Alright people hear we go!  I got a complaint from somebody who shall remain 
nameless *cough* Nikki! *cough*.  She said that my parts should be longer.  
Well this one is over ten pages.  Not my longest, but twice as long as last 
weeks.

My onee-chan is the best!  She's going to college this week and needs our 
support during this time!  She may not have as much access to a computer as 
she used to, but she has promised to try to get up all her parts on 
schedule.  Besides, I know where she lives and will hurt her if she doesn't! 
  (That was for the 'Miss Maniacal Laughter Crack' from last week, Nikki!)

Disclaimer of the Week: Ditto.

Rating: PG.


NOWHERE TO RUN, UNABLE TO HIDE
PART 7


Sailor Moon closed her eyes and prepared for the blast to hit her full in 
the chest.  Emerald obviously had the guts to do it, and none of the attacks 
were working on her, they only seemed to make her madder and more powerful.  
'I'm sorry, Rini.  I couldn't save your mother.  A sudden pain hit her in 
the chest.  Not physical pain, but emotional.  'If I die, Rini will never be 
born!' her mind screamed at her.

It didn't come.  Sailor Moon felt no pain.  She felt nothing.  She had died 
before, and it sure didn't feel like *this.*  She felt alive.  Instead of 
pain, she heard Rini scream, "GET AWAY FROM MY MOMMY!!!"  Moon opened her 
eyes and saw Rini standing in front of her.

"NO RINI!" Moon yelled.  But Rini didn't hear her, or she pretended not to.  
A second after the words left Moon's mouth a gigantic light encompassed the 
area.  The light was too blinding for anyone to look at, except Serena.  She 
saw what was going on.

Rini stood in front of her mother, her crescent moon shining brightly, 
throwing Emerald back.  Rini screamed again and let herself fall into the 
power of the moon.  The power that her mother controlled, and that she would 
one day have complete mastery over.  Emerald screamed as the strength of the 
attack slammed into her, causing her own attack to move off course and 
dissipate.

Rini nearly collapsed when she was finished releasing her energy.  She had 
never done that before, and she never wanted to again.  She was tired, and 
had never felt this tired in her life, but it felt good.  Her Mommy had 
needed her and Rini wasn't about to let her down.  Mommy had never let her 
down before.  Sailor Moon grabbed Rini and pulled her behind her as Emerald 
started getting up.  There was blood dripping from her mouth and her hair 
was a mess.  She didn't look too happy either...

"You pathetic little BRAT!" Emerald yelled, wiping the blood from with the 
back of her hand.  "You will die!"

Sailor Moon looked up to Emerald.  Her gaze was cool, and controlled.  She 
didn't flinch or move in the least.  "Why do you do this, Emerald?" Moon 
whispered.  "Why can't you let go of your hate and live in peace with us?"

The others had awakened by now and were watching with interest and keen eyes 
as Moon began to walk forward, towards Emerald.  Emerald looked into her 
eyes and saw, not pity, not fear, and not hate.  She saw love and 
forgiveness.

The emotions in Sailor Moon's eyes scared Emerald, and at the same time, 
they comforted her.  There was no such thing as love where she came from.  
Even what Prince Diamond felt for Serenity would turn out to be nothing but 
lust, not love.  Emerald unconsciously took a step back.  "What so you 
want?" she asked, her voice shaking.  "If you are going to kill me, then do 
it!" she yelled.  The emotions that she was feeling were scaring her.  She 
was terrified of what might happen if she fell into them and took what 
Sailor Moon was obviously offering.

The Sailor Scouts saw it and so did Sailor Moon.  Emerald was scared of 
something.  She was scared to be a human after living in the darkness for so 
long.  She was scared that they wouldn't accept her.  "What are you afraid 
of, Emerald?  I swear I won't hurt you."  Sailor Moon began to walk to 
Emerald, slower this time.  "Please, let me help you.  I can heal you," she 
said gently looking up at Emerald with pleading eyes.  Her eyes told the 
truth they always had.  Emerald had once heard Prince Diamond say something 
about how Serenity's eyes told everything about her.  She wanted to believe 
him.

