Disclaimer: Sailor Moon does not belong to me.  It belongs to
Takeuchi Naoko, Kodansha, Toei Ltd., and tons of other people.  Thank
you very much for creating such a wonderful story and please don't
sue me.  ^_^;;;

Hi!  This is for all the people who've written me and encouraged me
to keep writing since my last 'fic ended and everyone who wrote
before.  Renee, Mimin, Lianne-sama, Jay-chan, Sue Mei, Ninx, Sue,
Razzz, Beverly, Zeena, Anastasia, Connie, Nicole, Sue Mei, Becky,
Glenda, Chibi-isa, Jade, Michi Kenshi, Christy C., Alina, Elizabeth,
La Chanda Fogle, Beverly, MJ, Andi, Sun Princess, Anonymous,
Naru-chan, Pitzy-chan, Kelly, Hikari, and Moon-Star.

In a time of peace  . . .

In a time of war . . .

Two kingdoms lived side by side . . .

Two hearts cried out for one another . . .

And thus was a legend born.

SAILOR MOON
IN ANOTHER LIFE:
THE LEGEND'S BEGINNING

by Fushigi Kismet


   "I was Usa Serena, age fourteen.  I was an eighth grader at Juuban
Junior High School.  I was (and still am) friendly, outgoing, and
cheerful.  I was also a little clumsy, tended to oversleep, doze
through class, overeat, beat up on my little brother, always be late,
cry a lot . . .  Well, that's enough about me . . ."  Sweatdrop.
   "This is my story . . .  The story of an ordinary girl who got
everything that she wished for . . . then wished that she hadn't.  I
don't regret it, though.  I'll never regret the decision that I made
that day.  If I hadn't . . .  Well, I'm getting ahead of myself.  I
should start at the beginning . . . what will pass as the beginning.
The *real* beginning was the beginning of time, as Se- Ooops, getting 
ahead of myself again.  Anyway, you don't want to hear my babble.  
For me, the beginning has always been that night . . . the night I 
made a wish . . . upon a star."

   "Oh, *look* a shooting star!" the tiny child called out to her 
father.
   "Yes, sweetie, now make a wish, and don't tell me what it is  . . 
. or it won't come true."
   "'Kay, Daddy!"

   Fourteen year old Usa Serena stared up from the balcony outside 
her room at the star that twinkled as it fell in the sky.  <A star . 
. .  I'll make a wish.  What'll I wish for?>
   The television blared from downstairs.  "Be JUST like Sailor V!  
Have your own show, fight criminals, and have daring adventures!  If 
you buy your own JUSTICE FIGHTER costume today, you're guaranteed to 
have the ADVENTURE of a lifetime!  Just nineteen ninety-nine . . ."
   Serena smiled in spite of herself.  <A justice fighter like Sailor 
V, huh?  Yeah right.  I wish.  No, really, what'll I wish for?>
   She gazed up at the still falling star.  <I *could* wish for 
better grades . . . Nah.  Molly and I had a fight, maybe . . .>  A 
sudden thought hit her and smiling, she closed her eyes tight.  <I 
wish . . . I wish that my friends and I will have long happy lives 
and stay friends forever . . .>  Smiling, she opened her eyes only to 
see a shower of meteors.
   <Oh, geez, all those wishes!  What'll I do?  Um . . . um . . . I 
wish that I were someone special.  I wish that I could have daring 
adventures and fight evil and people would look up to me . . . Why 
should they?  I'm just boring old Usa Serena.  I wish . . . I WISH 
THAT I *COULD* MAKE A DIFFERENCE!  Just a *little* bit of a 
difference . . .>
   "SERENA!" a female voice shouted.  "Time for bed!  Lights off!"
   "OKAY, MOM!"  <It's like prison . . .>  She looked back out at the 
still falling stars and closing her eyes once more, she thought to 
herself, <P.S. I want a boyfriend!>
   From across the road, on the rooftop of another house, amber eyes 
glinted in the darkness.  For just an instant, something gold seemed 
to shine on Serena's forehead.  The amber eyes narrowed, <I wonder . 
. .>
   Then Serena turned and went into her room, turning off the light.
   The cat took one more look at the now dark house, then bounded off 
into the night.  <I wonder . . .>

Serena's Strange Week
aka
Getting Up in the Morning is a Hassle

   "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!  I'M LATE AGAAAAAIN!!!!!!!  WHY DIDN'T 
SOMEBODY WAKE ME UP?!!!!!!  I'M TOTALLY LATE FOR SCHOOL!!!"  Fourteen 
year old Usa Serena bolted upright in bed, shoved back her covers, 
and taking exactly three *very* precious seconds to glare at the 
alarm clock that was busily ringing, leapt out of bed.  She yanked 
open her drawers and tossed clothes everywhere mumbling, "Where's the 
uniform?  Gotta find the uniform . . ."  Finding the errant piece of 
clothing hanging in her closet, she proceeded to get dressed.

