“No!!” Mina cried out. “Lita was right, these things ARE rigged.”
“Something wrong, Mina?” Serena asked as she walked in.
“No…not really. I just lost, again. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve been really shaky lately. Ya know?” Mina asked.
Serena nodded her head. “Well, that stinks,” he said, “maybe you can come to my house after school and we’ll find something to eat.”
“Sounds good!” Mina said as she turned back to her game.
Serena nodded her head once again, and turned to leave. “Good, I’ll have them all…” She thought.
Mina was headed for Serena’s house when she bumped into Rini. “Oh, hey there Rini!”
“Hi Mina, have you seen Serena or the others?” Rini asked.
“I’ve seen Serena, but as far as the others go, I haven’t seen them.” Mina replied.
“Oh…” Rini trailed off. “Well I really need to talk to Serena. Her mom said she was studying when she got back, and I thought to myself ‘I’ve got to see this!’ So now I’m just looking for the others so I can tell them.”
“I see, I see.” Mina said. “Well, sorry I can’t help you Rini. Did you look at Raye’s Temple?”
“Uh huh,” Rini said.
“Huh, then I can’t help you. Sorry. But I’ve got to head over to Serena’s house…See Ya Rini!”
“Bye Mina,” Rini said back as she waved. She walked around for a bit, trying to find them. After an hour or so she figured she should head home.
“Yum!!” Mina said through a mouth-full of cookies. “These cookies your mom baked are REALLY good.”
Serena nodded her head. She dug around in her pocked, Mina looked at her.
“What are ya looking for?” Mina asked.
“Oh! Nothing.” Serena said as she looked up quickly.
“All right,” Mina sighed.
After five minutes or so, Serena figured Mina had forgotten all about her digging in her pockets as she dug around some more. She found what she was looking for. Serena carefully pulled out the diamond-shaped crystal. She grinned.
“Serena? What are you grinning for?” Mina asked.
“The end of the scouts is drawing near…” Serena said with an evil grin. Once again she closed her eyes, and a white light surrounding her. She was now Rayne, and Serena lied on the floor, unconscious.
“Serena!? Rayne!?” Mina said.
Rayne held out the diamond-shaped crystal and the deep red light surrounded Mina, within seconds she disappeared. Just then, Rini ran in.
“Rayne!? You came back!” Rini shouted in delight.
Rayne laughed evilly. “Aye, that I did, Small One. I came back. My mission was successful all the scouts are gone, except one. And I’ll shall put her in to a deep sleep, where she shall never awake!” Rayne shouted. She drew her fingers up to her chest. “On this day, and in this hour, I call upon the ancient power. And from my fingers this power shall seep, and cast this girl into an eternal sleep.” And with that a block of ice surrounded Serena.
“No!!” Rini cried. “How could you!?”
“I said this once and I shall say it again. My name is Rayne, I from the dimension Lyeo, I have been summoned here to destroy the scouts. And my mission is complete. It was nice knowing you, Small One, but now that you know my secret, I must dispose of you!” Rayne said.
“No!!” Rini cried again. “Time Key!! Take me back to the future!!” There was a white light and Rini appeared at the gates of time, where Setsuna stood.
"PUU!!” Where are you?” Rini cried. “PUU!!”
“Is that you, Small Lady?” Setsuna asked in a whisper.
Rini walked around in the mist, which she was familiar with, but for some reason she couldn’t find Pluto. Probably because she was panicked about what she saw. She bumped into something solid. “PUU!” Rini cried. “Ohmigosh! Back in Tokyo, the past I mean. There’s- -“
“Small One, slow down. Start from the beginning.”
Rini went from the beginning, where she met Rayne, towards the weird way Serena was acting, and down to the end where she found out Rayne was possessing Serena to trap all the scouts.
“I see…” Sailor Pluto trailed off. She looked like she was thinking. “In your trips to the past, Small Lady, you haven’t really changed anything. This is because you cannot change the past. But…”
“But we can go into the future, destroy Rayne, and then everything will be better?” Rini asked in her most hopeful voice ever.
“No, I’m afraid not. If I remember right, you said Rayne was from the dimension Lyeo. She has a power source. I’m guessing that the crystal Rayne was holding when you walked in is her power source. You are also partially right about going into the future. You have to get your mother, Neo Queen Serenity, I’m afraid I cannot depend on you to do this by yourself. Neo Queen Serenity has the Imperial Silver Crystal.” Setsuna stated. “I will explain the rest of the plan once you and Queen Serenity come here.”
Rini nodded her head. Setsuna moved past the gate and let Rini pass.
“Mars…Fire Ignite!” Raye cried. “It’s no good. The crystal just absorbs anything we throw at it. I think…this is the end. I saw Rayne cast Serena into a sleep, and Rini disappeared.”
Sailor Mars turned back into Raye. And all the other scouts did the same.
“Well, if Rini disappeared, and she obviously isn’t here,” Mina said with a matter-of-fact voice, “then where is she.”
Ami jumped up with surprise. “She went back to the future…I think she left because she maybe knew it was the end.”
Raye muttered.