Emerald glared at Sailor Moon with all the hatred she could find in her 
body.  But her glare turned into a confused look.  She couldn't remember a 
reason to hate this girl.  She had been banished by her, but suddenly she 
knew that that was her own fault.  She should have just excepted her 
cleansing.  If she had, she could have stayed on earth, and lived a normal 
life with friends and maybe even a family.  A reality came crashing into her 
mind, she finally understood what the sisters had seen when they had become 
human.  They had understood this girl.  This girl was love.  She didn't care 
what you had done, she cared about who you were.

"You-why would you heal me after all that I've done to you?  Why don't you 
hate me?" she stuttered out, as she continued backing up.

Moon looked up at her and smiled, "I don't hate you.  I never did.  We 
fought but only because that was what we thought was right.   I will heal 
you, if you want me to.  If you don't, then that's fine.  But I did give you 
the chance.  It is your decision, Emerald."

Emerald felt a strange feeling inside of her.  Her throat and stomach felt 
tight.  Something warm and wet dripped from her eyes.  She reached and 
touched her face.  'Are these tears?  Is this happiness?'  She wondered.  
She looked to Sailor Moon, who already held her crystal out in front of her. 
  "Will you please heal me?" Emerald whispered, afraid she would say 'no' 
after everything she had just done.

Sailor Moon didn't say anything.  She simply smiled and nodded.

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"

The healing energies raced towards Emerald, and she felt a part of her 
disappear.  She realized that she wouldn't miss that part of herself.  Of 
her old life.  When the healing was complete, Emerald looked up to the 
others and smiled.  The first genuine, true and beautiful smile she had ever 
had.  "Thank you, Serenity."  Emerald bowed low to Moon, who smiled again 
and bowed back.

"Puu," Sailor Moon called out.

In a flash of light, Sailor Pluto was standing in between Moon and Emerald.  
"Yes, my princess?" she asked softly, as if she already didn't know.

Sailor Moon looked back at Emerald again and smiled, "Please take Emerald to 
the twentieth century.  Go to the four sisters and tell them what happened.  
I'm sure that they'd be more then happy to take you in, Emerald."

Pluto nodded and bowed low.  Moon rolled her eyes and smiled at Emerald.  
"Good luck, Emerald.  The sisters will take good care of you.  Plus, I hear 
that they need extra help in their cosmetics shop.  I'm sure that you'd have 
a great time there."  She lowered her voice, "They'll probably give you free 
make-up too!"

Emerald smiled again and yelled once more before she and Sailor Pluto 
disappeared, "Thank you!"

Sailor Moon watched as they left, and then staggered to her knees in 
exhaustion.  "Sailor Moon!" everyone cried at once.

Tuxedo Mask reached her first and held her in his arms.  "Are you alright?" 
he asked.  Moon smiled and nodded.  Tuxedo Mask smiled back and gently 
kissed her forehead before helping her up.

The other Scouts were practically beaming with pride in their leader when 
she looked at them again.  Rini had tears in her eyes, and ran and hugged 
her mother around the knees as soon as she was standing; nearly knocking her 
back down.  Luna stepped up and jumped onto Serena's shoulder.  "Good work, 
Sailor Moon!" she said.  "I didn't think that she'd change."

Sailor Moon looked to her friends and said, "I must give everyone a chance.  
If they want to become human, I should help them and encourage them, not 
stop them."  She grinned again, "Besides, maybe the sisters can get Emerald 
out of that dress!"

Her friends laughed with her before continuing on.  They had no more 
interruptions for the rest on the way to Crystal Tokyo.

********************************************************************************

Prince Diamond was angry.  No.  *He was furious.*

"They got Emerald!" he yelled at his brother.  "She was my highest General 
and they turned her!"

The Wiseman and Sapphire stood silently listening to the Prince's ranting 
and raving.  "Prince," the Wiseman hissed stopping the angry Dark Moon 
ruler.  "Sailor Moon is a disturbance to our cause and to the family.  She 
must be destroyed!  If you ever want to reclaim the Earth, we must destroy 
the Queen!"

