of your crystal?" She asked.

"Yes; especially since you will need to for your parents to understand how you became a scout." Darien answered as he crossed one leg over the other. "Although, I am concerned about that white feline knowing."

"He will not say anything." She assured him. "I already spoke to him about not speaking of anything about me to the Guardian Scouts or their princess." She added before she took another bite of her sandwich.

"Who is that feline anyway?" He asked. "I assume from the crescent moon that there is an association to the Moon Kingdom and that princess." He added, and watched her nod.

"His name is Artemis." Serena said after she swallowed. "He's one of the feline advisors to the Guardian Scouts, and advisor and guardian to the Moon Princess. The other being Luna; a black cat, and the one who awakened me in this time as the scout of the Moon."

"Of the two of them I got along best with Artemis since he had the better attitude, and was more realistic and understanding about how I conducted my life in general and as a scout." She explained.

"After I remembered everything and gave back those sailor items I found him in my bedroom that night when I got home. He said he would like to remain with me since he liked me and believed we had made a start at bonding, and he wanted to continue that." She continued.

"I was fine with that, still am, although I still don't see there being a practical point since his loyalty is to his princess and her scouts. I don't see the bond leading to anything." She said with a shrug. "In any case, I will warn him again when it comes time for the explanation if he is there for it."

Darien nodded seriously. He did not want that feline informing his princess or the Guardian Scouts about anything to do with him. The only thing he would be fine with him relaying was his identity as the prince of the Earth since it would not stop that foolish girl from pursuing him.

No; simply make her more determined. He thought in irritation.

"How do you think your parents will react?" He asked as he grabbed the mug and handed it to her.

Serena carefully took the mug and took a sip, humming at the flavor of what she recognized as a tea from the past. She took another sip and handed it back.

"Thank you." She said as he took it with a nod. "I think they will be shocked and surprised. I anticipate my mother being able to handle all the information, and my father to try to be protective."

"We should prepare for the possibility of him trying to forbid me from being a scout, forbid me from seeing you, grounding me, or all of the above." She said seriously. "However regardless of how he reacts it will not stop me from continuing my duty, and I certainly will not be staying away from you."

"I should hope not." He replied just as seriously. "We have been separated in various ways enough that we should not even have to worry about it regardless of how many more lifetimes we live."

Serena nodded seriously. He may have courted her in the past once he found her as Sailor Moon, but they hadn't lived together and she hadn't remembered their shared history. In the present it was the same. She still hadn't remembered, at least not wholly and properly, and obviously they hadn't lived together.

Not yet, but soon. She thought as she took another bit of her sandwich, remembering him asking her to move in with him after she graduated. She could hardly wait for that, and would definitely start packing up her things the last week of school.

"What do you think of Andrew's surprising request now that you've had some time to think about it?" She asked after a few long moments of eating, remembering his shock when he got an update from his clone.

"I'm still surprised, but I think his argument was well thought out and sincere. Plus, my clone made him aware of the very real danger of the job." Darien said. "I had never thought of the possibility of having more than Jedite, Neflite, Malachite, and Zoycite as my Generals, but I did consider that they might need to be replaced if they didn't make it before they could be freed."

"Such is still a possibility with Malachite and Jedite. Although less so now that you remember, and neither of us will be trying to kill them." He added, and she nodded. "Even having considered that possibility I had not thought of who could take their place."

"That's understandable." Serena said. "I think Andrew could very well make a good general for you since he has the right kind of personality for it; not to mention the motivation. Since he wants to take up the duty he would have no problem committing to training and working hard."

"That is true." He agreed. "I would not mind him becoming one of my Generals; especially since it would be a good way to keep him around and in the loop once the Golden Kingdom is back."

"I think I will speak to Neflite and Zoycite and gain their opinions before deciding one way or the other. After all, he will need to get along and work with them, and if the both of them believe they can work with him then it is likely Jedite and Malachite can as well."

"I can't wait to see what you decide." She said before she took a bite of what was left of her sandwich.

"You will certainly be the first to know." He promised.

Serena finished off her sandwich and took a few swallows of her tea before she sighed heavily.

"This is the last thing I want to speak of, but I believe we should while we have the privacy and no distractions." She said as she looked to her soulmate.

"The princess." Darien said since she was the only thing they both had no wish to speak of.

"Yes." She said as she nodded slowly. "I'm grateful Andrew sent Susanna away so you didn't have to speak to her, yet another sign that he can be a general, but I absolutely hate that she approached you at all; let alone tried to flirt with you."