   From downstairs, Usa Elaine sighed and stared at the newspaper in 
front of her, attempting to ignore the sounds of things crashing 
upstairs.  She winced in pain at the migraine that she was getting.  
It was like this every morning, after all.  By all rights, she should 
have become used to this by now.
   Usa Sammy sleepily walked into the kitchen, rubbing at his eyes 
and staring at the ceiling.  "What is she doing up there?" he asked, 
annoyed.
   "I think she's getting ready for school, dear," Elaine replied, 
not even looking up from the paper.  <Aspirin, I need an aspirin.  
No, I've got to cut down.>
   They both winced as an extremely loud crash was heard from 
upstairs, followed by a deafening yell.  "I'LL CLEAN IT UP LATER, 
MOM!!!!"
   Elaine sighed, rubbing at her temples.  "Do you want your lunch, 
dear?" she asked Sammy calmly, continuing to stare at the paper.
   "Uh, yeah," Sammy said, lowering his hands from his ears.  "I 
think I'd better be getting to school, Mom.  It's not smart to be in 
Hurricane Serena's way!"
   Still not looking up, Elaine reached over onto the counter and 
picked up a lunch bag.  She handed it to Sammy and with a quick good-
bye, he left.

   A few seconds later Serena came downstairs, furiously brushing her 
teeth.  "Why didn't you wake me up, Mom?!!"
   "I did, dear," Elaine replied, wearily, "three times.  And each 
time you said you were getting up right away!"  She injected a note 
of strained cheerfulness into the last.
   "And you believed me?" Serena asked, incredulous.
   <No,> Elaine thought, <of course not.>
   "Bye, I gotta get going!" Serena cried, running towards the door.
   "Didn't you forget something?" Elaine asked, picking up Serena's 
lunch and for the first time the entire morning, looking away from 
her paper.
   Serena dashed back and stuck her head in the doorway.  Seeing the 
lunch bag she mumbled, "Oh, oh yeah."
   Grabbing her lunch, she grabbed her school bag and jammed on her 
shoes on the way out.  Then, she sprinted through the doorway, 
running as fast as possible towards the school.

   On the way, she scared off a group of kids tormenting a poor cat, 
and had a creepy encounter with the self-same cat after removing a 
band-aid from its crescent moon bald spot.  Then, realizing that she 
was *really* late, Serena sped off twice as fast as before.

   Of course, she didn't make it in time.

   "Stupid bell!  I can't believe I was one minute late!  And I can't 
believe I failed that test!  Mom's going to have my head on a 
pole!!!"
   Molly looked at her friend sympathetically.  "Serena, it can't be 
all that bad.  It was only one test."
   "That's three this week!"  She buried her head in her hands.  "I 
hate school!  I hate English!  I hate my life!"
   Molly hid a frown.  <Well, you were able to figure out how many 
tests you failed.  That means that you can count, at least.>
   Melvin walked up.  "Hey, I didn't study either and I only got a 
ninety-five.  How am I going to explain this to my parents?"
   "Do we care?" Serena mumbled.
   "You're such a dweeb, Melvin!  What Serena needs is . . ." And 
that's when the idea hit her.  Molly let out a gasp.  Pure genius!  
"Serena, let's go shopping!"
   Serena brightened up immediately.  "Oh, shopping!  Yeah!"
   Melvin interrupted at that instant, "ButÑ"

   After arguing the pros and cons of Studying versus Shopping with 
Melvin, Shopping won out and Melvin was left in their dust.
   "That Serena.  Beautiful, but a shop-aholic."

   Serena was rather disappointed to find that she could afford 
nothing in Molly's mom's jewelry store.  <Rats!  Couldn't she have 
had a sale or something?  I can't afford anything!>  She debated 
whether to shop somewhere else, but decided against it.  <I'm late 
enough getting home as it is.  If I'm any later, Mom'll roast my head 
while it's on that pole.  Better go home and face the music.>
   She pulled out her test and stared at the evil thirty percent 
written in red marker.  "Oh, how can I take this home?!  How can I 
show her this *thing*?!!"  She angrily balled up the test and tossed 
it behind her.
   "Hey!" a voice called from behind her.
   She turned and stared horrified at some older guy staring at her 
now uncrumpled test.  "A thirty?  Are you lazy or just plain stupid?"
   "Give me that!"  She grabbed the test, ignoring the twinge of 
recognition as their hands brushed.  She stared at the ultra-cool guy 
in sunglasses.  <He's got such a big fat ego!>
   "The nerve!" she raged.  "You're-you're *really* rude!"  She
stormed off, the test in her hand.
   "What a weird guy!" she said, looking back at him over her 
shoulder.  <Still, he sure is cute!>
   "There's something about that girl," Mamo Darien said, removing 
his sunglasses.  <Something familiar that I can't quite put my finger 
on . . .>