Sapphire listened to what Wiseman was saying and narrowed his eyes.  'Why 
does he want so much destruction?  So much death?  Sailor Moon has a good 
idea; we can live in peace, can't we?  The four sisters are, and now so is 
Emerald.  Maybe...'

He was snapped out of his thoughts by his brother speaking.  "I suppose it 
would be best to get rid of her.  It is for the good of the family, and she 
has turned five of my best warriors against me.  Regroup the army!  Prepare 
for a attack on the Crystal Palace!"

The Wiseman laughed evilly and left.  Sapphire stared in shock at his 
brother.  "Why?" he asked him quietly.  "Why must we fight them?"

Diamond turned to Sapphire and glared at him.  "What is this, Sapphire?  
Doubt?  This is what we must do to reclaim the Earth as our own!  Or do you 
turn traitor as the others did?"  Prince Diamond spoke cool and collected as 
he stared at his brother.

Sapphire stared right back.  "No.  But there must be a better way then 
killing people who do not even fight this war."  With that, Sapphire turned 
and left leaving his brother to think about what must be done.

********************************************************************************

The Sailor Scouts had finally made it, Crystal Tokyo.  Rini grabbed Moon and 
Tuxedo Mask's hands as they walked closer to a beautiful white door with 
different moon phases engraved into it.  The child recognized the gate to 
Crystal Tokyo, and became excited when she saw it coming closer as she 
walked.  Rini's breath began to come in short gasps as they got closer to 
her home and family.

Sailor Moon squeezed her hand gently, stopped and bent down so that she was 
eye level with Rini.  "It'll be OK, Rini.  You'll see.  I promise you that 
we will do everything possible to save your mother.  I swear it, Rini."

Her voice had more sincerity in it then Rini had heard from Serena in a long 
time.  She had said it in the construction site a few weeks earlier, but now 
it seemed different to her.  Perhaps it was because Rini knew she was her 
mother.  Or maybe it was because she finally believed in Sailor Moon and her 
friends.

Rini looked up at her, and smiled.  'Yeah,' she thought excitedly.  'She'll 
save Mommy!  She promised.  And Sailor Moon-no *Mommy* never breaks a 
promise.'  She nodded to Sailor Moon, who smiled back.

The other Scouts and Tuxedo Mask were patiently waiting for the two at the 
door to Crystal Tokyo when they walked up.  Tuxedo Mask smiled at them, took 
Sailor Moon's hand and squeezed it, flooding reassurance to her through 
their laced fingers.

Jupiter walked up to the doors and yanked on the golden handles.  They 
refused to budge.  "What the..." she whispered as she tried again, with more 
force this time.

Mars walked up and together she and Jupiter tried to pull the doors open; 
still nothing.  "Well," Mars said quietly.  "Damn!  Rini," she started, 
turning to the little girl, "what's wrong?  Why won't it open?"

Rini was on the verge of tears as she answered Mars, "I don't know, Raye!  
It always works for me!  I-I don't know!"  She ran forward and tried to pry 
the doors open herself.  She collapsed, sobbing, when they didn't open.  'It 
always worked before...'

Sailor Moon ran to her daughter and held her.  When she approached the 
doors, the warriors heard a creaking sound.  Sailor Moon stood up with Rini 
in her arms and looked at the doors.  She did nothing.  Somehow, she knew 
that nothing, was the thing to do.  As Moon held her gaze on the doors the 
creaking sound started again.  The doors slowly, agonizingly slow, swung 
open.  A few seconds after the door opened, Rini gave a cry of joy and 
nearly fainted from shock at what she saw when the door opened.

********************************************************************************

Endymion was anxious.  Anxious?  He was going out of his mind with worry and 
joy!  He began to pace up and down the hallways of the Crystal Palace, 
stopping to see his wife along the way.  Endymion kneeled down so that he 
could almost look into her beautiful blue eyes.  If her eyes were open.

