Wow! This is great! This fan fiction is the most watched and reviewed out of all of the writings I have! Thank you all so much for all of the reviews. They are all appreciated and I'm happy to see that old readers haven't given up on me and also I'm happy to see newer ones reviewing. I'm thankful for that.

And guess what?? Here's the next chapter! (And after two days since my last update! Woot! I'm on a roll!)

Chapter 10: Imprisonment

"No one can save you now." His voice hissed inside of her ear, tormenting her with those words.

Suddenly, a sharp red light flashed in front of her eyes and it broke her bondage toward Prince Diamond's spell. He screamed in pain, so much pain, he was forced to push Serena away from her to ease the pain. Serena blinked her eyes as she finally was able to bring oxygen into her lungs and breathe normally. When she glanced up at the White Prince, she was caught off guard to see a thin, but deep cut sliced across Prince Diamond's cheek.

She widened her eyes as she turned her head slowly toward the wall beside them to see a single, scarlet red rose sealed against the wall. A petal detached itself from its bloom and gracefully fell down to the ground.

Her heart stopped as she immediately recognized the rose on the wall. And the first thought that crossed her mind was…

"Darien…"

Time seized motion for that moment as the red rose scrapped gravely across Prince Diamond's pale white cheek, reopening the wound from the previous sequence of events when that distinct rose had punished Prince Diamond for ceasing Serena unwilling into his clutches.

Serena's cerulean eyes glanced upon the wall toward where the beautifully bloomed rose took its bull's eyes against the wall. Its petals were sweetly lavished with rich scarlet red. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as her lungs were lifted up and her breath exhaled as a gasp, overwhelmed with the bittersweet thoughts that clouded her mind. It gave her headache, but from her excitement, a thrill of hope overtook her body and filled her with joy as she turned her body toward the other direction with her eyes glistening with tears.

But instead of turning to see Darien's sweet, soft cobalt eyes, she gazed upon hardened ruby red eyes that poured out flames from her eyes. They sparkled brightly as Serena was overtaken by emotion as she clasped her fingers against her lips, gasping as she uttered,

"Rini…" And this made Prince Diamond furious as he finally turned his face around to discover the imposter who had attacked him.

Rini bared an unbelievably strong resemblance toward Serena, with her eyes as wide and innocent as her own, the stare of defiance that had drawn Prince Diamond to Neo-Queen Serenity herself. But Rini was only a young, naïve child, ignorant and didn't hold some of the elegant features that the Queen beheld. Rini's hair shined like pink diamonds, pulled back into pigtails similar to Serena's hairstyle, only it her hair buns were shaped like cones. The little girl secured her fists tightly until her knuckles turned sickly white.

"Get your filthy hands off of my Mommy!!" She emphasized on the word mother as she pointed an accusing finger at Prince Diamond, who glared at her in a mix of confusion and anger. "Or I'll punish you!" She added.

"Why you little brat—" Prince Diamond took a galled step toward Rini's child-like being, his hands clawed to grab her. But before he took another daring step toward her, the rose suddenly levitated off from the wall, zoomed across the room, and pierced right into his arm, slicing it painfully until small drops of blood pooled on the sleeves of his jacket. He grabbed his injured hand tenderly as his thin, pale lips curled downward into an angry frown.

The rose glided toward Rini's side. She had raised her hand high over her head. She held her eyes at Prince Diamond as the rose floated above her palm. It started to spin around until it accelerated faster and faster until the object vanished from her fingertips and transformed into a large ball that looked like a replica of a cat's head. It embodied a beautiful golden crescent moon on its forehead, which shined brilliantly across the room.

The shadow demons that had crawled and mingled in the air of the darkened room vanished without a trance as the room brightened and cast off a glow across the room as great and enchanting as the white moon itself.

Little Rini fixed her eyes on Prince Diamond as she curled a teasing, yet determined grin across her fine lips, "And you're definitely not gonna touch me either, you Black Moon scum!" She hollered.

"Rini!" Serena called out and darted her way to Rini's side. She kneeled on one knee as she glanced over the small—and as she realized immediately—brave child. Her eyes softened and were full of emotion as she looked at her future daughter. She reached out to touch her face, blinking lightly as soft, salty tears formed around her eyes.

"What…what are you doing here, Rini?" She asked quietly.

Rini met her gaze and changed it into that same gentleness that reflected her own eyes.

"I came to save you, Meatball head."

"But…what about the others?"

