hieroglyphics | | psl — dark kingdom arc redux, electric boogaloo.

That nagging sense of familiarity had followed him all night like a shadow, anchored to him yet out of reach all once, mocking him with its presence. With the knowledge that it possessed that it refused to let him gleam. The light of that obscured truth burned brighter when he got closer to her; to Sailor Moon — to Tsukino Usagi. He'd seen through the veil of her disguise, even though he couldn't seem to pierce through that shadow looming in his wake.

It wasn't until they were falling, toppling over the railing. Like a piece of cloth caught on a hook, something deep in the recess of his mind grabbed hold of that moment and memories that had been locked tightly away surged to life.

But they weren't the memories of his forgotten childhood. They were memories of a world blanketed in stars. Of walking through marble arches that glistened as if they were carved from diamonds. Of laughing as he twirled an effervescent presence around while ethereal music filled the air. Of running from the dance floor and pressing himself back against a wall to hide himself from the prying eyes of an orange-suited senshi whose knowing gaze flickered to where he stood—

His feet touch the ground and he takes a dazed step back. Sailor Moon, still donning her masquerade dress, is saying something to him, but he can't make out her words as her pink dress becomes white in his mind's eye. A missing piece of the puzzle that's been plaguing his dreams for weeks clicks into place, the fuzziness of the silhouette of the girl in his dreams fading to give way to her.

All along, it's been her.

Sailor Mars shoves him aside as she yells at Sailor Moon to transform, and it's all he can do to scramble to his feet and dash up the stairs. He lingers, watching as the girls take on their enemy, still caught up in the tidal wave of remembrance.

He wanted to remember. All his life, all he's wanted was to remember.

Mamoru didn't realize that he would be remembering this.

"Serenity."

Luna (who can very much talk, he remembers that now and idly wonders why she's chosen to remain in her cat form) casts a sharp look in his direction as he speaks, then bounds outside to join the victorious senshi. All while Mamoru leans back against the nearest wall and lets himself slide down it, remembering that time he and Serenity had tried to sneak out of her palace and had slipped while climbing over the railing. How they'd both landed in heap on the grass below her balcony and they'd laughed at their mutual clumsiness.

the au nobody asked for: mamoru remembers first!