A gigantic quartz crystal surrounded her body, putting her in a death-like 
coma.  She hadn't moved in over a month and it seemed that she hadn't 
breathed either.  Endymion knew she was still alive.  He could feel it when 
the Sailor Scouts had told them what they had done.  He could feel that she 
was still alive, just asleep.  Dr. Anderson had confirmed what he knew, 
thought she wasn't surprised.  Endymion would die with out Serenity, all of 
the Sailor Scouts knew that.  The two tread a thin line when they were 
separated.  It was proven that the soul bond of the two was too strong to 
allow one to live with out the other.  Deep in his heart there was a hope 
that she would awaken and be ok.  She had to be.

Kneeling down beside her, Endymion whispered softly to her.  "Did you know, 
Love?" he asked her quietly, as if whispering any louder would weaken her 
frail body more.  "Our Daughter is coming home soon, probably today.  She is 
bringing our younger selves with her, in hopes of saving you."  He paused 
and waited for something, *anything* to happen.  Nothing did, as nothing had 
before.

Tears began to well in his stormy blue eyes and he fought them back with all 
he had.  "Serenity, Rini is coming home!  She is going to help you!  Why 
don't you answer?!" he yelled the last part at her, tears streaming down his 
face.  Serenity did not answer him.  She remained deathly still as she had 
for so long.

Endymion closed his eyes and fought down his emotions.  He had learned to do 
that many years ago in Tokyo.  He was still good at it.  He could hide his 
anger and fear from the Royal Court and Guard.  He had almost been able to 
hide his love for Serena one thousand years ago from her and the Guardian 
Warriors.  He had done it for a while, not truly fooling them, but good 
enough.  After time, he had lost that battle and given in to her.  But now, 
when it came to his family, he couldn't hide his pain, sadness or joy when 
it came to them.

Pressing his face up against the crystal he whispered to her again, "Why?  
Why is it always us, My Love?  What have we done to deserve this 
punishment."  He closed his eyes in pain and let a tear slowly slide down 
his face.  "What have *I* done?  Did I hurt you in some way?" his voice had 
dropped very low.  Too low for anyone else in the world to hear, save him 
and his wife.

He continued, remembering all that they had been through together, and how 
their love had always come back stronger then before.  "I only want to hold 
you, to touch you, to see you smile again."  Endymion gave a little laugh.  
"I would even like to hear one of yours' and Sailor Mars' petty fights right 
now.  I'm sure anyone would.  But no one more then me..." his voice trailed 
off as he looked up at her again.

"King Endymion?" a voice called from behind him.  Endymion shot up and 
whirled around, pulling out his sword as he did.  He sighed and put the 
sword back at his side when he saw the owner of the voice.

"What is it Sailor Pluto?" he asked, slightly angry with her for disturbing 
him.  He knew, however that she wouldn't have even entered the palace at 
this time if it wasn't important.  He stood patiently waiting for an answer.

"Forgive me, your Highness," Pluto said bowing, "But Small Lady and the 
Sailor Scouts have approached the gate and are trying to open it.  They will 
be here shortly.  You should prepare for their arrival."

Endymion's eyes lit up with undeniable joy at the mention of his daughter.  
A smile found it's way to his face.  His first smile since this whole God 
forsaken mess had started.  Sailor Pluto smiled back, happy that he was 
smiling again.  "Rini..." he whispered hoarsely.  "My God!  When will they 
be here?" he asked hurriedly.

"In about a minuet.  As I said," she spoke as she turned to leave, 
"prepare."

Endymion smiled and practically jumped for joy after she left.  Endymion 
leaned over and whispered to his wife once more, "They're here, my Queen.  
She will try to save you.  She *will* save you," he told himself fiercely, 
as he stroked the crystal that covered her face and ran out the door to 
where they would appear.

Dodging the few people that were aloud in the section of the palace he was 
in, Endymion raced full speed to where the door would appear.  It would take 
a few minuets for them to figure out how to open it, and when they did, he 
could see his daughter again.  Endymion ran faster.

Finding the room quickly, Endymion opened the door and went inside, closing 
it after he entered.

********************************************************************************

Tears filled the small child's eyes as she took in the sight that was before 
her.  "DADDY!!!!" she yelled as loudly and obviously as she could.

The man that was in the room, and obviously King Endymion, bent down and 
scooped Rini into his arms as she came barreling forward.  He held her tight 
as if he never wanted to let go.  Rini hugged him back with all her might.