"I came alone…I couldn't wait any longer…" Rini confessed. "I missed you, Mommy." She recalled her by her formal title.

Deeply touched, Serena smiled at her as her eyes watered with crystalline tears.

"Oh Rini…"

"Oh how sweet." A dark voice crept over their moment, sending a chill down their spines. Their bodies tensed and felt alerted as they rotated their bodies around to look upon Prince Diamond who was already fixated to increasing the dark energy that was filled in his veins. His aura was strong and getting stronger by the minute as he glared at both of the girls with his icy eyes. "But the reunion is over."

Serena clasped against her breast and widened her eyes when her hands didn't cling onto her sacred transformation brooch. Even if with the interesting trickery performed by Rini's Luna-P Ball, it wasn't enough to defend them against Prince Diamond's powerful attacks.

"My locket!" Serena shouted with shock. Her eyes scanned across the room until they froze under the dinner table, where her moon locket gleamed under the moonlight, as if its beam of light was attracted to the purity of the Silver Crystal.

"I'll get it!" Rini exclaimed as she made her way toward the locket. Serena gasped, "Rini, NO!" She tried to grab Rini by her shirt, but her fingers barely touched her as Rini ran toward the table.

"Oh no, you don't!" Prince Diamond yelled as his palm concentrated itself with dark energy and he sent a terrifying blast toward the child.

"No!" Serena cried as the blast barely missed Rini, but sent her flying across the room. Rini yelped with pain as her body was tossed across the room and she fell flat onto the ground. She groaned from the pain at the back of her neck as her eyes weakly looked up to see Prince Diamond preparing another attack.

He laughed deliriously as he sent multiple roars of dark energy toward the young princess. Rini gasped and with her small palms, crawled herself across the floor and under the table. She screamed and dodged herself low to the ground as dark energy blasts exploded over her head, destroying the dinner room chairs and exploding them into pieces until they were merely dust and twigs of wood.

Rini glanced up with a trick of light flashed in front of her eyes. Her mouthed stretched happily when she saw Serena's moon locket in front of her. She quickly grabbed the adored locket and clutched it against her chest.

"Got it!" She shouted toward Serena.

A loud explosion caught her off guard as the table collapsed from above her head, sending her into a wail of screams. She brought her hands over her head and ducked herself low, while continuing to scream, as dust and smoke clouded her surroundings and fire started to blaze the room from the blasts.

Rini looked up as the clouds faded to reveal Prince Diamond standing barely a few feet away from her. Her eyes watered and widened in fear as he stepped closer to her. She clutched the locket protectively against her chest, guarding the Silver Crystal with her dear, little life.

"It's over, Small Lady." Prince Diamond announced as he made himself ready to kill her once and for all. Her eyes tormented him and frustrated him as the images of both King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity overpowered the features on her face. Rini represented the union that despised his fantasies of claiming Serenity as his own. She represented the love that they shared and the kingdom they had created. She represented who and what he couldn't conquer.

"Farewell." He chuckled as electricity roamed through his veins and onto his palm, electrifying him and the sparks of lightning reflected within the poor girl's eyes.

"No!" A startling cry echoed against the walls of the small room.

Prince Diamond barely turned his head around before he saw a golden goddess running toward him, with her elbow in front of her. Serena's eyes glared at him with determination and defiance as she thrust her elbow against his chest, pushing him with a surprisingly strong force that threw him to hit the wall, cracking his back painfully. His eyes turned white with shock as his body went limp and he closed his eyes.

Serena panted heavily with sweat beading down her forehead, almost shocked herself from the brute strength she had displayed.

"Serena!" Rini cried as she got back up on her feet and started running toward her. As she came behind Serena's tall, slim body, they heard Prince Diamond groaning with pain. Dust flew over his head as his hand touched the delicate wound that started to swell on his head.

Serena took this opportunity to make her move.

"Run!" Serena said as she grabbed Rini firmly by her shirt, practically carrying her in her arms as they dashed out of the room and through the halls. The darkness swept over them as Serena continued running through the never-ending hallways.

"Which way do we go?! Does this ever end?"

Her arms and legs pumped as she concentrated what was left of her strength into running, carrying her only child possessively in her arms. When she saw an opened door ahead of her, she prayed to the being above that it was the door to the exit.

But when she went through the door, she and Rini only found themselves in a much bigger, yet emptier room. When they both looked up, their mouths dropped and gasps barely escaped from their lips as their eyes were fixated, trapped from looking at what was before them.

