Author's Note: I'm sorry it took so long to get this prologue and chapter one finished. I've been very sick and dealing with a bout of writer's block, which thankfully seems to be abating a bit. The Epilogue of Pretty Guardians is already posted, and should be read before starting the new story. So, here is the prologue. Chapter one should be posted by the time you've finished it. Happy Reading!

Darkness Falls
Let Her Fall: Book Three
Prologue
Awakening

Passing through the door into the arcade, Heliodor heard the sounds of video game monsters dying, space blasters, car engine noises, and so many other sounds that mixed together with the hum of conversation. She refused to let herself grow distracted. She was going to make her home in Tokyo, with her parents. It took all her courage to walk up to the depressed-looking couple and open her mouth.

"Hi," she said, her voice hardly carrying. "My name is Heliodor," she continued, blinking away the tears that tried to form. "I'm your daughter." Both teens looked as though she had walked up and punched them. Then there was a small sob and four arms came around her.

Surprise flickered through her mind. They had accepted that far more easily than she would have believed. She felt the strength of their hold on her and wondered at the outpouring of affection. This was nothing like what she'd expected. Thinking she would have to convince them, she had been prepared to prove her claim through Opal.

"We knew you would come," Haruki said, kissing the top of her head. "You must have suffered so much. We didn't know until recently."

"Only since yesterday really," Setsuna added. "We had no idea you were still down there. We didn't know you'd been taken from the future."

"There are others down there still," Heliodor told them, feeling safe and secure and loved for the first time in her life. She never wanted to be apart from either of them again.

"I know. We were ordered by a young prince to go and rescue them," Haruki said, laughing now. "I'm so glad you found us."

"I thought..." Heliodor wasn't sure how to express what she was feeling. She had believed the lies for many years, but the way she felt in their arms was enough to prove the things Beryl had told her were nothing but the cruelty of a queen who was lashing out.

"We've got you," Setsuna said, weeping all over her shoulder. "We've got you now."

"What's the matter?" a blue-haired girl asked, moving closer. Heliodor knew she was Sailor Mercury, but didn't know her true name.

"Nothing. Everything is perfect now," Setsuna said, still weeping. "Our daughter has found us."

Several people around them gave the group strange looks at the revelation. Haruki gave a nervous laugh. "Practicing for a play," he lied. He turned to them. "Maybe we should move our 'practice' somewhere else."

Ikuko poured the tea and sat next to Haruna on the couch. The teacher had come to speak with them about helping Usagi along in her studies. Bright red hair hanging loose, Haruna leaned over and took up her cup, using it to warm her hands.

"What is it you think can help?" Kenji asked, across the table from them in one of the comfortable chairs tucked around the room.

"Part of it is motivation. Usagi has had a lot of distractions lately. None of that is her fault necessarily," she added hastily, "but it has affected her grades. I had considered forming a study group with an older teen to help out. One I have faith in."

"Who?" Ikuko asked, looking worried.

"His name is Chiba Mamoru. He's a teenager as well and attends a private high school of the highest caliber. And from what I've seen, he has a way of getting through to Usagi and several others as well. I would like to ask him to lead the study group, with some help from Ami and his friend Zoicite."

"Boys?" Kenji asked, sounding slightly panicked.

Ikuko chuckled and, reaching out, she took his hand and squeezed it gently. "Don't worry so Kenji. We know the Chiba boy. He's the one I was telling you about."

Kenji harrumphed. "I know very well who he is," he said, still frowning. "I just don't know if I'm ready for what it all means."

"Usagi is growing up and has huge responsibilities," Ikuko scolded. "She needs all the help she can get."

"She really does," Haruna said, with a heavy sigh. She wasn't sure how much she could say to Usagi's parents. She wanted to hint to them and see if they bit, but at the same time, she was well aware that Usagi hadn't told many people, if any, her secret. She didn't want to be the one to blow it if Usagi hadn't told her parents. It was frustrating not to know.

The door opened on the other side of the room and several teens spilled inside. First came a younger teen with light blond hair and blue eyes nearly identical to Usagi's. He was followed by a girl with short black hair that hinted of lavender where the light hit it.