   Walking home, Serena again noticed the strange black cat following 
her and couldn't help but wonder . . .
   "Oh no, what if this's an omen!  I don't need any more bad luck!  
Uh, kitty, could you go home, please?"  <This is Japan and black cats 
are supposed to be GOOD luck . . . but what if it's an American black 
cat or something?  Good thing I didn't take any chances.>
   The cat meowed, looked annoyed, then bounded off in another 
direction.  Serena let out a sigh of relief, then realized that she 
was right in front of the Crown Video Arcade.
   <Well, I have enought time for quick game!>
   She ducked into the arcade.

   In an alley across the street, the black cat glanced 
disapprovingly at the arcade and checked for any passersby.  Seeing 
none, she sighed heavily and with a flash of light, the cat had 
disappeared . . .
   . . . and a beautiful sixteen year old girl stood in her place.  
She looked down at her beautifully stylized silver watch in the shape 
of a moon inside of a star outline.  She pushed a button on the side 
of the watch and it emitted a soft beep and the cover flipped open.  
The girl smiled and bringing the watch close to her mouth, she 
whispered . . . "I think I've found one of them . . . finally."
   "Good job," a tinny voice replied, sounding crystal clear.
   "Any luck on your side?"
   The voice chuckled.  "Don't you watch the news?  We're 
everywhere."
   The girl's bright blue eyes narrowed.  "You don't mean-"
   "Yeah, V-chan and I have been working *really* hard, catching 
crooks and all."
   "That's not in the job description!"
   "Hey, somebody's got to keep the streets clean.  'Sides, we're not 
doing any *harm*."
   "You're exposing her to the public eye!  We're supposed to work in 
secret!"
   "Hey, V-chan and I can't keep *away* from the spotlight."
   "I'll just bet.  You're loving this, aren't you?  Basking in the 
limelight."
   "Yup."
   "Smart aleck.  So who's "V"?"
   "Who d'you think?  V is for Victory, y'know, but it's also for-"
   "Yeah, I gotcha."
   "Who do you have on *your* end?"
   "I think it's Moon."
   "That's funny . . . I don't remember her at all."
   "I remember her . . . a little, I think."
   "Does she know . . . yet?"
   "No.  I'm . . . I'm going to wait for the right time."
   "I understand."  The voice suddenly sounded serious and a little 
wistful.  "Are you . . . all right?"
   "I'm all right.  Daijobu."
   "Do you . . ."
   "Yeah, I miss you.  Don't worry.  I miss you a lot."
   "Good."  The voice sounded both smug and relieved.  "We'll be home 
soon."
   "*WE*?!"
   "Sayonara."
   Click.

   The girl stared in disbelief at her watch.  "I don't believe him!" 
she muttered.  Then looking around the again, she snapped shut her 
watch and strode out of the alley and into the arcade.