"She's lucky I wasn't there." She added darkly. "I already warned the Guardian Scouts to keep her away from me if they wanted to continue to have a princess to protect."

"You did?" He asked in pleased amusement.

"Yes! And I meant every word." She said seriously. "They had best be up on their game at protecting her, because her personality is the kind where she will approach you even if I am with you; like that day at the mall."

"I'm not surprised." He said as he shook his head. "We're going to have to keep each other in check with the anger we both have toward her. We can't very well do anything too outrageous with witnesses around."

"True, but I can certainly hit her." Serena said. At the very least I can slap the shit out of her, and at the most I can knock her out. She thought, liking both those options.

"I would love to see that." Darien said with a smile. "Aside from dealing with her infatuation with me we are going to have to do something about her in the long run. She is thoughtlessly dangerous; that has been thoroughly proven. The last thing I want is a repeat of the past or something similar to happen."

"Yes." She agreed seriously. "We will have to take measures to protect the planet and citizens from her should she get her hands on the silver crystal. Without it she is simply an annoyance, but with it she could very well do more damage than she did in the past."

"I agree. The issue now is what we can do." He said. "We cannot stop her from getting the crystal aside from simply hoping they never find those rainbow crystals. In fact, we have no way of knowing when she has the crystal unless it gives off some kind of signal once it is whole and back with the one who can wield it."

"Artemis would know, but I have already told him I don't want to know anything happening with his princess or her Guardian Scouts. Beyond that I would be going back on my word, and it would set a precedent I do not want to set." She said with a sigh.

"I don't want you setting that precedent either." He said firmly. "We will think of something. Let us hope that even when she gets the crystal she does not remember the past. She would be less dangerous without the context of what happened behind her thought process."

"I will definitely hope." Serena said with a sigh, and then shook her head. "Let's get back to training. I plan on transforming this time."

"I cannot wait to see that." He replied, and she grinned at him.

They got up, Serena placing her empty plate and mug with the remains of her tea on the nightstand, and headed back into the training room; closing the door securely behind them. She walked to the center of the room, and she gestured with her hand and watched her transformation stick appear in her palm.

"Earth Planet Power!" Serena said firmly, and watched as blue green light came out of her transformation stick and began to swirl around her body.

Darien watched his Serenity greedily as a thick solid blue green ribbon streamed out of the sphere of her transformation stick and swirled around and down the length of her body. It closed in tight to her body, wrapping her up almost like a mummy, and after a few moments the blue green light flashed brightly leaving her standing in her scout uniform.

He loved seeing her take on the appearance of the scout she truly was. He didn't think he would ever grow tired of seeing such a sight after having her taken away from him.

So beautiful. He thought with a pleased sigh before he concentrated briefly.

Instantly he felt the familiar warmth of his golden crystal pulse in his chest before he was engulfed in bright golden light. When it cleared he looked himself over and nodded to see himself wearing his royal uniform and armor.

Serena smiled lightly as she looked at her Endymion in his uniform and armor. She had seen it so many times in the past, but now was different. In the past as her true self it had been a daily sight, and as the scout of the Moon she hadn't seen him in anything else.

However, in the present she hadn't seen the uniform outside her memories, and although it was yet another reminder of what had been taken from her she was still so very happy to see him wearing it.

She shook her head slightly and focused on what she wanted to practice with, but before she could do anything an idea suddenly came to her. She pulled off her tiara and looked at it thoughtfully for a few moments before nodded firmly.

She had taken the time to learn how to use it as best she could, and she didn't want that effort to go to waste. Plus, she knew that her powers added to it could make it a truly dangerous weapon.

As she held it with her thumb and forefinger at the v-juncture around the gem she knew right away that there was no connection, which wasn't much of a surprise since she had not used her tiara for anything but its intended purpose in the past.

So let's change that. Serena thought, staring at her tiara as she focused on her internal power.

Her gloved hand began to glow a blue green and she concentrated on wanting to create a connection with her tiara. After a few long moments the glowing light surrounded the jewelry and it morphed into a disk that glowed a blue green before it lifted to float above her fingertips.

As she had been instructed by her prince when she had first learned how to control her tiara she focused on the blue green energy that was causing her tiara to be a glowing disk. Just as when she was the scout of the Moon the energy felt light, bright, and warm.

Narrowing her eyes she stared at the glowing disk as she tried to feel and sense the connection. It was there, that was why it was now a glowing disk, she simply needed to find it.