“What? NOW you decide to have a conversation with yourself. I’ve never known you to have a nervous break down. But no- - - - NOW you decide to have one.” Mina continued to talk. She stopped for a while. “Gosh, this is like talking to a wall…”
“Well, I guess there’s nothing we can really do. We can wait, for who knows what, or…” Lita grabbed some snacks out of her backpack. “We can eat while we wait.” She continued, trying to sound cheerful, but failing miserably.
“Where did that kid go?” Rayne said sounding frustrated. “She was right here!” Rayne tore apart Serena’s room trying to look for Rini. There was a knock on the door.
“Serena?” The voice came. “Have you finished cleaning your room?”
Rayne looked around. She didn’t feel like getting into a discussion with Serena’s mother. She carefully lifted everything off the ground up and put them in their proper place. “Yes, my room is clean!” Rayne said, trying as hard as she could to sound like Serena, and was very successful.
“It better be,” Serena’s mother said. “I’ll check it later. I’m going to the store; Sammy is at his friend’s house. He’ll be back in an hour; I should be back before then though. Be good!”
“Oh…” Rayne muttered under her voice, “why wouldn’t I be? I’ll get that little brat if it’s the last thing I do!”
Neo Queen Serenity looked down at Rini with shock. “I thought you went back to visit Serena and the others,” Queen Serenity said.
“Oh, I did…” Rini said as she trailed off, “but something terrible has happened.
Neo Tuxedo Mask snapped. “What is it?” Darien snapped. “Tell me now!”
Rini backed away from Darien. She explained the story once again. “Pluto wanted me to bring Mommy back to the Gate of Time. She said she would explain the rest of the plan when we got there.
“Very well,” Neo Queen Serenity stated, “then lets go.”
“Where are they?” Setsuna asked herself. “They should be here by now!”
Just as she spoke Neo Queen Serenity and Rini walked in. Pluto stood up straighter. She was just about to explain the plan when Rayne herself appeared out of nowhere.
Rayne screamed out of anger. “I want that brat! Rayne said as she held out her crystal. The deep red light surrounded Rini.
“No!” Queen Serenity cried. She pushed Rini out of the way and she herself disappeared into the dark diamond-shaped crystal.
Rini and Setsuna both gasped. Rini looked to Setsuna. Setsuna spoke quickly.
“Rini, you have to take her power source away from her. Do that first. After you get the crystal away from her, do not crush it. Give it to me. You must destroy Rayne. After you destroy Rayne the crystal will dissolve,” Setsuna stopped and sighed. “Then, if all goes well. We should have all the scouts back and it should be…we should be…okay.”
Rini gulped. “Then it’s all up to me?” She asked in a very frightened voice. She was shivering from head to toe.
Setsuna nodded once. “Small Lady, calm yourself. You’ll be fine-“ Setsuna’s words were cut short. The dark-red light surrounded her and she disappeared.
Rini screamed in pure anger. “You’ve taken my friends. You’ve messed with my head. You lied to me. You have been a nuisance in my life!” As Rini spoke, her clothes started to change. She was now in a silver dress with gold lining; wings grew on the back of her dress; her hair was let down and a small, pink scepter formed in her hand.
Rayne’s crystal started to glow. A white light flew from the crystal onto Rini’s scepter. She could hear her mother’s voice.
“Rini, this is the Imperial Silver Crystal, use it well. I’m lying down my very life for you. I will see you in another life.” Queen Serenity’s voice echoed through Rini’s head. A tear shed from her eye, she didn’t have time to think about it now.
“Queen Serenity?” Mina asked as she poked Neo Queen Serenity’s body.
Raye lifted her hand from Neo Queen Serenity’s neck. “No…pulse.” Raye said with a shiver in her voice.
“What!?” Lita cried. “She’s dead?! She cant be dead! She’s…she’s a queen! Queens don’t just keel over!”
Ami stepped forward. Once again, she was the only one paying attention. “Serenity was trapped in the crystal, she was helpless out here. She knew the danger towards Rini and the whole world. She gave the crystal to Rini. They crystal held her life in it….” Ami trailed off, figuring everyone knew what happened.
“AND!?” Mina shouted impatiently.
“And…when she gave the crystal to Rini, she gave her life,” Raye concluded.
Ami nodded her head once, noting that Raye was right.
They all had a look of complete sorrow. They all knew that Neo Queen Serenity was Rini’s mother; that Rini may not know what happened to her mother. And the number one fear: If Serenity has died in the future, then what will happen to Serena in the past?
Setsuna sat down silently. “Small Lady, you can do this,” she whispered so no one could here her.
Rini’s rage was shown on her face. “You…” Rini said, but couldn’t continue.
Rayne simply laughed. “Child, give up while you can. I’ll do you a favor and make your death as quick and painless as possible!”
“NO!!” Rini shouted. “I wont let you! You’re a ruthless person. You think you’re powerful, but you can only defeat the others weaker than yourself! You’re pathetic!!” With that Rini held the scepter out and a huge pink heart flew towards Rayne. Rayne easily blocked the attack without harming herself.
Rayne grinned. She held her left hand in front of her and huge stones appeared out of nowhere. She strained her wrist more forward, sending the stones toward Rini.