   "Hey, Serena.  How's it going?"
   "Fine Andrew," Serena gritted out between her teeth as she 
furiously battled with the joystick and controls on the video game.  
"Come ON!  Dodge tbat laser already!"
   Andrew smiled in amusement as he turned away from the engrossed 
girl.  It was then that the glass doors slid open and a beautiful 
girl strode in.
   Andrew's grin widened a bit, then he quickly hid his expression.  
Rita would be by soon and things could get ugly if she saw him ogling 
another girl.  He was almost relieved when the door slid open again 
and he saw his best friend casually saunter inside.
   "Hey, Andrew, this place is a mess!" Darien said without preamble.
   Andrew let his grin be replaced by a wry smile.  <Same old 
Darien.>  "Don't you ever have anything *nice* to say?"
   "What fun would that be?"  He looked around, noting the beautiful 
girl standing near an arcade machine watching someone else play, and 
finding nothing to interest him he started to turn away when . . .
   "Hey, Odango Atama!" he shouted, causing a few heads to raise and 
look in his direction.
   Serena jumped a foot into the air, whipped her head around and 
snarled, "Oh, it's *YOU*.  Stop calling me that!"  A beeping noise 
caused her to turn back to her game, and the big flashing words 
announcing GAME OVER as her character was eaten by a small green 
image of a dinosaur/youma/godzilla-look alike did nothing to lighten 
her mood.
   She stalked over to where Darien stood with Andrew and cried, 
"You're SUCH a PAIN!  Who are you, anyway?!"
   Andrew heaved a sigh.  "Serena, this is Darien.  Darien, Serena."
   "Charmed, I'm sure," Darien drawled sarcastically.
   Serena looked as though she was about to explode when the "oohs" 
and "aahs" of the crowd that had gathered behind them caused them all 
to turn around.
   The beautiful girl they had all (except Serena) seen earlier was 
playing the video game that Serena had so recently vacated.  That 
wasn't what had attracted all of the attention, though.  What *had* 
made the crowd gather was the number of points she was racking up.
   "One million five hundred and sixty-three?!" Serena shrieked in 
disbelief as the score shot up higher.  <And she's only on the first 
level . . .  Unbelievable.>
   Darien had pulled down his shades and was staring over top of them 
at the girl with a look of half-recognition in his eyes.  <I feel as 
though I know her . . . from somewhere.  Could *she* tell me what I 
need to know?"
   The girl finished the level, and checking her watch, she let out a 
surprised cry.  "My, I'm late!"  She took the time to enter her 
initials in first place on the HIGH SCORES screen and then watched 
dispassionately, doing nothing, as her character was killed by 
monsters,  The crowd let out a groan of disappointment as she turned 
to go.
   As she passed the group of three watching her, she paused by 
Serena and said in a low voice, "You have potential.  You just need 
training and a bit more experience, then I'm sure you'll be ready to 
take on the world."  She glanced at Darien, her eyes cold, didn't 
spare Andrew a look, then turned away from all of them and made as 
though to leave.
   "Wait!" two voices cried out simultaneously.
   The girl turned around, a delicate eyebrow raised as she looked at 
Serena and Darien glaring at each other.  "Yes?"
   Serena opened her mouth, but no words emerged.  She didn't know 
quite why she had stopped the girl in the first place.  Her eyes fell 
on the girl's unusual timepiece.  "Your watch-It's beautiful," Serena 
said hesitantly.  "What is it?"
   The girl raised her wrist.  "Oh, this?  This is a Lunar Pulsar."
   "A "Lunar" Pulsar, I thought it was Solar-" Serena began again, 
puzzled, when Darien broke in.
   "Who are you?"
   "My name is my own business."
   "What do you know?"
   "I know a lot, but I'm afraid that I know *nothing* about you.  
Sayonara."
   Without a backward glance, she swept out the door.  Darien turned 
away with a curse and exited after her.  Andrew shrugged and moved 
back to checking on his customers, ignoring the whole strange 
incident, while Serena turned to look at the still-flashing HIGH 
SCORES screen.  The initals the girl had entered were L. C.
   "L. C." Serena murmured, then shaking off the uneasy feeling the 
encounter had given her, she went home.

   And promptly got kicked out of the house by her mother for her bad 
grades.

   Once she had gained access to the house again, Serena trudged up 
the stairs to her room and collapsed on the bed.  <I need a nap.>
   She fell asleep.
   A black cat sprang up to her windowsill, stared at her inert form 
for a moment, sighed, then leapt to her bed and curled up next to 
her.  <Might as well get some sleep . . .>

   That night . . .

   There was an explosion of light as the seed pod crashed to Earth.

   Two figures, green-skinned with long pointed ears and wildly 
colored hair emerged from the crash site.
   "OW!  Ailan, that hurt!"
   "Shut up, Ann!"
   "You're impossible!"
   "I SAID SHUT UP!!!"  After Ann had quieted down, Ailan turned to 
survey the scene.  "This isn't good.  We've landed in a highly 
populated area.  The miserable inhabitants will be here soon, no 
doubt.  We have to get out of here.  We *can't* let them find the 
Tree."
   "Where'll we go, Ailan?" Ann asked in a meek voice.
   "Where NO ONE will find us."  He pointed.  "There!  That building 
looks abandoned . . . we'll stay there."
   "I don't WANT to live in some dingy old abandoned building!"
   "We have to make do with what we've got.  Stop whining."
   As Ann started to sniffle and look away, Ailan turned to her, 
turning up her face so that he could see her.  "It'll be all right, 
my sweet.  Once we have enough energy to sustain the Tree, we can 
make this place a regular paradise and we can live here happily ever 
after.  We can have our happy ending at last, the wonderful life I 
promised you that we'd share so long ago."
   "Ailan . . ."
   "And until then, we can just make wherever we're staying pretty.  
Okay?"
   "Okay."
   Ailan smiled.  "That's my girl."
   "But Ailan-What about *him*?"
   "We'll find *him* when it's time.  Or *he'll* find *us*."
   Ann shuddered.  "It had better be the former."
   "Come, my love.  It is time to leave this place."
   "Right."
   They clasped hands and with a burst of blue and pink light the 
seed pod and they themselves disappeared from view.

   Several blocks over, a flash of light the same as the first could 
be seen as the two aliens reappeared.  The huge shape of the seed pod 
settled into an abandoned room in one of the apartments of the vacant 
building.  Roots sprouted from it and burrowed into the ground 
(through several floors) and a tree began to grow.
   Ailan and Ann smiled.  Then Ann turned to Ailan and said, "All 
right!  Now all we need is some pretty furniture!"
   Ailan facefaulted.