Just like the connection she had before to her tiara, and similar to the one she had with her soulmate, she imagined a delicate glowing thread connected to her and drifting off away from her and to the glowing disk.

She closed her eyes to better focus on what she was picturing and almost immediately saw the delicate glowing thread in the darkness of her mind. She used her mental fingers to gently touch the thread, and felt a tremble in the energy of the disk floating above her fingertips.

Serena opened her eyes and grinned at her soulmate, and he smiled in return; easily seeing where she was going with this.

oOoIRoOo

Just after midnight early Sunday morning Neflite sat on his bed, leaning against the wall it was next to, reading a book since he wasn't sleepy. Suddenly there was a flash of gold light across the room and he looked over sharply to see Endymion standing there.

"Good evening..uh morning your highness." He said after glancing to his clock.

"Are you busy?" Darien asked as he nodded to the book in his hands.

"No; just bored, and I couldn't sleep." Neflite said with a shrug.

"Then come train with me while I give you an update on what has been happening." Darien said.

Neflite popped up without a word and place his book on his nightstand and cut out the light.

"Will your parents come check on you?" Darien asked as he watched him put on some shoes.

"No, because they're asleep." Neflite answered. "They save that for during the day; checking on me multiple times, and if I leave then as soon as I come back through the door."

Darien nodded and when he came to stand next to him he put his hand on his shoulder and willed them away. They disappeared in a flash of gold light and when it cleared Neflite found himself standing in grass with trees bordering the area; only the moon and ambient lighting from buildings in the distance allowing him to see.

"I will only be a moment." Darien said before he disappeared in another flash of gold light.

A minute or so later his prince returned in another flash of light that nearly blinded Neflite, and when he could see again his eyes widened to see Zoycite standing next to him.

Zoycite's eyes widened as well as it registered in his mind that Neflite was standing right in front of him. His prince had arrived in his bedroom in the middle of him doing pushups, and as soon as he mentioned training he was all for it; having an update on what could be happening was a bonus.

Endymion hadn't said anything about anyone else being there, so this was a complete surprise. He and Neflite had not seen each other since they were both in the Dark Kingdom.

"Neflite." He said as he stepped forward.

"Zoycite." Neflite replied as he moved forward as well.

The two young men grasped each other's hand, and used their free hand to wrap each other in a hug.

"You're out of the hospital now?" Neflite asked as they pulled away.

"Yeah; for a couple of days now." Zoycite answered. "Was the capture hard on you?" He asked, having been curious if it had been the same as his.

"Ah, I got cracked in the back of the head with something hard. I was out instantly." Neflite said. "What about you?"

"I was hit with something wet and forceful. I assume it was some kind of attack." Zoycite said with a light shrug. "I was out before I hit the ground."

Neflite nodded. "Now we just have to wait for Malachite and Jedite." He said.

"Yes." Zoycite said seriously before he looked around. "Why does this place look familiar? Where are we?" He asked as he turned and looked to his prince.

"We are in the park where I conduct my training." Darien answered as he walked over to them. "It is the same place both of you were brought to when you were freed."

He sat down in the grass and Zoycite and Neflite joined him and made themselves as comfortable as they could.

"I did mention updates." Darien said, and they nodded. "The first is that my Serenity remembers her true self."

"I knew it!" Zoycite said with a grin.

"How so?" Darien asked.

"Wednesday evening I felt a burst of energy that felt earthy pass through me like a wave. I'd wondered if it had something to do with Serenity, and if it meant she was back." Zoycite said.

"Hmm..I think I felt that, but I was with my parents and hadn't been able to focus on it in the moment." Neflite said.

"Well you were indeed correct." Darien said. "It happened just after the monster we were fighting was defeated; her tiara shattered to reveal her earth symbol glowing brightly."

"It was unfortunately just as it was in my case; extremely painful judging by her screams." He continued. "She eventually passed out from the pain, and I brought her back to my apartment to wait for her to regain consciousness. Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus were there as well, so once Serenity awakened and I had explained what happened in the past Sailor Pluto joined us and the three ladies gave her their loyalty."

"Were they at the monster fight?" Neflite asked curiously.

"Uranus and Neptune were, but they did not participate." Darien answered. "They only revealed their presence once Serenity passed out."

"So the Guardian Scouts saw them." Zoycite said thoughtfully.

"Yes." Darien said. "We have come to know that they do not know which scouts Uranus and Neptune are, but have concluded that they are certainly not guardian scouts."

Neflite and Zoycite nodded.

