Sailor Moon is copyright 1992 by Naoko Takeuchi.

North American Rights for Sailor Moon are owned by

D.I.C.



Rating:  PG-13



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  Life  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~



Part I - Recovery

Prologue





	Quiet.  Reserved.  Studious.  Determined.

Withdrawn.



	Tsukino Usagi.



	How time changes things . . . how time changes

people.



It happened after Mamoru broke up with her.

She took it really hard.  But it's more than that.



	When they were together and someone was on her

about being better at something, she could turn to

Mamoru.  He had a special way of comforting her and

explaining things gently.  It was one of the reasons

he was so perfect for her.



	But then he broke up with her.  He told her he

couldn't trust her anymore.  He told her he couldn't

go out with someone like her.  Dishonest.  Deceitful.





When she heard this coming from his mouth, she

fell apart.



	She wouldn't eat.  She couldn't sleep.  If she

was bad at school before, it only got worse.  She

fell into a deep depression.  It was no secret that

Mamoru had truly crushed her with his words and

actions.  She didn't talk about it.  She didn't do

anything.  Life seemed to have literally been drained

from her body.



	Her eyes were tired and dead.  Her hair limp

and dull.  Her movements sluggish and slow.



	Her friends tried to help, but they couldn't.

They told her that it would turn out for the best and

he would come back to her.  But Usagi thought, 'They

don't know that.'



Her friends would say that it was best not to

think about it so much.  But Usagi thought, 'How can

I not?'  Her friends had experienced lost love, but

it was different.



	Their loves had been turned evil and had been

forced to hurt them.  Mamoru was doing this of his

own free will, and he knew it was tearing her apart.



	The senshi's exasperation was growing.  After

all, they did have other things to deal with.  They

had their lives, for one thing.  They had school,

senshi business, other activities, and their own

families.  On top of all that, they had to deal with

Usagi's broken heart.



Their declining patience was due to the fact

that Usagi was their leader and yet she was lethargic

and slow because of her lack of rest and nutrition.



	Before long, the senshi were telling her to get

over Mamoru.  To let go for a little while.  To be a

little more patient, more understanding, more mature.

To concentrate on more important things.



	'Is there anything more important than true

love?' Usagi thought.



After a while, the senshi and Luna began

snapping at her without thinking.



	"Could you be any slower, Usa!?!?"



	"Just because we've beaten their master doesn't

mean they won't come.  The youmas still need energy."



	"You're our leader!  You're supposed to be

there."



	"You're the only one who can defeat these

things easily.  We get too drained if we do it

ourselves.  We need you to be there, Usagi!  On

time!"



	Her parents noticed her grades slipping and how

tired she always looked.



	"Usagi, you really need to try harder in

school.  At this rate, you could very well have to

repeat a grade!"



	"We used to trust you, but . . . You're keeping

secrets and you look exhausted all the time.  We

don't know what to think anymore."



	The only one who said none was Artemis.  This

was both a comfort and a troubling thought to her.

He didn't point out her faults, and yet he didn't

disagree with anyone's points.



	Three months after the break-up, one night in

May, something happened.  Something that would

trigger a chain of events.  Events that would last a

year.  A year none of the participating persons would

ever forget.





~  End  ~





Author's Notes:  Before you go and decide that you

hate my story because it's so cliché (you know:

Mamoru breaks up with Usagi because of a dream ->

Usagi is irresponsible -> almost gets someone killed,

etc, etc, etc) give me a chance.  It's not that plot.

Not exactly anywayz.

	This is my first series.  I have no idea how

successful it will be - if it is.  And even though

it's my first, I already know it's going to be VERY

long.  And I know that's pretty risky, because like I

said - this is my first.  So, please, give me at

least 1/2 a chance.

	I was inspired by many of the writers at ASMR,

too many to mention.  Just so you know, my plot WILL

resemble other fics.  Sue me.  I'm trying to add my

own style and twists to it.  I'm trying to write it

as I would react or my friends would - in other

words, I'm trying to write it as I see it would

really happen in my world.

	This story was greatly inspired by and based on

the stories written by Ninx (I don't know what

happened to her - she's an excellent writer but seems

to have disappeared) and "Soul Mates" by lady (an

absolutely wonderful fic).

	Just one more tiny little note: If you did like

this prologue and plan on reading the rest of my

story, just know that I've written several chapters

already and I'm focusing not mainly, but a

lot on Usagi.  It's something I think you should

know, especially if you hate Usagi.

	Thanks for reading!  I welcome anything you may

have to say.



HoNeY

hnymustd@hotmail.com

12/3/99