   Serena awakened with a start, her eyes snapping open.  Seeing that 
it was still dark, she turned bleary eyes to her clock.  <One in the 
morning?  No way.  I need sleep . . .>  She shut her eyes and tried 
to sleep but found that she couldn't.
   She sat up, frustrated.  "What's wrong with me?  I want to sleep!"
   "I'm afraid you can't, Serena," a gentle voice called out.
   "Wha-?"
   The black cat from earlier in the day padded onto her bed.  "My 
name is Luna.  I've been searching for you for a *very* long time, 
Usa Serena."
   "ACK!  You're a demon, aren't you?" Serena cried, backing up on 
her bed and crossing her two index fingers.  "Stay back!"
   Luna sighed.  "No, Serena.  I am not a demon.  If anything . . . I 
am your guardian angel."
   "Guardian angel?"
   "You made a wish . . . did you not, Usa Serena?  To be someone 
special?"
   "Ye-es."
   "Well, you are someone special.  You are Sailor Moon, fighter for 
love and justice, destined to protect the princess of the Moon."
   "Oh, I get it!  This is a dream!" Serena exclaimed.  "Good night, 
Luna.  I'm going back to sleep."  She settled back down in bed, shut 
her eyes, covered her ears and went to sleep.
   Luna could not rouse her again that night.  Casting a sorrowful 
look at her charge, she leapt out the window and into the night.

The next morning . . .

   "AAAAAAAAH!!!!  I'M LAAAAATE AAAAAAAGAAAAAAAAIN!!!!!!!"
   Elaine ate her aspirin without comment.

   As Serena exited her house at a breakneck pace, she took two steps 
out of the door and fell on her face.
   "Smooth move, loser!" Sammy shouted, blowing a rasberry at his 
sister as he hightailed it to school.
   "Shut up, you little-" Serena began shouting when she noticed what 
she had tripped on.  It was small . . . and furry.
   "Oh no!  I tripped on a cat!  Are you okay, kitty?  I didn't kill 
you, did I?"
   The cat meowed weakly as Serena gathered it into her arms.  Seeing 
the crescent moon sigil on its forehead and the distinctive amber 
eyes, she said, "Oh, it's you, kitty.  I didn't recognize you.  Are 
you all right now?"
   As if in an affirmative, the cat leapt out her arms and stretched.
   "I guess you're okay," Serena commented, relieved as she got to 
her feet.  "You know, I had a really *weird* dream about you . . ."  
Off in the distance first bell rang.
   Hearing it, Serena screamed, "Oh NOOO!!!  I'M *SOOOO* LATE!!!!!"  
She ran off.
   Behind her, Luna collapsed into a heap on the ground in 
exasperation.  <Good lungs on her, I don't think I'll be able to hear 
for a week.>

   The running schoolgirl paused several blocks away from her house 
to stare at the huge crater surrounded by police barricades and tape.  
An uneasy feeling came over her as she stared at it.  <A meteor?  No 
. . . this is something different.  Dangerous.  Deadly.>  She shook 
off the odd feeling of recognition and continued running towards 
school.

   Serena dashed into class only to find everyone gone.  <Huh?  I 
can't be *early*!>
   Then Melvin poked his head in the door and exclaimed, "*There* you 
are, Serena!  Haruna-sensei sent me to see if you'd gotten to school 
yet.  We're all having an assembly because there are some new 
students!  Come on, we have to go or we'll miss the assembly."
   "New stu-?" Serena said, bewildered, but was interrupted by Melvin 
before she could continue.
  "Come *on*!!!"

   Haruna-sensei barely acknowleged the hasty entrance of Melvin and 
Serena as they got into their places in line.  Instead, standing on 
the stage as she was, she motioned towards the two rather 
apprehensive-looking students.  They stepped forward and bowed.
   The teacher turned back to the assembled students.  "This is Ann 
and Alan Galaxy, new to our school.  They've just moved her from 
England.  Ann is in grade 8 and her brother Alan is in grade 9.  I'm 
sure you'll all be respectful and help them fit in here."
   "HAI, SENSEI!!!" came the resounding chorus.
   Haruna winced and staggered back a little.
   As Ailan straightened from another bow, his eyes lit upon the 
beautiful face of a girl.  She was slightly flushed, as though she 
had been running, and her eyes sparkled from the exertion.  She 
smiled happily at him and waved.
   Ailan smiled back, but then he felt the sharp twinge of Ann's 
displeasure in the back of his head.  <<AILAN!>>  He flushed, then 
turned to glare angrily at Ann.
   She returned the look with an equally stony one, then the two of 
them marched off the stage, following Haruna-sensei.

