Azula plonked down on a park bench and purposely released a little sigh between her lips. Silence hung with magnitude. She scrunched her face and glanced at Mamoru sitting next to her, him silent and pensive as usual.

She lightly bopped his side. "Thanks for saving me," she said quietly as a couple walked past them. "I was gone and back in a day so no one even realize what happened."

"I'd imagine it would be difficult to explain what happened," Mamoru agreed.

Azula bit her lip and looked down at her lap. "Are you mad at me?"

It had been only yesterday when he rescued her from becoming Sailor Hemera's shish kabob, and throughout the next day at school Mamoru had not directed a word to Azula, not even to demand an explanation.

"I don't understand what happened…" he confessed and rubbed his face with one hand. "Why...why did I forgetagain?"

"Because Usagi wanted everyone to be normal," Azula said sadly. She could feel his frustration radiating from him and yet she couldn't sympathize because she herself never forgot - she'd been unable to without a reason why. "In retrospect she probably should have asked if everyone else agreed...but she did it with the best of intentions."

"She chose to forget me…"

"No, I think she just had confidence you guys would meet again...and you did! And good news is she likes you...again!"

Mamoru shook his head. It was a lot to take in, again. "I don't understand. How did you not forget?"

Azula leaned back on the bench and shrugged her shoulders. She crossed her tight-cladded legs. "We've no idea. Scientifically speaking, it is probable that one person had to remember. I think maybe it's because I was on the Moon base when Luna and Artemis did the memory wipe and something in that room protected me."

"And you took it upon yourself to look after us?"

"Well-" Azula chuckled, "-of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"We were 'normal' so there was no need. You didn't have to work for nothing, you know."

"You guys were my friends-"

"-you blackmailed me to become friends-"

"It wasn't one of my finest moments," Azula articulated purposely slow. "But Sailor Moon taught me to be better. Everyone did. So, when it came time for me to finally be able to pay you guys back...I made it my mission to make sure that each of you got to live a perfectly normal life."

"You didn't have to do that," Mamoru said with a significant look in his eyes. He knew (remembered now) that it was difficult for Azula to make friends on her own, so taking this mission probably made it impossible for her to live her own life with new friends.

Azula smiled. "Yeah, I did."

"Well, you can stop doing that for me because you and I are the ones who are gonna be running things around here," Mamoru paused for a second then added, "Well, you, me and maybe Rei." Azula made a noise at that. "She's beginning to remember things."

"It's my fault, I should have never visited her at the shrine," Azula shook her head.

"Rei was a special Sailor Scout. She could sense things that we couldn't. Sooner or later she was gonna start to remember something."

"Yeah well maybe if you hadn't used your freaky psychometric powers we wouldn't be in this mess," Azula huffed sarcastically.

A slight smirk etched across Mamoru's lips. "Oh, now it's my fault?"

"Isn't it always?"

Mamoru glanced at her with eyebrows raised, waiting for her to take it back. Of course, she never did.

Azula's lips soon stretched into a smile. "It's nice having you back, you know. I missed teasing you."

"Out of everything that's what you missed?" And yet Mamoru was not surprised.

"But teasing you about Usagi was my favorite sport," Azula shrugged. "And I'm a bit rusty so I should start practicing again-"

"No!"

"So when are you asking her out twinkle toes?"

"I'm not doing this-"

"Oh c'mon, it's so easy. You've done this before - oh wait, did they do 'dating' back in your other lives?"

"Azula, please," Mamoru finally managed to get a word in. He was dead serious and yet plainly sad that Azula did indeed pause for a second. "Usagi wished to be normal and I'm... I'm having trouble with that."

"Well, if you want-" but Azula never got to finish her offer because Meroko walked up to the two.

"Don't tell me I interrupted something?" a clean smirk drew over her lips.

"One more word and this entire park knows you're the lovely - crazy - Hemera," Azula warned and now crossed her arms.

Meroko Ikeda was Sailor Hemera, and yet Azula was not surprised by the turn of events. She thought she should have seen it coming. It was of course going to happen.

"You remember anything?" Meroko nodded towards Mamoru, expecting to hear good news.

"Between last night and now, no," Mamoru answered with clear irritation.

"You're a shame," Meroko sighed and rubbed her face. "How can you be Prince Endymion and not remember anything?"

"Hey give him a break, he's got like a thousand years between that life and now," Azula rose from the bench.

"Why are you still here?" Meroko asked her with a condescending look in her face.

