This is long due in coming, but I went through 
my files the other day, and found this fic still kicking 
around.  So I decided to clean it up, and get the rest of 
the story out.  Here I go again, from the other side of 
sanity. . .
     Oh, before I forget, [which I certainly mustn't] 
the movie "Anastasia" was a *big* inspiration for this fic.  
In some cases, it may resemble the movie very closely.  
I do not own the lines or ideas I used in the creation of 
this story, they are the property of 20th Century Fox, 
and I thank them for creating the ideas in order to make 
this fic come to life.  Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko 
Takeuchi, and copyrighted by Toei, Kodansha, and DiC.  
You [should] know the rest. . .



Memories of Yesterday
Prologue
by Sailor Elysia
julcie@juno.com



     I remember it as if it was yesterday. My 
daughter, Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, was 
celebrating her eighth birthday.  Normally we just had 
small parties for birthdays, but this was the first one 
Serenity had been old enough to help plan, so I let her 
do what she wanted, within reason, of course.

     My royal advisor, Luna, complained I was 
spoiling her, but she was my only daughter and heir to 
the throne.  I wanted to make my gift to her special, 
something she wouldn't forget.  I decided she was old 
enough to have the locket my mother had given me when 
I was a young girl.  This star-shaped locket played a 
special melody only in the presence of a full blooded 
Moon family member, usually the reigning queen.  Once 
little Serenity was old enough to ascend to the throne, 
it would play for her as well.

     This party my daughter had planned was simple, 
but full of fun and excitement.  As a special request, 
Serenity begged me to allow the young Earth prince, 
Endymion, to attend.  You see, Earth was not part of the 
Silver Millennium, and we and the other kingdoms did 
not normally associate with the Terrans.

     As long as Earth would cooperate, I saw no 
harm in allowing ten-year-old Endymion to attend.  I 
assured the Terrans that no harm would come to their 
prince.  I even promised my other royal advisor, Artemis, 
would be by the young prince's side at all times.

     Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.  
A dark shadow was slowly destroying the peace of the 
Moon Kingdom.  Beryl was behind it all. Her story of 
being an ambassador from a neighboring galaxy was all a 
facade.  Some months earlier, we discovered her identity 
and her true motives, and immediately exiled her from 
the alliance of the Silver Millennium.

     I still remember the horrible words she 
screamed out as the guards dragged her away.  "Mark 
my words, Serenity!  I *will* have my revenge upon the 
Moon Kingdom!  I will not rest until I see its downfall!"  
I didn't believe she really had the power to destroy 
anything, until I found out she had sold her soul to 
Metallia, the most evil force in the entire universe, 
to gain the power to fulfill her curse.  That's when I 
really started to worry.

     On the day of my daughter's party, Beryl 
somehow snuck past the enforcement of the Outer 
Senshi, and wreaked havoc on the Moon Kingdom, 
leaving scarcely anything intact.  My only concern was 
for my daughter, and the safety of the other children.  
I knew Artemis was with them, so I could only hope they 
were protected.  If Beryl found them, all would be lost. 

     After what seemed like an eternity, the air was 
heavy with silence, and I presumed the danger had 
passed.  Beryl must have used all her energy in the 
attack, and I knew it would take her forever to build 
up enough power to come after us again.  As long as she 
didn't know some of us had survived, I believed she 
wouldn't attack again. 

     I crawled out of my hiding place, and found 
everyone else huddled in a small cave nearby.  I tried 
to calm the frightened children, and it was only then I 
realized my daughter, Artemis, and young Prince 
Endymion were nowhere to be found.

     We searched the ruins for days, but found no 
trace of the three.  With a sorrowful heart, I made the 
difficult decision of leaving the moon and returning to 
the earth in disguise.  There was nothing left for us 
here.  Trying to rebuild the Moon Kingdom was virtually 
impossible.  Many people stayed, determined to continue 
on with their lives.  If the children had survived, 
hopefully they would follow us to the earth.

     What should have been a wonderful day of 
celebration, turned out to be a painful memory. And 
Serenity, my precious and beloved daughter, I never 
saw her again.