   As they passed Serena and Molly chatting in line, Ann shot Serena 
a venomous look.  Serena backed away a little and shivered as the 
girl passed.  <Geez, what's her problem?  She's creepy!>

   The rest of the day wasn't much better even though Alan and Ann 
demonstrated their so-called "English" and Alan played his flute.  
However, Ann continually teased Serena, shooting her dirty looks, and 
assailing her with insults.  She also "accidentally" tripped her 
three times, knocked over her chair, bumped into her in the 
cafeteria, making her drop her lunch, which she then proceeded to 
step on.  To everyone else she was perfectly sweet and no one noticed 
how much abuse Serena was suffering at her hands.  When Serena tried 
to protest, Haruna-sensei sent her into the hall to hold two full 
buckets as punishment for slandering a new student.
   By the end of the day, she had been crying so much that her voice 
was hoarse and her eyes were red.  She was a mess.

   When school let out, Serena ran to catch up with Molly, but seeing 
that she was walking home with Ann, she waited around until everyone 
else had departed, then made her way home, head down, sniffling and 
shuffling her feet as she went.
   It was just as she was passing the arcade that the two glass doors 
slid open and someone came out and touched her hesitantly on the arm.  
"What's wrong?"
   Serena was so upset by then that she failed to recognize the voice 
and sobbed out, "I've had the worst day of my life!  I never thought 
that anyone could be so mean . . ."  She broke down and started 
sobbing again, unable to stop.
   "Hey, c'mon, cheer up, Odango.  Things can't be all that bad."
   "YOU!!!" she cried, looking up with a start.  <I don't believe 
I've been just blubbering my heart out to  . . . *him*.>
   Darien let a slight smile touch his lips.  "Is that all you can 
say?"  But his eyes were kind and concerned, shadowed with a hint of 
compassion.
   "You don't understand!  You couldn't!  No one could."  She turned 
away, but was stopped by his voice at her back.
   "Oh, I understand all too well.  No one could understand more 
fully than I."
   She turned around.  "Why are you so nice, today?  Are you sick or 
something?"
   "Hey, everyone can have an off day.  I'll be back to teasing you 
by tomorrow."
   Serena let a wry smile cross her face.  "Sorry I asked.  Still, 
you can be a really nice guy when you try.  Th . . . thanks, Darien."
   "Sure thing, Odango Atama."
   "DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
   Leaving in a greatly improved state of mind, Serena continued her 
trek home.  <He's really not that bad . . .>
   Behind her, Darien smiled.  <Even if you're obnoxious, no one 
deserved to be *that* sad.  Cheer up, Odango.  Even I have to admit 
that your smiles light up the world.>  Just for an instant, when she 
had smiled at him, her eyes clear and bright and beautiful, just for 
an instant he had almost felt . . .  No.  It was best to crush those 
feelings.  He didn't need anyone . . . ever since . . . forever.

   When Serena reached her house, she found the black cat waiting for 
her on the front step.  It leapt into her arms as soon as she was 
within reach.
   "Hello, Kitty.  How are you?"
   "Meow."
   "I'm glad to see I didn't hurt you.  You know, I used to pretend 
that I had a little black kitten when I was little.  I named her 
Luna.  Do you want to be my Luna, kitty?"
   "Meow."  <Enough with this act!  I *know* it's you, now.>
   Serena walked inside, shutting the door quietly behind her, Luna 
in her arms.
   "Mom?  Can I talk to you about keeping a cat?"

   Luna officially became part of the family that night, despite 
Sammy's protests that cats were "creepy and stuff".

   The week that followed was nothing special.  Serena was still late 
and she was finding it harder and harder to get up in the mornings.  
Ann continued to torment Serena, but Serena held her head high and 
valiantly tried to ignore her.  She went home and cried to Luna, 
though, who "meowed" sympathetically.
   The big plus was that Darien teased her less, even though they 
seemed to bump into each other more.  Serena wondered about that, but 
quickly banished it from her mind.  Flower scented poetry had also 
begun appearing on her desk in the morning.  Serena strongly 
suspected that it was from Alan which would go a long way to explain 
why Ann was picking on her.  She probably didn't think that Serena 
was good enough for him.  Serena shook her head.  She probably 
wasn't, but that didn't matter because she wasn't really interested 
in Ailan at all.  Still, the notes he was sending meant more trouble 
from Ann.
   It wasn't until late Saturday night when Serena was taking a 
shortcut through the park on her way home from an evening wasted at 
the arcade that the trouble *really* began . . . .

   "Ailan!"
   "Yes, Ann?"
   "Our tree, it needs sustenance.  It cannot continue for much 
longer without energy, Ailan."
   "I know."
   "Shall we begin taking energy tonight then?"
   "Yes, my love.  What cardian shall you choose?"  He spread the 
charmed deck of cards in his hand and Ann smiled as she chose.
   "This one."
   Ailan began playing his flute.  "Cardian Bestial, COME FORTH!!!"
   A creature that seemed to be a cross between everything with fangs 
and claws in the world emerged from the card.  It snickered.
   "Bring us some human energy for the Doom Tree!" Ann commanded.
   The cardian quickly nodded in assent.  "Yes."  Then it 
disappeared.