Endymion smiled as Rini tightened her hold on him.  'Just like her mother,' 
he thought as he gave a chuckle.  Pulling back he looked at her and said as 
seriously as he could in the situation, "You caused a lot of trouble for 
Serena, right?"

"Hey!" Serena yelled, as the two laughed again.

Rini looked up at him again.  "Daddy," she whispered timidly, "aren't you 
mad at me?"

Endymion looked down at his daughter and she knew the answer right away.  "I 
will be after I'm over the fact that you're home, and you're safe."  Rini 
smiled, knowing she was off the hook for a while.  "However, Serenity," he 
continued.

Rini winced.  'Real name!  Oh, no!  He must be *really* angry.

"You will be in *big* trouble as soon as this is resolved."

Rini looked down.  "I'm sorry, Daddy.  I just wanted to help..." she trailed 
off, knowing that excuses wouldn't work tonight.

Endymion hugged her again and set her down.  "I know, Honey.  We'll talk 
later, k?"  Rini nodded and Endymion smiled.

Turning back towards the group of warriors, who had decided to stay out of 
the conversation, he smiled and greeted them.  "Hello, Sailor Scouts.  I am 
King Endymion and welcome to thirtieth century Crystal Tokyo."

Everyone just nodded and muttered various "How do you do?" as they took in 
the fact that they were actually in the future.  Looking around they saw 
that the room they were in was large with high (*very* high!) ceilings.  The 
ground was obviously marble, and the walls were made of pure moonstone.  In 
all of their opinion the room was grand and beautiful.

Sailor Moon looked at Endymion and almost laughed.  'How could she not have 
known that Darien was her father, or at least Tuxedo Mask?  They look 
exactly alike.  Well, Endymion does have blue-ish hair...'

Tuxedo Mask seemed to recover the quickest.  "Thirtieth century?  How can we 
be that far in the future?"

Endymion shook his head.  "I can only tell you certain things, and I will 
get to what I can and can't tell you later."

Sailor Moon looked around.  "Why are we here?  What happened?"

Endymion smiled slightly at her and then became sad.  "Again, I can only 
tell you parts of the future.  Too much could destroy it, and then Pluto 
would ring my neck!"

The Sailors giggled and nodded in understanding.  Endymion looked serious 
again, and they shut up.

Endymion closed his eyes in remembrance and started his story.  "You see, I 
can not tell you exactly how Crystal Tokyo came to be, or even how any of 
you will still be alive.  I can only tell you what went on and why you are 
here."

"Neo-Queen Serenity created Crystal Tokyo and the two of us assumed our 
rightful thrones; the Moon and Earth.  After Crystal Tokyo was created, the 
entire world became more prosperous then even the Silver Millennium."  
Endymion closed his eyes as he remembered what happened next.  "One day a 
group of people rebelled against Serenity and myself.  We battled them for 
days with high losses on both sides.  However, Serenity used our last hope 
and banished the people to space."

Serena looked thoughtful.  "The last hope...?  The Silver Crystal?" she 
questioned, turning and looking at him.

Endymion nodded.  "Yes," he answered in a tone that said he had not approved 
of her using the crystal.  "She was drained for weeks, and we got lucky that 
she didn't go into a coma or die."

Sailor Moon winced.  She knew that she would have to do the same thing.  If 
it meant saving people, she would do it.  It wouldn't matter what Endymion 
or Darien said, she would.  He knew that.

"It was years later when one day, our defenses fell.  Somehow, the Silver 
Crystal had vanished.  We don't know where it has gone or who has taken it, 
just that it is gone."  His face became one of extreme pain and anguish.  
Serena gasped at the way he looked, it was heart breaking.  "Not too long 
after, that Serenity was walking outside when a bolt of energy attacked her. 
  We were lucky, the Sailor Scouts came and used their powers and they, 
inadvertently, encased her in a quartz crystal."