Rini was buried in the stones. “My job here is done,” Rayne said as she walked away.
“Tear Drop!” Rini cried and a huge purple cloud appeared above Rayne. Rini climbed out of the rocks. A purple oval surrounded Rayne. Rini closed her eyes trying to get an image in her head. She formed the image of the oval turning into hard strings and tying her to the ground. When she opened her eyes, her image became life. She ran towards Rayne and grabbed the crystal. She tossed it aside, avoiding breaking it. The purple rope holding Rayne down broke.
“You…shall pay for this, child,” Rayne spoke with an evil grin on her face. Rayne fell to her knees and put both hands on the ground. She closed her eyes. Five seconds later the ground started to rise and Rini lost her balance and fell to the ground. Rayne rose to her feet and drew a dagger from her boots and hurled it at Rini. With much luck Rini dodged the dagger.
Rini’s dress was torn. She closed her eyes and the dress immediately went back to looking like new. She held the scepter in front of her, and the Imperial Silver Crystal appeared atop the scepter. She then closed her eyes and imagined the crystal glowing with power. She opened her eyes, and once again her image came to life. White light was going everywhere.
Rayne’s eyes glowed as she realized the power of the crystal Rini held in her hands. She laughed a high-pitched, wicked laugh. “Child, you don’t know how to control such power.”
Rini ignored Rayne’s comment. She had been badgered about how she was betrayed before; how she was weak before. “No… I wont let her win. I’ll prove her wrong,” Rini thought to herself. With all her strength Rini blasted the white light of the Imperial Silver Crystal towards Rayne. Rayne drew up both of her hands and a dark-red light blasted towards Rini’s white light.
“Child, you may have my power source, but I am still powerful. After all, I am from Lyeo.” Rayne said casually.
Rini put more strength into it, still ignoring Rayne’s non-encouraging words. Rayne’s dark-red light soon grew dim.
“No…” Rayne said as she fell to her knees. “I have been…defeated.” She disappeared in a flash of a blinding red light.
Rini turned to the crystal expecting all the scouts to come out. But all she saw was Pluto come out. “P…P…Pluto…” Rini stuttered, she fell to the ground, unconscious.
Setsuna smiled. “You have won, Small One.”
When Rini awoke, Pluto stood above her.
“PUU?” Rini asked, “Is…it over? Is she gone? Are the scouts back?” Rini stopped, but she still had several questions that needed to be answered.
“An answer to your questions, Small One, In order. Yes, Yes, if you mean Rayne, and Yes. Serena has also awaken from her so called ‘eternal sleep’ ,” Setsuna stopped and laughed a bit, “so much for the eternal part.”
“What about…Neo Queen…” Rini got half way done with her sentence and saw the look of sorrow on Pluto’s face. She knew.
“Small One, I’m sorry. She is deceased. Although, once the time comes, Serena will rule Tokyo. But for a while, I’m afraid, Crystal Tokyo will be without a Queen.”
Rini held back a flood of tears. She knew this was destiny. That one day she was to hold the crystal. “I just didn’t know it would happen so soon…” Rini thought.
“Can I go home now?” Rini asked Pluto hopefully. “I mean…back in the past. I want to stay there for a while. Does Darien know? Darien in the future I mean. Father…”
Setsuna nodded once. “Yes, he knows. I also told him you would be in the past for a bit longer. I knew you would want to stay. You still have the key. And please, Small Lady, visit often.”
“I will,” Rini promised. She hugged Pluto.
Pluto held up her staff and motioned for Rini to go ahead.
“Time Key…Take me to the past!” Rini shouted. Rini ran through the white light that Pluto had light, this time, without interruptions. She appeared in Serena’s room.
Everyone looked up and cheered. There was stuff like: ‘You did it!’ ‘Good Job!’
“Wooooooohooo!!” Mina and Serena both shouted at the top of their lungs.
Rini smiled. It felt good knowing that she had saved everyone, for once, instead of everyone having to run at her call and help her. It felt good getting the encouragement she always wanted from her friends. She never once felt sorrow for her mother. She knew it was the way it was always intended to be. Rini’s smile grew even wider.
Darien walked in, smiling. Serena jumped up in excitement. “You’re okay!” She cried out.
“Yea that I am. It turns out I just had a pretty bad cold.” Darien said casually.
Lita already had food set on the table. “Time for a celebration. In honor of ah… Rini’s victory and Darien’s…getting better! ” She said.
Everyone cheered in agreement. Then they all sat down and had a nice, peaceful snake. They talked. Talked about how their feeling where through-out the whole situation.
“I wouldn’t know…” Serena said. “ I was possessed then cast into a sleep. I never really had a chance to realize what was going on!”
Everyone laughed. The celebration continued. For once, in a long time, everyone was happy.
“Well…” Luna said to Atramis. “ I think we can have a little bit of a snack. They both laughed.
Serena walked away from everyone, and looked up at the moon. Although she didn’t show it, she was utterly upset. “My future self it deceased.” Serena laughed at the fact. The rest of the night she looked up at the stars. Finally, after everyone left, she fell asleep.