   Serena looked up just in time to see the hideous form of the 
fanged cardian emerge from the air.  She screamed . . . just before 
it leapt on her with a snarl.  She fell with a sharp spike of pain 
stabbing through her body as she thudded to the ground, and was 
immediately knocked senseless.  The creature began draining her of 
her energy.

   In his room, where he was studying for a physics exam, Darien felt 
a sharp pain lance through him.  He fell to his knees in anguish.  
"This pain . . . what is it?  Danger . . . I sense . . . danger."  
<Not to me . . .  To someone else?>
   Then the darkness overcame him and he recalled nothing after that 
moment.
   From a viewpoint outside of his apartment, one would have seen a 
brilliant flare of multi-colored light, then an explosion of glass as 
Darien's windows shattered outward.  A mysterious masked figure, 
clothed in a black tuxedo and cape with red lining, leapt from the 
balcony of the twentieth floor apartment and into the city beyond.

   Luna's ears perked up as she sensed the scream.  "Oh no!  Serena!  
Why did I wait?  I may already be too late!"  She dashed out of 
Serena's bedroom window and scampered to the ground, at a dead run as 
soon as her feet touched the ground.  <Hang on, Serena!  Just a 
little longer.  Please . . .>

   The cardian was still feasting upon Serena's energy.  She lay 
unconscious, stretched out along the ground.  Suddenly, a figure from 
above struck the cardian and knocked him off balance.  He sprawled 
upon the ground, unmoving for the moment.
   The mysterious man knelt over Serena and tenderly brushed a hand 
along her face.  "Awake little one.  The time has come when the world 
has need of us . . . both.  Awake, my love.  Awake once more."
   Serena struggled to open her eyes.  Sitting up, she focused them 
wearily on the man before her, who was gazing at her with such love 
that her breath caught in her throat.  She didn't know why but she 
felt the same emotion welling up in her and overwhelming her to the 
point that she felt dizzy.  "Who . . . Who are you?"
   He took her hand in his gloved ones and kissed it.  "A friend."  
Releasing it, he turned away and disappeared into the night.  Serena 
stared wistfully after him.
   It was then that the cardian choose to get to its feet and attack.  
Serena noticed it an instant before it shot its arms out to an 
alarming length and attempted to pin her to the ground.  Diving and 
rolling out of the way, she missed being killed by less than an inch.  
For a wonder, she ended up on her feet, and noticed out of the corner 
of her eyes that Luna was running up to her.
   "Luna, get out of here!"
   The cardian lunged but Serena stepped aside at the last possible 
instant.  It crashed into a tree and seemed to be temporarily 
stunned.
   Luna did a back flip and dimly Serena wondered who had taught her 
that trick.  A sparkling locket with a crescent moon on the outside 
fell to the ground.
   "Hurry, Serena!" Luna shouted.  "Take the locket and shout, 'Moon 
Prism Power Make-Up!'"
   "WHAT?!  You can TALK?  I thought that was a dream!"
   "Serena, there's no time for this!  Take the locket and say the 
words!!!" Luna commanded.
   Before she realized what she was doing, Serena bent and picked up 
the locket.  She stared at it for an instant.  Somehow it felt right 
in her hand.
   "SERENA!  HENSHIN-YO!"
   "Whatever you say, Luna."  Serena held the locket aloft and 
gathering her breath, she shouted,  "Moon Prism Power Make-Up!"
   Luna sighed.  <She was *supposed* to put it on.>
   Nevertheless, the locket was performing its magic.  Energy flowed 
from it and wrapped around Serena, bathing her in iridescent pink 
light.  Silver light interlaced with the pink and together they 
solidified and formed ribbons that burst apart in an explosion of 
light and white feathers.  Then Serena was gone and in her stead 
stood a girl-warrior dressed in uniform that invoked the image of the 
uniforms of schoolgirls, red boots topped with yellow crescent moons, 
white glooves, yellow crescent moon earrings, a tiara, and two red 
jewels set in the buns atop her head from which trailed two long 
rivers of golden hair.
   "Are you ready, Sailor Moon?"
   Sailor Moon nodded.  "It's my destiny, right?"
   Luna nodded.  "That it is."