"Serenity accepted the Outer Scouts loyalty, and we told her about you two being free and the plan to free all four of you. She was surprised, and feels bad about hurting you both." Darien continued.

"Ah there's no need for that considering who we all thought we were." Neflite said, and Zoycite nodded.

"More recently she has come into her powers." Darien said, moving the conversation along. "Currently she is in her castle doing what she needs to do to get control of them, which brings me to my next piece of news: I am a clone."

"Seriously?" Zoycite asked as he eyed Endymion. Even in terms of the past it had been a long time since he had seen his prince use that particular ability, so much so that he had nearly forgotten he had that ability.

"Yes. He created me just before he took Serenity to her castle. He of course remained with her to take care of her and help her train her powers, and since then I have been living his life." The clone explained.

"Thanks for letting us know. As usual I couldn't tell at all." Neflite said as he shook his head.

There had been no indication that the man who had appeared in his bedroom and had been speaking with them this entire time was a clone, but that was obviously the point; for no one to know.

The clone nodded silently.

"Is there anything else?" Zoycite asked, continuing to treat the clone as his prince since that's what he was; an extension of him.

"Yes. One more thing; a serious thing that I want your opinion on." The clone said seriously, and two men nodded.

"I already informed Neflite about my best friend and the situation with him, but for your benefit Zoycite his name is Andrew Foreman and I told him the truth about me before either of you were freed." The clone said, and watched Zoycite's eyes widen.

"I did this for two reasons. The first, because he had noticed the change in me after I regained my memories and needed an explanation for that. The second, because I wanted to keep him as my friend, and for that to happen he needed to know the truth otherwise we would drift apart since I would need to keep secrets from him." He explained.

Zoycite nodded slowly. That made sense to him since even he could tell from when he first spoke to him in the hospital that Endymion was like he was in the past, and he seriously doubted that was the case before he remembered who he really was.

As for telling his friend the truth that was surprising but also made sense. That situation was one of the silver linings he saw in the friends he had before being trapped in the Dark Kingdom moving on with their lives. He wouldn't have to lie to them about what he was doing or where he was or make up some excuse if he suddenly needed to leave them while hanging out.

It's bad enough I'll have to do it with my parents. He thought with a light sigh.

"How did he take it?" He asked.

"Very well." The clone answered. "He was surprised and very into the story as I told it since it is a pretty fantastic tale from the outside looking in. He is now aware of everything; including the both of you being free, Serenity remembering her true self, and me being a clone."

"That being said, he surprised me after I informed him of what I was by asking if it was possible to become one of my Guardian Generals." He continued.

Neflite and Zoycite blinked in surprise and shared a look. This was completely unexpected. Regardless of what set of past memories they remembered they were used to it only being four of them. They could count Serenity as part of their group, but she was also separate in the protective cycle they had maintained.

She protected Endymion as a citizen of the Earth and as her soulmate, she protected them as citizens of the Earth and as fellow soldiers and friends, they protected her as a fellow soldier, their friend, and as their prince's soulmate, and Endymion protected all of them as citizens of the Earth, friends, and soulmate.

"And you want our opinion?! What about your opinion? That's more important." Zoycite said.

"I was surprised, extremely surprised, since the thought had never occurred to me." The clone said. "He explained that he had first thought of being a replacement in case you four didn't survive to be freed, but then he realized that even if you guys did survive he still wanted to be one."

"He wants to be part of this secretive life we have, and he's even thought further down the line to when the Golden Kingdom is back up and running. He wants to help make it happen, and be part of it instead of simply knowing the truth but remaining silent on the sidelines." He continued.

"Since then I have been thinking about it, and I've made the original aware. I'm not opposed to the idea, and I understand why he wants to be a general." He said thoughtfully. "If I was in his position I would not be particularly happy to know the truth and yet standing back doing nothing when monsters attack or later when the kingdom is back."

"And now that I am thinking about it he would need something to do, a position or duty, once the Golden Kingdom is back or he would end up fading into the background. That is the last thing I want; it is one reason why I told him the truth in the first place." The clone said.

"What do you two think?" He asked.

"Umm." Neflite hummed thoughtfully. "It would take some getting used to, but I wouldn't mind. This is a different time after all, and even though we were born in this time having our memories of the past back is bound to influence us; keep us in the mindset of the past somewhat. Plus, only Zoycite and I have been freed, so there's still the chance that Malachite and Jedite won't make it."

"I think it could be a good thing." Zoycite said. "To add to what Neflite said there's also the fact that he wouldn't have those memories to influence him, and could potentially come up with unique solutions to any problems that come up."