"Because she's my friend and the one who's been looking after me," Mamoru got up from the bench and put a hand on Azula's shoulder. With a glance at her Azula received her answer of her question- he wasn't mad at her. He straightened himself up and directed a serious gaze to Meroko. "And if you want my help then you're going to have to lose the attitude and come off your high pedestal."

Meroko snorted. "Fine, whatever."

"Let's go somewhere else to talk…" Azula looked around the park with mild concern. Anyone could listen in on something they ought not to.

And because of that, there was no other place than the base underneath the arcade. Luna and Artemis weren't happy with the recent happenings and much less to have an intruder in their sacred base but there was no time for feelings like that.

"I still don't understand how you can hide an entire kingdom on Earth and not know about it," Azula commented distractedly while she watched Luna and Artemis do their work on the computers.

"Queen Nyx cast an enchantment that concealed our new Kingdom of Shadow from Earthen eyes," Meroko explained from a short distance.

"And you didn't know about it?" Azula made a motion to Mamoru who shook his head.

"I think I found out much, much later…"

"You did," Meroko agreed, nodding her head. "You re-established our agreement but you demanded one additional clause."

"That Princess Reign had to live in my Kingdom," Mamoru nodded, remembering perfectly how he had ordered that to the Sailor Scouts of Shadow.

"And you do realize that Queen Nyx ultimately agreed only because her power was already diminishing and she couldn't afford to flee again?"

"It doesn't take scientists to figure it out…"

"Queen Nyx had been ill for a long while now and she already kept one of my Sailor comrades at her side and between my sister and I guarding the barrier...there was only one Shadow Guardian remaining which wasn't enough. The Queen realized Princess Reign would be safer with the Prince and his Generals," Meroko said, a hint of sadness lacing her words.

"But Reign said her deepest secret was a danger from even her own people," and that was troubled Mamoru the most. How could a leader not trust her own people to feel safe around? Whatever Reign guarded, it had to be tremendously big and important.

Meroko seemed to know exactly what he was talking about because her entire face paled.

"What did Reign guard that was so dangerous even her own people would turn against her to get it?" Mamoru asked and waited a decent minute for her to answer.

But she didn't.

"Meroko-" Mamoru went up to her, "-what did Reign guard?" Meroko's eyes flickered to Azula then to the cats who had stopped working just to hear. "I can't help you unless I remember what happened and since those memories aren't coming fast enough you have to tell me. You have to trust us."

Meroko pursed her lips together and took in a small breath in before she finally spoke. "Princess Reign was the kindest person I knew but she was gifted with the darkest crystal known to the world." Her gaze slowly lowered as she continued to explain. "Her Shadow Crystal leads the way to the Shadow Dominion, a whole other universe. You understand that there are multiple universes right?"

"The theory of the multiverse," nodded Azula. "I love that theory. It basically says there are other worlds parallel to ours. There can be another world where there are no Sailor Scouts."

"Exactly," Meroko nodded and continued on with her own explanation. "The Shadow Dominion is a dark world parallel to ours. Behind its gates are the souls of everyone who lives and everyone who has died, as well as those who will one day be born. The Gates keeping that world sealed is sacred. Nothing should ever happen to that gate or else the world we know would be plunged into darkness."

"So, Reign guarded this dark world on her own," Mamoru didn't even want to think about the incredible burden Reign must have felt knowing she was in charge of keeping a dark world a secret from their own world.

"Yes, she would hear the voices of those trapped in that world, sometimes even talk to them," Meroko said. "Queen Nyx said that if Reign were able to harness her powers, Reign could be a true powerful figure. But Reign was discouraged from practicing her powers because it could tempt even her own people to try to take the Shadow Crystal."

"An unawakened princess who knows the way to some godforsaken world?" Azula released a big breath. "Well, that spells for definite trouble."

"We must find Princess Reign before Senka does," Meroko said with true urgency. "She holds the Shadow Crystal and if Senka gets to her first she can use the Crystal to open the Gates to the Shadow Dominion."

Knowing what was at stake now made the urgency ever more real. Luna cleared her throat to gather their attention to the screens. She and Artemis had pulled up several tabs of banks of information on Shadow.

Shadow was portrayed as a purplish planet glowing with a black shade surrounding it. There were patches of silver in no particular pattern.

"That's Shadow?" asked Azula who breathed in awe. In comparison to Earth and the Moon, Shadow looked...menacing, for a lack of a better word.