   The cardian struggled to its feet with a howl of pain and rage 
only to be faced with the sight of a girl 
   "I am the pretty sailor-suited fighter for love and justice, 
Sailor Moon!  You have committed a great crime by disturbing the 
right of young girls to walk home late at night without the benefit 
of a chaperone.  I won't let you steal energy from innocent 
schoolgirls!  On behalf of the moon, I will punish you!"
   Luna face-faulted.  <She's been watching *too* much "magical girl" 
anime on television.>
   The cardian howled and leapt towards Sailor Moon.
   "Watch out!" Luna shouted.
   The newly made warrior easily avoided the cardian and leapt out of 
the way.  Unfortunately, she tripped and fell immediately afterwards.
   "Why me?" Luna asked.
   "WAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!  Luna, that hurt!  I don't want to fight 
anymore!  I don't want to be a warrior!  Someone else can fight!"
   "Get up, Sailor Moon!" Luna screamed in frustration.
   "I can't Luna . . .  I can't.  I'm scared.  What if I mess up 
again?"
   "You won't.  Now, get up before he EATS you!"
   "AAAAAAH!" Sailor Moon screamed, leaping to her feet.
   <I thought that would work.>
   The cardian was coming around for another try at defeating its 
pathetic excuse for an enemy.
   "Luna, how do I defeat it?!"
   "Touch your fingers to your tiara.  Shout 'Moon Tiara Action' and 
throw it!"
   "What's that going to do?!"
   "Just hurry up and throw it!"
   "Oh, fine."  She touched her fingers to her tiara and magically it 
changed into a frisbee of magical energy.  "Moon Tiara ACTION!"  She 
threw the tiara and watched it fly into the cardian and slash through 
it.  All that remained was a smoldering card of a badly drawn animal.
   Sailor Moon sunk to her knees.  "Thank goodness."
   Luna strode over to her.  "That was a job well done."
   She smiled surprised and happy.  "Thanks, Luna."  Then heaving a 
huge sigh, she got to her feet.  "This has been one strange week, 
what with new students, a talking cat, the huge crater, monsters, and 
finding out that I'm actually a  . . . superhero . . ."
   Serena stared at herself, the truth finally sinking in.  "No way."
   Luna smirked.
   "I'm . . . and I . . .  Uh, this is too much for me to handle.  
Let's go home, Luna."
   There was a bright flash of light and the beautiful girl from the 
arcade stood where Luna had an instant before.
   "LUNA?"
   "Yes, Serena.  I am Luna, Guardian cat, advisor to the Moon 
Princess and her Sailor Senshi.  You are their leader and together we 
must find the other Senshi and-Serena?"
   Serena fainted.
   Luna frowned.  <Now, what did I say wrong?>

   "No!" Ann uttered a choice curse as she felt her link to the 
cardian fade.  "Bestial's dead.  He was one of our best cardians.  
Now what do we do?  The Tree *still* needs energy to survive."
   Ailan spread out the deck of cards again.  "What else, my sweet?  
Pick again.  There's only one pesky enemy that we need to rid 
ourselves of, as far as we know.  I saw the images that Bestial 
transmitted as well.  Besides, Bestial may have had a lot of power, 
but he was even stupider than even the humans living on this world.  
He's no great loss."
   "That's true," Ann admitted.  "Still, I'm worried-"
   "Shhh, my love.  You worry too much.  Everything will be fine.  
Now, Ann, it's time for your choice of players for the next little 
game that we're going to play.  Pick a card . . . any card."
   Ann smiled as she rested her fingers on a card in the deck.  "I 
pick . . . this one."

   Darien got up from where he had collapsed on the ground and stared 
at the shattered remains of his windows.  "What happened to me?  I 
don't remember anything.  Oh God, I don't remember anything since I 
blacked out . . .  Don't let it be happening again.  Please, don't 
let it be happening again."

   After waking up for the second time that night, Serena suggested 
that Luna go home ahead of her and she would follow shortly.  Sending 
her an odd look, Luna transformed back into a cat and bounded off.
   Serena stood for a quiet moment, gazing up at the moon.  Her hand 
was held to the side of her face, her heart thudded madly in her 
chest.  <His hand, brushing my face . . . made my heart beat faster.  
I feel as though I'm in a dream, but dreams are never this wonderful 
. . . never this real.  He seemed so familiar.  Seeing him, hearing 
his voice, it was as though I knew him . . .  Did I know you once, my 
handsome knight, in another life?>

To be continued . . .

Well, any good?  It'll get better, I promise!

Usa Serena/Tsukino Usagi
Luna/Luna
Mamo Darien/Chiba Mamoru
Motto Andrew/Furuhata Motoki
Baker Molly/Osaka Naru
Minnow Melvin/Umino Gurio
Haruna Patricia/Sakuda Haruna
Usa Elaine/Tsukino Ikuko
Usa Sammy/Tsukino Shingo
A(i)lan Galaxy/Ail Ginga
Ann Galaxy/Ann Ginga

Odango Atama=Dumpling head
Daijobu?=Are you all right?
Daijobu.=I'm all right.
sensei=teacher
Henshin-yo!=Transform!