"Plus, assuming Jedite and Malachite are freed, he would add one more body on the deck to protect you. We all have things to do; well not yet I don't, but I intend to finish my education." He continued, and Neflite nodded seriously since he did too.

"Anyway, that would be five of us available to protect you, so there would be more of a chance of someone being available and not busy with school or work or something we can't drop without creating suspicion. Assuming he could actually do the job." Zoycite finished, and then frowned. "How would that even work?"

"Yeah. I remember being chosen as one of your guardians, and being told it was because I had the strongest chakra out of everyone my age in the region I lived in." Neflite said.

"Same here." Zoycite agreed. He remembered being taught how to access his chakra, and then from there it had been solo meditation while focusing on his chakra out in the forest behind the royal palace until he came to understand the nature of his power.

Or at least that's what I was told. For all I know being out in the forest meditating while manipulating my chakra could have been what caused my power to develop in the way it did. He considered.

"I don't know. I'm going to have to consider that if I decide to go ahead and accept him." The clone said, and sighed. "He's going to have a lot to learn before he's ready to actually go out and fight if I go ahead with this."

Both Zoycite and Neflite nodded in agreement. This guy would have to somehow get power so he would be able to train with them as well as go up against monsters, learn how to use said power, learn how to use a sword as well as a secondary weapon, and learn how to fight physically if he didn't already know how.

"If you accept him I hope you make him aware of just how much he has to learn before he can join us during a fight." Neflite said seriously.

"Definitely. There would be no way around that." The clone said just as seriously.

Andrew would have so much to learn he could very well not be ready to help take on the Dark Kingdom. Unless he turned out to be a fast learner when it came to weapon training, physical fighting, and the power he would have.

"Alright Endymion! How do we get our uniform back," Zoycite asked after a few long moments of silence. "because I want to be back in mine."

"Yeah." Neflite agreed. "I've been trying to figure out how that was going to work when we start joining you at monster fights."

"You have it. Use your power and focus on what you want." The clone said seriously before he stood up and began to demonstrate.

He concentrated briefly and glowed with a soft golden light as he transformed. When the light cleared he stood in his royal uniform and armor.

Neflite and Zoycite exchanged a look before they nodded and stood up as well, and began to focus inward on their power like they hadn't done since the past.

Zoycite remembered the feel of his power, the color, and the way it made him feel as he searched for the power that helped make him who he was. He wasn't sure how long he searched when he suddenly felt warmth blossom somewhere in his chest and begin to spread.

With his power flowing through him he concentrated on the uniform he had worn so proudly as a guardian general to his prince. He pictured each and every piece, down to the way they felt against his skin, and wanting to be in that uniform once again, of needing to be in that uniform so he could once again take up the honorable duty of serving and guarding his prince.

Neflite, for his part, remembered the color of his power, the way it had made him feel, and the texture of it when he manipulated it so long ago.

I need to feel that way again, want to feel that way again, so I can once again take up my guardian role to my prince. He thought, and almost immediately felt a familiar cool sensation begin to seep around his chest and spread.

Now that his power was awake and flowing he focused on the uniform he had worn every day for so many years in the past as a guardian general to his prince. He concentrated on needing to be back in that uniform, his uniform, so he could once again do his duty of serving and guarding his prince.

Long moments passed as Darien's clone silently watched his generals, confident they would succeed in accessing their power. He narrowed his eyes slightly as Zoycite began to glow with a hunter green light, and directly after him Neflite began to glow with a dark gold light.

Brighter and brighter they grew until their entire figures were covered from his sight, and when it cleared he nodded in satisfaction to see his generals once again in their uniform.

Both wore a white jacket top with lines of gold going down the center, along the sides of the chest, as well as edging the collar, bottom, and with double lines on the cuffs, cinched around the waist with a brown leather belt.

White pants covered their legs with silver armor extending from the knees down to line tall black boots, and a brown leather crisscrossed sword belt secured beneath the first belt with a brown sheath resting on their hip.

Lastly a dark brown cape with a dark blue inner lining hung from their shoulders secured with dark blue jeweled epaulettes.

The young men looked down at themselves and moved their arms and legs as they took in the feel of being in their uniform once again. They touched their cape, the sheath and hilt of their sword, and even reached up to the epaulettes securing their cape.

"Welcome back gentlemen." The clone said, and Neflite and Zoycite grinned.

"It's good to be back." Zoycite said.