"Yes," Meroko stepped up beside her. Her eyes were big and glossy but she never let one tear escape. "It was once our world...many eons ago, before it was destroyed."

"What destroyed it?" Mamoru was quick to ask. He suspected Reign would have told him about it.

"Chaos," Meroko shivered with the mere word. Even Luna and Artemis had turned on their stools towards the girl. "The Sailor Wars took out many planets, including our sister planet. We and our sister planet fled after Chaos consumed our planets."

"What's 'the Sailor Wars'?" Azula asked the winning question of the hour. She glanced at the cats for the answer.

"I nearly forgot about that," Luna breathed in. Artemis hummed behind her.

"What is it?" Azula insisted.

"It was a legendary war between Chaos and all of the Sailor Scouts in the galaxy. It only ended because of one powerful Sailor Scout."

"But while that happened Chaos would search for anything to aid its cause," Meroko said bitterly. "And what could be better than a whole world of souls?"

"And so you hid Reign," Mamoru began to understand a little more. "Even when Chaos was gone…"

"There were many people who had lost others in the Sailor Wars and knowing that Princess Reign held the one way to see them again…"

"She would have been slaughtered," Azula frowned.

Meroko curtly nodded her head. "And even though she died anyways," she threw an accusing look to Mamoru in his chair.

"Which, you know, begs the question of why you were all reincarnated," Azula's remark made everyone pause and look at her. "I just meant, we know how Usagi, Mamoru and the rest of the girls were re-incaranted - Queen Serenity made it possible but...why did that include the Shadow Princess and her Guardians?"

"That is a good question," Artemis exchanged glances with Luna who seemed to agree.

"Don't look at me, I don't know anything," Meroko shook her head. "I guess Queen Nyx may have interfered."

"So then we have to find Reign, the Sailor Scouts of Shadow, and the Shadow Crystal," Mamoru listed off her fingers. "Also while stopping an evil Shadow soul. Yeah…"

"The task is not easy but if I can find my sister and my comrades then we can find Princess Reign and leave this planet," Meroko stated with a head held high.

"You want to...leave Earth?" Mamoru rose from his chair. "After everything you're asking us to do...you're going to leave?"

Meroko raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, Earth certainly won't hold what she requires here, will it? With its lack of knowledge of space and what goes on in it?"

"But where will you go?" Azula asked curiously.

"Maybe to find some descendants of our sister civilization-"

"-but you have no guarantee that they survived-" Azula began when Mamoru cut her off.

"If that's what you want, fine. But we're all looking for Reign and therefore we're on the same team. From now on, you don't keep secrets from us and we won't keep secrets from you, got that?"

Meroko regarded him with a level of respect in that moment. He was sounding a lot more like Endymion and that was who she needed to help her. "I accept." She then looked past him to Luna and Artemis. "And I also expect to be told of what the Moon Kingdom descendants are doing here too."

Both cats meowed in high pitches. Meroko smirked.

"Tell me, such elaborate base and for who? Azula, I think not," Meroko sent the girl a new smirk. "Am I to expect Silver Millennium's descendants to pop out any moment? Perhaps the Princess herself who owes my Princess a great deal?"

Azula's eyes lowered to Mamoru's hands which were balling into fists. He could handle anything just nothing that was shot at Serenity.

Meroko also saw him and smirked even wider. "That's okay, you won't have to tell me today. I have to keep searching for my sister. I feel like she's awakening first. That chill in the air you've been feeling? It's not climate change, it's Asteria. Goodbye," she gave a twinkle of her fingers and headed out.

~ 0 ~

Azula and Mamoru left the base and remained close to the arcade while they talked. There was certainly a lot left to talk about, after all.

"Are you going to tell her about Usagi and the rest of the Scouts?" Azula asked him after a moment.

"Well, Rei definitely is going to remember and if she does, she'll want to help…" Mamoru said as if he was thinking it in the process.

"Rei is one thing, and she'll make her choice, but the others? Minako, Makoto and Ami don't have a clue. Usagi definitely is no where near remembering either. Look, you're technically in command now," Azula smiled at him, "So, you make the call."

"I don't know," Mamoru said again, frustrated. "I want Usagi to remember me, but...she didn't want to be Sailor Moon. She wanted to be normal and I...I can't take that away from her."

"Okay, so then...we won't tell Meroko anything about Usagi and the rest of the girls, except for Rei," Azula nodded. "But I hope you know that doesn't mean you have to stay away from Usagi. She can be normal and still date you."