By now, he was desperately trying to hold in his emotions, to no avail.  A 
single tear streaked down Endymion's cheek.  He looked up again and saw that 
the others looked on the verge of tears themselves.  "The Sailor Scouts and 
I tried everything to find a way to break her out, but nothing helped!  One 
day, for reasons that haven't been revealed yet," he glanced down at Rini 
who looked away shamefully, "Rini ran off.  There was no warning, she just 
ran.  The Scouts thought that she was still in the palace and used their own 
powers to create a shield in place of the one the Silver Crystal made.  It's 
not as strong, but it is holding."

Sailor Moon spoke up timidly, she was very pale and looked as if she was 
going to faint.  "Is Serenity..." she trailed off, not knowing how to finish 
the sentence.

Endymion saw the look on her face.  "You should sit down, Sailor Moon.  You 
look like you're going to faint."  Darien put an arm around her waist and 
guided her over to a coach.  When she was settled down Endymion spoke again. 
  "Yes.  She is still in the shell.  I don't even know if she can hear 
me...it's like she's there, but not."

That was it for Rini.  Tears welled up in her eyes and she began sobbing 
loudly.  Endymion bent down and gathered her in his arms.  She clutched his 
shirt and he stroked back her hair, trying to calm her.

Sailor Moon stood up, determination burning in her eyes.  The action made 
her a little woozy, but nothing more.  "Well, let's go!" she said.

The others looked to her, confused.  "There is no Silver Crystal here, so it 
couldn't heal her.  I have one.  I'll heal her."  Endymion opened his mouth 
to protest, but Serena stopped him.  "Let me try.  Maybe I can help.  
Please," she whispered looking at him.

Endymion closed his eyes.  "Alright.  Don't use too much of your own energy. 
  You are still a bit weak from Diamonds attack the other day," he 
instructed her.

Sailor Moon nodded and smiled.  "Follow me," Endymion told them.  Serena 
took Darien's hand as they began to walk through the palace.  Every room was 
gorgeous.  High ceilings, paintings and sculptures.  Serena held her breath 
and felt tears sting her eyes as they passed through a room full of ancient 
art.

Art from the Silver Millennium.

She didn't say anything, she just kept walking.  A few minuets later, the 
group passed by a station filled with palace guards obviously on break.  
They weren't talking, they were quiet and solemn until the King walked by.

The one that seemed highest ranking stood and bowed.  The others took notice 
of this and did the same.  Endymion shook his head.  "At ease."

The guards stood up straight and prepared to return to their break when one 
got a good look at the people accompanying the King.  "THE SAILOR 
SCOUTS!?!?!?!?  Why aren't you at your post?!?!?!" he demanded, knowing it 
was not his position to demand the highest Royal Guards.  "Has the shield 
fallen?" he asked more timidly.

Endymion clenched his teeth and was grateful when Mercury answered for him.  
"We have found a way to maintain the shield for a small time without all of 
us having to be there.  We are going to rest one day and then go back to 
generating the shield."  She explained everything in a way that the guards 
had to believe her.  None seemed to notice how much younger the girls looked 
or their two companions, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask.

As soon as Mercury was finished with her explanation, the guards sighed in 
relief.  "Thank goodness!" one said.  "I was afraid that we were in trouble 
there!"

"Sailor Scouts," Endymion started, motioning for them to follow him.  The 
others nodded and followed the King to their destination.

When the group was out of the guards' earshot Endymion spoke up.  "It might 
be a good idea for all of you to detransform for now.  Someone is bound to 
know that something's up."

The girls nodded and shifted down to civilian form.  Just as Sailor Moon and 
Tuxedo Mask were about to do the same, Endymion stopped them.  "Don't.  
You'll just have to retransform when we get to the chambers, and saying that 
you are Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask is better.  People won't question it 
like they would the other Scouts."

Serena and Darien exchanged looks and shrugged.  Endymion turned to Mercury 
and smiled.  "Thanks for the save back there, Amy.  I didn't know what I was 
going to say."

Amy smiled back.  "It's no problem, your Majesty.  It was just the first 
thing that came into my mind."

Endymion faced all of the younger Scouts, "Don't call me 'Your Majesty,' 
please.  It's just Endymion."

They continued walking and Luna spoke up for the first time since they had 
arrived.  "Two thousand years, and you still hate formalities?" she asked.

