Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon (or any of her friends), but I do own my own OC's. Any changes to characters and/or plot are mine. I will not receive any monetary compensation for this work.

Original Author's Note: 'Reni' is pronounced as Renny

Updated Author's Note: I am rewriting each chapter. I realized the beginning of the story doesn't make much sense for later chapters. This chapter has been updated and edited.

Raising Serenity
Chapter One
Fate's New Path

June 30th, 2001
Tokyo Japan

Late in the evening a young woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties pottered around her three bedroom apartment. She had long green hair well past her waist and her brownish red eyes were filled with emotion. She was a Senshi. Secretly, she was the guardian of time. She had been told that she had an important mission to fulfil on earth, and that someone would guard the gates while she was on that mission.

The young woman was also an orphan. She sighed, knowing that very soon a certain prince would also be orphaned. It wasn't a happy thing to contemplate, and as always she felt a small amount of guilt because she couldn't reach out and fix it. She wasn't even allowed to save her own soul-mate from certain death and there had never been anything more unfair.

Brought out of her reverie by the shrill tones of the doorbell, she turned instantly. "Who could that be?" she wondered aloud as she hurried to answer it. She opened the door, but couldn't see anyone. She was about to close it when a loud cry came from below.

Looking down, she saw an infant, a newborn hardly more than a day old in a carrying basket with a note attached to a soft blanket wrapped around the baby. "This can't be good," she murmured as she brought the carrycot into her small living room and put the cradle on the sofa.

It took a moment to gear herself before she opened the note.

Dearest Setsuna,

Please take our daughter and give her the care a mother should. She was born at nine this morning. We haven't given her a name yet. It would hurt too much to let her go if we had given her one.

We were told in a joint dream that for her safety she must be given into your protection. She has a twin, who will stay with us because forl now it is safer for them to be separated.

Please don't contact us. We are both sure we are being watched, though we have no proof. We can't take the chance that we will be used in finding her. Don't tell her anything of her rebirth, or who we are, for her own safety. Please, keep her safe.

We know who you are, and that you are the Guardian of Time. It is our only hope to keep our daughter safe. Please protect her. Your secret is safe with us.

Faithfully Yours,

Tsukino Kenji and Ikuko

Setsuna dropped the note in stunned silence. "Tsukino..." she played the name on her tongue a few times and suddenly realised. "Is it really you, my little one?" she asked.

She took the crying baby out of the carrycot, then put her on her knee and cradled her. Setsuna brushed a finger on the infant's brow and the Crescent Mark appeared. "It is you! Oh look at you princess. How did we get into this mess, hmmm?"

The infant opened her big cerulean eyes and instantly calmed at the sight she saw. Her sobbing was now just gentle hiccups. Her little mouth puckered up as though she was looking for something to eat.

"Well, you must be part of my special mission, little one. Now, what shall we name you? I know. How about Serenity Usagi Meiou? 'Reni' for short. How does that sound little one?" The infant gurgled.

"I take that as a yes then?" Setsuna smiled. "Well at least your parents left you enough nappies and milk to last us until morning. That's good isn't it Hime?" The little girl gurgled again.

"Well, I don't know what time your last feed was, so we better get you some food huh?" Setsuna cooed. The baby looked at Setsuna as if she understood her.

Setsuna gave a loud laugh. "Always the charmer 'Reni.' You know your prince is only ten months older than you. In this time all your guardians are older than you by at least a few months. Well, there is one who isn't due until January, so she will be a little younger."

Tokyo Forest

A young black kitten slowly opened her eyes and got up on shaky legs to study her new environment. She was told by a gentle voice that it was time to wake up and remember. She remembered her young charge, eight guardian goddesses, and a beautiful kingdom.

"I want my charge back,'' she whimpered softly, and nudged a sleeping white kitten. "Artemis wake up. The princess has been delivered to the Guardian of Time. It's time to take up the adviser role. We can still teleport right?" the young black cat asked.

"Luna please go back to sleep. We will find her in the morning. Hey, how come my voice is so high?" Artemis asked, now wide awake.

"We've been reborn as kittens. We need to go find Serenity. I miss my charge. Your charge won't need you yet. Come on Artie, please?" little Luna begged and began to nudge her now young husband.

"Fine," Artemis huffed. The two kittens placed their foreheads together and said, "take us to the reborn Princess Serenity." In a flash of light they had disappeared, along with their pods that had everything they needed as the princess and her guardians got older.

Back in Tokyo

Setsuna was just beginning to drop off as she fed Serenity when a bright flash startled her. She sat up and stared in wonder at the sight that met her eyes. How could they have come to her so quickly? She'd only had Serenity an hour, if that.

"Good evening Sailor Pluto," Artemis smiled the best way a cat could trying to put her at ease.

"Artemis, Luna! You've been reborn as kittens. Oh, look how cute you are. You can call me Suna-chan, for now. My other mission is on hiatus until Serenity's other guardians have awakened." Setsuna smiled at the baby she held.

Both the cats blushed and looked at the bundle in her arms. "Is this her?" Luna asked, looking at the infant.

