It was cold and lifeless

Those were the thoughts that came to mind as Serena followed Diamond. The halls were pristine and polished. But they were empty. Each room was bereft of color with only the minimal furniture and what was there was...empty. It confused her; but this was her home. Why would she choose to live in such coldness?

Because of the warm hand holding hers.

She looked up at Prince Diamond and her heart turned over. He was her Prince. She was his Princess. Princess Serenity. Queen Serenity. She knew nothing else, but she knew this. Why couldn't she remember? He still hadn't explained that to her. But it had to do with the Sailor Scouts, didn't it? And that other man. Violence would have ensued if she hadn't stopped them. They would have hurt each other and more importantly, they would have hurt Diamond. She didn't want the violence. She wanted peace.

She shivered. "Why is it so cold?"

Diamond looked down at the blonde beauty at his side and then wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her closer against his side. "Because the Dark Moons atmosphere is different than that of Earth. The Dark Crystal will help you. We will make our way back to Earth in due time."

"We're not on Earth?" She hated not knowing this. She hated not knowing any of it. She was absolutely lost. What had they done to her to take away her memory so completely? She was more powerful than that. The Silver Crystal should have protected her against it. She pressed a hand against her aching chest. Why hadn't it?

Because as long as there was even a sliver of that want or need in her heart, the Crystal would recognize it. She lifted her head as Diamond turned her again, and then she was in his arms. Her expression was sullen as a long male finger tilted her chin up.

Diamond hated to see her so sullen. But he also saw hope and longing in her eyes. He saw trust. It was ill-gained trust, but it was trust nonetheless. He had sworn that she would be his, that he would have her love, and he had it. Almost. "What do you remember, Serenity?" Perhaps that was where he needed to start, so he knew how to proceed. There were too many open ends, even he knew that.

"Why do you call me that? I'm not... " Not yet. It was her destiny to ascend to that name. Her Fate was already written. She had often despised that name because it was an added burden on her already heavy shoulders but no one seemed to realize that.

Of course. Serenity. Serena. He knew her as Serenity, while others knew her as Serena. If only she knew that she was his Serenity. His peace. His calm. "What do you remember... Serena?"

"I was born of the moon." That came easy. "But I was born to Earth." She was a guardian to all, while all guarded her. They would give their lives for her. Diamond would give his life for her. "I remember...fighting. You were there." So were the Sailor Scouts. They were always there. They were always arguing. "He...he was there." The dark haired male. Not just their last battle, but many. Flashes where they fought, memories, lashing out at each other, mocking each other. Prince Diamond towering above them all as he held out as his hand to HER. But HE always stopped her. Darien always stopped her. The memories were vague, like watching through a grainy film. There were obvious gaps in her memory. Black holes. "There was so much violence." Prince Diamond was always there, calling to her. He was beckoning her. But the others always blocked him. Why? Why? God, she wanted to remember. She needed to.

"You abhor violence." That much was clear to him. She was the ultimate warrior, and yet she despised it. Even as Neo-Queen Serenity she had fought with peace and brought about an everlasting utopia.

It was disgusting.

"I'm tired of fighting. All I wanted to be was normal." The crystal broach weighed heavily in her pocket. She had grabbed it without thinking; it was so much a part of her person. That alone was a heavy responsibility.

"You'll never have to fight again." Diamond took their joined hands and laid hers over his beating heart. "My word is law, as much as it is a promise to you."

Serena wanted to believe him. Ever since she was a teenager she had fought. She had known horrors that no one should ever experience. She had seen her past self, as well as her future self. She had won battles, but also lost. Everyone depended on her. Didn't she deserve to lean on someone for once?

What was going on in that pretty mind of hers? Diamond didn't doubt his own power, much less that of the Wise man. It was all there in how she leaned against him, how she let him woe her with his sweet lies. Lies that would become a reality. His sweet Serenity. Her power matched his own, if not greater. He didn't envy her power. It wasn't her power that he wanted. She would grow into her crown at his side, she would grow to become HIS Neo-Queen. He loved her. He almost said the words but caught himself. Now wasn't the time for such sentiment.

"In time, that I promise you. You're in my arms, and that's all that matters." Diamond cupped her cheek and then turned her towards the large set of doors at the end of the hallway. They stood out from the polished marble of the walls and floors. They were dark. The atmosphere itself felt heavier as they approached them. "There's someone I want you to meet. He holds the powers of the Dark Moon, as well as the Dark Crystal. He'll give you another energy boost to assist in your healing."

She watched as Diamond sent the double doors swinging wide and her fingers tightened around his as conversation ground to a halt inside the endless room.

The Black Moon Clan. Rubeus. Esmeralda. Saphire. There were other's, but their names slipped her mind. The knowledge was there; she knew them indefinitely. That identical inverted black moon was there in the center of their foreheads. Just like Prince Diamond. The silence was deafening, the cautious stares even more so. Saphire was the first to stand cautiously. The green haired woman just stared in disbelief before her eyes narrowed.

"Welcome home, Princess."

The ghastly voice startled her. Or maybe it was the dark robed figure that spoke it so suddenly in front of her. He was just there, blocking her view of the others. Her breath froze as she stared into the yawning darkness where his face should be. Should she know him? He terrified her, but she couldn't even feign that emotion on her face. She was frozen in shock. Or horror. She had never felt such dark energy in her life. He wasn't right. He was so, so wrong. And she was so, so cold.

"May I present...our Wise man." Prince Diamond's voice brought her out of her stunned paralysis. Serena inhaled slowly. Evil. That's what she felt. Didn't Diamond feel it? She looked at him but he looked completely at ease. How could he not feel it? It sent chills down her spine until goosebumps rose over her flesh. "He's the reason you're here. Where you belong." Or was she just imagining it?

She wasn't imagining the sudden weakness that filtered through her. It moved through every fiber and core of her being the closer Wise man got to her until she was falling...but Prince Diamond was there, cradling her in his arms as the Wise man's faceless darkness hovered over her. The world spun, followed by dizziness.

"Do it." Diamond's voice reached her, but it wasn't aimed at her.

She cringed away inwardly from the dark hand reaching for her, but outwardly she could do nothing. She could feel the coldness and the negative energy before he even touched her, and she realized that she was...scared. "Diamond..." She gasped out through numb lips.

"Shhh...he's only giving you a boost from the Dark Crystal." The Prince held her in his arms as Wise man pressed his thumb against her forehead. He knew she would fight the dark energy, and she did. Her body tensed and he tightened his arms around her. It wasn't her, it was the Silver Crystal that was fighting him. Her body wasn't accustomed to the onslaught of dark energy slowly trying to work its way into her.

Diamond wasn't expecting the flare of light to pierce Wise man's hand where he touched Serena's forehead, though. It flickered into bright hot heat against Wise man's thumb until a tiny tendril of smoke rose up.

"She's strong. Just as I knew she would be. " Wise man's warped voice filled her ears.

"Diamond..." Saphire warned in a low voice. All of their voices faded in and out, bits and pieces of conversation.

"... I...told you she would...be..."

"...you...don't...you're talking about..."

The bright light at the center of her forehead flickered into a beautiful crescent moon-the one that Diamond hated above all else. It flickered in and out of existence, as if defending the woman in his arms. "That's enough." Diamond ordered and Wise man drew his hand back and the pale crescent moon flickered until it was gone from her forehead. Strong indeed. That was the second boost from the Dark Crystal, and she still fought it just as strong as the first. But like before...of course she would. She was Sailor Moon.

"Now sleep." Prince Diamond ordered softly and Serena surrounded to the darkness tugging at her consciousness.

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