"What is that…" Rini gasped out quietly, her eyes drawn to the large ornament that displayed in the center of the room. It was as tall as mountain and as wide and revealing as an old redwood tree.

Serena's eyes widened in horror as her mind recognized the dark, massive gem that was before her. "It's the…"

"The Dark Crystal," A voice finished the sentence.

Serena tensed and her body took its stance as Prince Diamond's body slowly became apparent as he appeared before both Serena and Rini, his back facing the Dark Crystal. His arms were crossed against his masculine chest. He stood up perfectly straight, as if he wasn't even affected by the blow Serena pulled in the other room. He curled a thin smile at her as his eyes glanced over hers seductively, making her body quiver from his powerful, alluring gaze.

"Impress, Serena…" He said lowly, referring to her display in the dinner it. He chuckled softly, "It looks like you haven't lost your strength completely yet, after all…but that's only momentarily." He promised as he wiped his cheeks and started walking toward them.

Rini gasped as Prince Diamond stepped toward them. She glanced back at Serena, pulling onto the skirt of her dress. "Serena!" She called out. Her eyes then widened when she saw Serena's face turning sickly pale and her eyes turned puffy and red.

Serena's eyes and mouth widened as she barely croaked a moan from her throat, which burned her lungs and made her choke. She clasped her breast tightly with her fist as her body suddenly started to feeble. She fell on her knees abruptly as she arched her head down, with her shoulders hutched forward.

She panted heavily and gasped out air and tried to inhale to breathe, but nothing could enter into her lungs. An unsubstantial pain stabbed her against her chest and its hands scratched her bones with ache and split her mind apart.

"Serena? Serena! What's wrong!?" Rini asked loudly, worryingly as Serena's pulse started to slow down.

Prince Diamond mocked Rini's cries. "Her body is responding to the lurid power of the Dark Crystal. It is starting to consume her body and mind…making her cave in to its power…" His eyes grew small as an evil smile came over him. "And to me…"

"No, Serena! Serena, snap out of it!" As she pleaded to her young mother, the Dark Crystal started to glow brilliantly in response to the life-force it was gaining from Serena's blooming purity.

Sweat beaded down Serena's forehead and down her forehead as she shut her eyes tightly, gripped to the tiled floor, her mind cutting into two from the incredible pain that overwhelmed her.

"Rini…it hurts…Run away…before you get trapped in it, too." She said in a low, hushed tone.

Rini shook her head wildly, "No! I won't leave you!"

"It's too late, Small Lady. Her mind is already imprisoned within the bowls of the Dark Crystal. You can't save her."

Rini's eyes started to glisten in tears as she stood over Serena, feeling weak and useless to her. Guilt and shame made her feel vain as her body shook abruptly, her mind unclear on what do to, feeling defenseless against the frightening powers of the Black Moon.

But then a thought shocked her mind. Remembering the locket tightly clutched in her palm, Rini pondered if the power of the Silver Crystal could save her.

"Here, Serena!" Rini shouted as she walloped the moon locket against Serena's hand. She rushed the words out of her lips from the panic that started to build inside of her tiny chest.

But from the moment Rini's hands lightly brushed onto Serena's skin, an inner power overcame her senses and it broadened her mind and cleansed it clean from most traces of The Dark Crystal's dosage of dark energy in her body. The feeling felt electrifying on her skin and her heart started to pound hard against her chest.

"What…what is this feeling?" Serena softly spoke inside of her. The feeling of Rini's touch caressed her warmly and Serena suddenly felt her strength gaining. Was it because her moon locket was returned to her and the power of the Silver Crystal repelled the fumes of the Dark Crystal? Or did merely Rini's touch heal her?

Calmness swept through Serena's soul and it felt comforting inside of her as her strength gained, allowing herself to stand up proudly before Prince Diamond, who was taken by this sudden bound confidence Serena displayed in her memorizing blue eyes. They were determined, showing no sign of weakness whatsoever.

From the shock, Prince Diamond acted upon impulse as he started to swell dark energy up his arm from the power of the Dark Crystal to regain his control of Serena.

"Surrender!" He cried out as he sent a powerful blast of dark energy toward the redeemed Serena. Rini's trembling hands gripped onto the skirt of her dress, but she didn't look away as Serena stared back at Prince Diamond with no desire to hide from the dark energy's path.

She clasped the moon locket against her chest, feeling its holy power pulsing through her veins as it became one with her body and soul once again, a familiar sensation that she had missed for so long.