It was Rini who replied to Luna's question, not Endymion.  She made a face 
as she began to talk.  "Everyone I know hates forma-
formale-...you know what I mean."  She turned up to her father and glared at 
him playfully.  "At your only has one title and two more names.  Mine is too 
long!" she wined.

Endymion smiled.  "What is your full name, Rini?" Serena asked her.

Rini made a face and turned around, so that she was walking backwards.  
"Neo-Princess Rini Small Lady Serenity Shields of the Moon, Earth and 
Crystal Tokyo."  Endymion stole a quick glance at the group behind him, and 
somehow managed to contain his laughter.  The looks on their faces was 
classic.

"Try saying it three times fast!" Endymion told the bunch.  Most of the 
girls started to, but stopped when they realized that they couldn't.

Rini, during all this, was still walking backwards.  Serena noticed this and 
called out to her, "Rini turn back around!  You might hit something!"

Not two seconds after she said it, Rini slammed into an open door, back 
first.  "OOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!" she yelled, rivaling Serena's yells.

Serena cringed and thought to herself, 'No way!  I can't be that loud!'  But 
one glance to her friends indicated that she wasn't.  They weren't covering 
their ears.  She was louder.

Rini rubbed the back of her head as she got up.  "That hurt!  You should 
have said something sooner."

Endymion stepped in for Serena.  "Don't talk to your mother like that, Rini. 
  You know better.  And she shouldn't have to remind you of something I've 
repeatedly told you not to do."

Rini flushed, and looked down at her shoes.  "I'm sorry, Mommy," she 
whispered.  Serena thanked her and then stopped.  They were paused outside a 
door while Endymion put a combination into an electronic pad.

Rini looked between her future father and mother and her father.  After a 
moment, she went and took Serena and Darien's hands.  They had never seen 
her mother like this, and Rini was afraid of how it would affect Serena, 
especially.

The group walked inside and stopped.  Sitting in the middle of the room 
suspended in crystal was a woman in a flowing white dress with a crescent 
moon on her forehead.

Serena fearfully walked closer to the woman and studied her more intently.  
She looked to be twenty-five years old, no older.  Her hair was done into 
'meatballs' and she wore a gown that looked like a cross between the Moon 
Princess' dress and the Moon Queens' dress.

She was deathly still, but Serena could feel something inside of her that 
told her that her future self *was* alive.  Rini let go of her future 
parents' hands and ran forward.

"MOMMY!" she yelled as she pressed her face against the glass coating that 
held her mother captive.  "Mommy?" she said again this time whispering.  
"Can't you hear me?"

Serena walked up behind Rini and touched the shoulder of the small child.  
Rini looked up to Serena and started crying.  "Why?  Why doesn't she 
answer?"

Serena didn't know how to answer the question, she didn't want to.  She 
answered in the only way that she knew she wouldn't be lying.  "I don't 
know, honey.  But, I need you to go to your father, one of them, and stay 
back.  I'll save your mother Rini."

Rini looked to the young girl clad in a Sailor suit.  "You promise?" she 
asked, almost afraid that she would say no.

Surprised that Rini would ask that question, Serena kneeled down and hugged 
her daughter.  "Hey!" she said.  "Have I ever lied to you before?" she 
asked, pulling back.

Well..." Rini trailed off and Serena glared at her.  "No." she answered 
quickly.

"Good.  Now go."  Rini nodded and ran to Endymion, who picked her up and 
held her.

Sailor Moon closed her eyes in concentration.  She held her hands out in 
front of her and concentrated harder.  Agonizingly slowly, the Imperium 
Crystal appeared in her hands.

Sailor Moon opened her eyes and looked at her future self.

'For my friends.  For Rini.'

"MOON CRYSTAL..."

TO BE CONTIUNED...


YES!  I love doing that!  Cliffhangers, and only *I* know what's going to 
happen next!  Nikki-chan was trying to guess who saved Sailor Moon from 
Emerald when I last talked to her.  Did you guess right, Nikki?

As always...E-MAIL me!  I love it!

Well, that's it for this week.  Mail me.

Later my friends!

Stef-chan