"Yes." Neflite agreed. "I missed being in my uniform, which is strange since I only remembered it after being freed."

"Yeah." Zoycite said as he nodded in agreement. "It's a strange feeling."

"Serenity felt the same way." The clone said. "For my part I thought it was strange to not have to put it all on piece by piece."

"I can't wait to see her back in her proper uniform and train together!" Zoycite exclaimed, and Neflite nodded; both men missing their friend and fellow soldier.

"Then let us begin training, so you can be ready for that eventuality." The clone said.

Both men nodded and immediately pulled their sword from their sheath, and began with the basics of going through their forms from so long ago. Not to be left behind the clone pulled his own sword and moved to join them since every bit of practice helped; the experience would return to the original.

oOoIRoOo

Itachi sat on the bus late Monday afternoon gazing out at the passing view as it drove him closer to the Crown cafe where he had agreed to meet up with Darien and his girlfriend.

He hadn't had class with him today and was looking forward to hanging out with him and even his girlfriend. He had liked her the one time they had met, and even though it hadn't been a long meeting he thought they got along well. He hoped she felt the same or things would be awkward during their time together.

He was also curious to see her to see if he could see a change in her from what Darien had told him; if her happiness and contentment was as visible as it was with Darien from whatever she had learned about herself.

Actually he was really curious about what it was she had learned, and maybe even more so because he hadn't been told. He still didn't intend on asking either of them about it. It was none of his business after all, but it didn't change the fact that he was curious.

I wonder what we'll do, and if his girlfriend will have any ideas since we couldn't decide before. He thought, moving his thoughts along as the bus stopped at a red light.

Of the four options they had suggested to each other he was most interested in Go Kart racing and Laser Tag. Paintball he felt was too messy for a Monday and the arcade didn't sound exciting enough. Laser Tag on the other hand sounded exciting enough and he didn't have to worry about getting dirty, and Go Kart racing sounded exciting and would also challenge his reflexes.

A few more stops later and he was ringing the bell and standing up in preparation to get off at the next stop. Within a minute or so the bus was pulling over and he was stepping off with a few other people before he began to make his way toward the cafe.

He arrived at the Crown fairly quickly and headed up the stairs to the cafe and inside. Right away he spotted Darien but his girlfriend wasn't there.

Did I beat her here? He wondered as he began to walk toward the booth he was sitting at.

"Hey." He said as he reached the booth.

"Hey. Glad you made it." Darien's clone said as he watched him sit across from him.

"Thanks. Clearly I made it before your girlfriend." Itachi said.

"No." The clone said as he shook his head, and then paused. "Well, technically you would have since she gets here about twenty minutes from now, but unfortunately she will not be joining us today. She is ill."

"Oh no!" Itachi said in slight surprise.

"Yeah. Has been since Friday. We had to postpone the double date we had planned for the weekend." The clone said. "We haven't picked another date since she's still sick, but we still plan to have that date."

"It's that camping date you planned with Sesshomaru right?" Itachi asked.

"Yes." The clone answered. "We were really looking forward to it too."

"I hope you guys get to go soon, and Serena recovers quickly." Itachi said.

"Thanks." The clone said.

"Has she decided to go to our school?" Itachi asked curiously.

"She has decided she wants to go there." The clone answered. "She's already sent in her application, and I gave her a tour of some of the campus, which she liked."

"Does she know what she wants to study?" Itachi asked.

"She is currently undecided between creative writing, some form of art, and some form of literature." The clone answered.

"Well she has time to decide." Itachi said, and the clone nodded. "Alright, so what are we going to do today?"

"Do you have any preferences?" The clone asked.

"Go Kart racing and Laser Tag." Itachi answered. "What about you?"

"The same; although I prefer Go Kart racing." The clone said.

Paintball was something he was uninterested in taking a risk with considering he was a clone. He didn't think it would be powerful enough to dispel him, but he didn't want to take a chance. The arcade was something they could do any time, and while Laser Tag sounded exciting he simply wasn't up for it today.

"I haven't come up with any other options besides the ones we initially discussed." He added.

"Me either." Itachi said. "So Go Kart racing it is then."

"Very well. Let's go. I know just the place." The clone said as he began to stand up from the booth table.

Itachi quickly joined him and they began to head for the exit; the clone's eyes paying close attention to his surroundings not just to avoid unexpectedly being dispelled, but to make sure he avoided another encounter with the Moon Princess' reincarnation.

The friends reached the door and were soon walking out and heading down the stairs and toward Darien's car.