"Yeah, it most certainly is Luna. Well, it looks like I'm going to be raising three of you for the time being. Do you know how old your human forms are?" Setsuna questioned. The kittens shook their heads.

"Okay, transform and let's have a look eh?" Setsuna said. The two kittens closed their eyes and transformed into children. They appeared to be around the age of five-year-olds. "Tomorrow's going to be busy, busy, busy. I've got to register 'Reni's' birth and enroll you two into the best school around here." Setsuna smiled.

"But we've already done the schooling thing on Mau and continued our education on the moon," Artemis whined.

"School is important in this era. Artemis if you don't go, as your guardian, I will get into a lot of trouble. Plus the more you learn about this place we now call home, the better it will be for all of us." Setsuna said.

"Fine" Artemis mumbled. Then he crossed his arms and pouted.

Luna giggled. "Silly Artie," she said.

"Ssshhh. Serenity is asleep now. For now, she will sleep in my room. There are two other bedrooms. Best go explore and find which one is yours. It's getting near bedtime," Setsuna said as her maternal instincts kicked in.

The two children ran off. Luna was the first to squeal, but it wasn't fear. it was sheer joy. "Suna-chan did you decorate this? It's just like Serenity's bedroom in the moon kingdom!" She was bouncing.

Setsuna walked into the bedroom and her jaw fell. "Oh my!"

There were three single princess beds with curtains around them. The walls were a calming pale pink, apart from one which had eight thick stripes of colours with the planetary symbols of the guardians on them. She made the newborn princess comfortable in her right arm and caressed the walls.

"Bright orange is for Venus. Sky blue, Mercury. Bright red, Mars. Emerald green, Jupiter. Navy blue, Uranus. Dark green, Neptune. Garnet red, Pluto. Deep purple is Saturn."

Then she noticed the shelves "Luna, do you have the girl's wands?" Setsuna asked.

"I have half and Artie has half," Luna replied.

"Can you bring Artemis in here, and also 'Renis' carry cot?" Setsuna asked.

Luna nodded and ran off, calling for Artemis. They came back a couple of minutes later. "What do you need Suna-chan?" Artemis asked, helping Luna put the carrycot down.

"The girl's transformation wands. I have the weapons of the outer Senshi safe in my wardrobe, out of the way of little hands," Setsuna said, glancing down at the infant. Artemis and Luna both nodded.

Setsuna placed the infant in her carrycot and then asked Luna and Artemis for the girl's transformation wands. The children passed her the transformation wands. She placed them carefully on the shelves of their respective planet and a plastic shielding encased them as she said a few words in ancient Lunarian. After she had placed the last of the wands in the protective casing she smiled.

"When Serenity is old enough, she probably will start bringing the guardians home as her friends. When they meet they may instantly attach to their stripes and may be curious and ask questions. I will give them the answers they want if I'm ready," Setsuna said seriously.

The older children nodded their understanding, knowing how difficult it must be for the only adult guardian. "Come see my room Suna-chan," Artemis begged and started to pull Setsuna's arm.

"Hang on Artemis. Let me just get Luna settled for the night and then I will be there in a few minutes okay?" Setsuna smiled.

"'Kay!" Artemis replied happily running off. Setsuna chuckled.

"For now Luna, let's try and have a normal life okay? Be children and don't be so serious, not yet anyway," Setsuna suggested,tucking Luna into bed and kissing her moon mark.

"Goodnight sweetie," Setsuna said.

"Night Suna-chan. I love you," Luna replied sleepily.

Setsuna choked on a sob. "I love you too sweetie," she replied.

She picked the infant up in her carrycot and walked to Artemis' room. "I've always wanted a family and now I have one," she thought as she entered.

"Goodness," she gasped, stunned. The room was a calming blue, with two single beds. One wall had four large stripes with the shelves that had four semi-precious stones on them. "The Prince's four Shittenou," she gasped and stroked the wall. "Pale pink for Kunzite. Dark green is Nephrite. Pale blue, Zoisite. Flame blue is Jadeite."

She sighed. "Well, at least I have their stones so they won't be brainwashed this time around. They will be with their loves, unless that evil witch severs their links. That might kill them" she said, her voice low so her boy would not be frightened. She murmured ancient words of protection so the four boys would be guarded against the brainwashing, even though one of them had only been born a few days ago. It would work unless they were near death.

"Getting sleepy Suna-chan," Artemis drawled, tugging at her summer dress.

"Come on then Trouble, let's get some sleep," Setsuna replied.

"I heard what you said to Luna about attempting a normal life for now, and I agree with you. We will give it a try." Artemis smiled sleepily up at her.

"Good," Setsuna replied kissing, his Crescent Mark.

Artemis blushed, "night Suna-chan love you." He yawned, closing his eyes.

"Goodnight sweetie, love you too." Setsuna smiled as his breathing slowed and deepened.

She went to her room. "Well Princess, here's to a new beginning." She lay the carrycot next to her bed, lay down, smiled, then closed her eyes and went to sleep.

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