Mamoru briefly smiled. "I don't…"

"Hey!" they suddenly heard Rei's angry call. She was coming towards them in quick strides. She was irritated for how ignored she'd been since Mamoru rudely left her the previous day to help Azula and even Azula herself had yet to speak with her.

Azula's eyes went over Rei for a moment when she spotted a blonde stepping into the arcade. "Mamoru, I think I'm the one that has to explain things to Rei. You go into the arcade and follow my advice."

"But-"

"Just go and make the decision already," Azula gently pushed him forwards. "I'll wait for you at the park in an hour."

"You have some explaining to do!" Rei pointed a finger at the two but Azula pushed Mamoru one more time to take the furious Rei on her own.

"Yes, we do, and we're going to do that right now…" Azula motioned Rei to walk with her.

Suspiciously, Rei followed but she kept demanding to know what was going on. Azula did not hold back with Rei because she knew that one lie would only further angry Rei and really, who wanted that?

"I'm a Sailor Scout too?" Rei put a hand over her chest, blinking rapidly while she processed the thought.

"Sailor Mars and fiery one too," Azula confirmed. "You were a special scout, Rei, because you had like a sixth sense that no one else had."

"So why did I forget things?" Rei asked.

"Because your Princess thought it was for the best."

"But I'm supposed to protect my Princess...so how am I meant to do that?"

"Look, Princess Serenity wanted to be normal and she wanted you to be normal too. It's your decision if you want to remain being Hino Rei or also be Sailor Mars. But I can't tell you who your princess is nor your comrades."

"It'd be going against her wishes," Rei understood, albeit was a little annoyed by it. "But if it's my decision then I choose to be Sailor Mars again and help protect this planet from the evilness threatening it again."

"Are you sure about that?" Azula asked, her eyes boring into Rei waiting for her to truly decide.

Rei gave a firm nod. "Yes, I understand the implications. I want to help."

"Okay," Azula didn't persist longer. "I'll bring you to Luna and Artemis tomorrow so they can help you become Sailor Mars again."

"Who are they?"

"Um...I think I'll just show you tomorrow." Azula exchanged addresses and phone numbers all over again with Rei before parting ways.

She kept her word to wait for Mamoru at the park just to see what he ended up doing with his decision. She had to admit a level of stress was relieved from her shoulders knowing that she no longer had to make decisions for others. It didn't mean she was going to be completely out but at least...she wasn't the Prince of Earth or a Princess.

"I'm a better tech girl," she told herself confidently and waited by the fountain.

Eventually, the teen in question arrived with his usual straight face. His hands were stuffed in his pants pockets.

Azula kept facing the fountain. "So, did you tell Usagi?"

"No," he answered after a minute then sighed. "I can't take away her happiness. She's got a light in her eyes that...I can't. I just can't."

"Okay," Azula nodded, respecting the choice he made.

"But…" he scrunched his face, "...I asked her to dinner later."

Azula involuntarily released an incoherent noise but for his sake she swallowed most of it down. "That's...that's...really good."

"I applaud you for restraining yourself."

"Yeah, it wasn't easy…" Azula's eyes drifted to him and she bopped his side. "But you did it! And I'm so happy! Really!"

"I figured you were right, on a level, that it could still work," Mamoru nodded. "She can be normal and I'll be at her side, protecting her."

Azula laughed lightly. "Spoken like a true Prince. I hope I can find someone like that one day."

"They'd have to go through me first," Mamoru jokingly warned and yet not so much joking.

Azula swayed her head. "If you promise not scare them off. Remember that boy last year? Junji? He was so cute…"

"And a complete idiot," Mamoru reminded. "Believe me, if I hadn't ran him off, your father would have. Plus, Usagi agreed."

Azula rolled her eyes but laughed anyways. She was going to advocate for a small snack before heading home (because she was sure he was itching to get home and get ready for that date) when a strange noise from above caught their attention.

It was like a popping noise, really, and a heavy one.

From the corner of his eye, Mamoru saw a small figure literally drop out of thin air, from above, and crash onto Azula who, consequently, collapsed onto the ground. The red-haired girl shrieked as the hard cement greeted her back. When she opened her eyes she faced a little girl who couldn't look more than five years old staring right back at her with big, green eyes.

Author's Note:

It's been a while for this story but I wanted to finish the draft of the story and start on a sequel (for the 3rd season) to really know where the overall story eas headed. Anyways, thanks to those who continue to read! Leave a comment if you'd like! :)