"Hey Mom, Dad," Shingo said, grinning.

"Hey son," Kenji returned. "Don't forget to take out the trash. You didn't do it before you left earlier. Who is your friend?"

"Uh, this is Hotaru."

Behind the youngsters, several older teens were waiting in the doorway. Haruna could see Usagi and Mamoru as well as a red-haired youth who had his arm around the waist of a green-haired girl and his hand on the shoulder of a slightly shorter red-haired girl who looked like she could be their daughter if they weren't so young.

Haruna frowned, attention caught by Usagi's hair, which had changed drastically since she'd last seen it. Now it was almost completely silver, the ends seemingly dipped in pink. It looked oddly beautiful on the teen, though it aged her slightly. "When did you dye your hair?" she asked, curious. "And who did it? I love the colors."

"We didn't give you permission for that Usagi," Kenji added, but he was nodding slightly. "I agree though, it does look very good."

Ikuko shook her head. "No. It makes you stand out more than you already do baby bunny. Not a good idea."

Usagi, who was gaping at all three of them like a fish out of water, sat down heavily on the floor of the genkan, eyes nearly as wide as her mouth. "You can see it? All of you?"

Haruna nodded and noticed the others did so as well. What was so important about seeing the color of her hair? It was rather beautiful. "Of course we see it Usagi-chan," she said, trying to calm the teen. "It's gorgeous. But I have to agree with your mother. It brings a lot of attention. Is that necessarily a good thing?" The last thing Usagi needed was another sign pointing out to the world that she was Sailor Moon.

Mamoru knelt next to Usagi, who looked ready to pass out, and whispered something to her. She nodded slowly, still staring at the three of them, and let him help her to her feet. Then Mamoru turned to the other teens. Slowly, each of them nodded to him, and he turned back to the adults in the room.

"So then, all of you know Usagi is Sailor Moon."

Silence met his words.

"What are we even doing here?" Berthier asked, swinging her arm wildly around the observation deck. "Rubeus? Do you know?" She was very obviously upset. Her long blue-white braid of hair was pulled over her shoulder and she was holding tightly to its length as though it would anchor her to something.

The red-head she spoke to looked out the window at Tokyo, which could be seen far below them. "We are here for two missions," he explained.

"Two?" Koan looked ready to throw things as she paced up beside her sister, arms crossed over her chest. "Are you going to tell us what they are?"

"Somewhere, down there in Tokyo the Rabbit is going to appear. We aren't sure exactly when, but it will be soon. You've all seen what she and the Shield look like. Our intelligence says nothing about him returning with her, but the Prince believes he will come as well. We are to collect them before they can find the younger versions of their parents."

Petz nodded. "That makes sense. We can do that. We wouldn't even need to face the Senshi if we can take them first." The inverted black moon on her forehead disappeared for a moment as her hair fell over her face. She pushed it back and up irritably and looked over at Berthier and Koan. "You know we can manage that," she reminded them. They'd had to do worse.

Calaveras appeared next to Rubeus, shaking her head. "What is the second mission?" she asked.

"Kidnap the Senshi." Rubeus took a step away from them as he spoke.

Four women made explosive noises of anger and frustration, but there was nothing he could do and they all knew it. The Prince was the only one who could set a mission, now that Wiseman had chosen him for a leader. Not that he had any real power, Berthier thought. Wiseman held all the cards and only made Dimande think he had control. Whatever they were here for, Berthier was certain it wasn't the only reason they had come to the past. She just hoped whatever the Prince wanted to do didn't kill the rest of them.

Author's Note: You may remember the Black Moon Clan called Chibi-Usa the Rabbit. If you have read my Holiday series, you know that Chibi-Mamo's symbol is a shield, so I've had them call him the Shield when they speak of him. And if you're absolutely confused as to who he is, you haven't read the first two books in the series and should go and do that now. He is my created character, twin to Chibi-Usa, made to soften her character slightly and make sure she isn't alone. I quite like him and hope you do too!