"You will pay for all of the trouble and heartache you've caused me and my loved ones, Prince Diamond!" Her eyes boiled with power as she raised her arm high over her head, with her milky pink moon locket tightly in her palm.

Her sky blue eyes suddenly started to glow softly with a pale white light and this caught Prince Diamond's attention as he recognized those eyes from somewhere before. Before he uttered a word or cry, Serena was overtaken by the power of the Silver Crystal as she announced proudly her battle cry.

"Moon Crystal Power!!"

When those words so naturally breathed from her lips, Serena was engulfed in a beautiful, glowing protective light that repelled against the dark magic that attempted to harm her and her daughter. Rini placed an arm protectively in front of her eyes as streams of dark energy darted in every direction of the empty room except at either Serena or Rini.

Rini slowly raised her head up and stared in awe as the powerful light observed her mother into its gentle and warm embrace.

Serena held her moon locket proudly over her head as its lid opened to reveal the all-mighty Silver Crystal. Its perfect sphere glossed with the milky pink light as it circled all around her bare body.

The moon locket floated in between her hands as she lashed it against her chest and sprung around inside of the pink dome. She lifted her arms gracefully over her head as her moon locket glistened and revealed long, angelic wings on her back and a white body cast embodied her magically. Red ribbons poured itself out of her moon locket while she danced around like a ballerina in its whirlpool.

Her arms outstretched while the red ribbon swirled around her arms and transformed into skin tight white gloves that reached up to her elbows. The ribbons caressed her body as it encircled around her long, slender legs to alter into red high-heeled boots. The ribbons gradually grasped around her waist as it too transformed into a mystical garment: a rich blue mini skirt that ended at her mid-thigh.

Serena had her eyes calmly closed as her body danced to the sway of the melodic moonlight and magic she felt flowing through her body as a back bow formed behind her skirt. She outstretched her arms and arched her neck, eyes still closed, as a golden light shined over her forehead to reveal the golden crescent moon. It quickly flashed as earrings, a golden tiara, and red garments on her hair-buns became a part of her.

She lightly smiled ahead of her as she curved her body to a final stance: her arm at her hips with the other slipped two fingers out on her forehead. A beautiful vision of the crescent moon shined transparently behind her.

Soon, the pink dome dimmed and the light finally faded back from whence it came. And instead of Serena standing for Prince Diamond, by some sort of miracle—or magic—Sailor Moon stood before him.

"Impossible…" Prince Diamond whispered, astounded by the heroine's sudden appearance, but he also stared at her in awe.

Sailor Moon's sunshine blonde hair fell over her strong blue eyes as she looked at Prince Diamond, finally back in action and ready to fight. The small red gem on her golden tiara glistened as she took a step forward, her hand tightened into a fist as she gave a confident grin at Prince Diamond.

"It takes more than to cloud my mind with your trickery, Prince Diamond! For the heart is more powerful than the mind. My love for my friends, Darien, and Rini surpass all obstacles and illusions you may throw at me."

She raised her arms up and crossed them against her chest as her legs parted for another stance. "And for all of the unmoral, selfish, disgusting actions you've done to this planet, to Crystal Tokyo, to Rini, to me…In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

"Well then, Sailor Moon…" Prince Diamond crossed his arms, staring her admiringly. "I must say that I am impressed…but sooner or later." His voice held venom and contempt as he continued, "It won't be enough for you to escape from my palace."

"Not if I can help it." With a snap of her fingers, white stars and feathers whooshed around her wrist until it flashed into a pale, dim light to expand her red and white scepter.

"Take this!" Prince Diamond shouted as he stabbed her with his attacks. She tried to counterattack the blast with one of her own tricks.

"Moon Scepter Elimination!"

Sparkles of light flashed from within the scepter and it quickly collided with the dark energy blasts. Both attacks were evenly matched. Prince Diamond and Sailor Moon both struggled to concentrate more power into their attacks.

Sailor Moon groaned as her body started to slide backward toward where Rini stood.

"Rini…" She said with much struggle. Rini listened carefully.

"When our attacks break apart, head for the exit, okay?"

"But what about—"

"Don't worry about a thing." She smiled lightly though the pain of dark energy slowly creeping to her electrocuted her skin. "We'll beat this clown together. But for now, we have to get back to the others. We're gonna get out of here, I promise." She exclaimed with pride in her voice.

Rini couldn't help but admire the bravery that mirrored Sailor Moon as she fought against Prince Diamond to protect them both. She nodded her head in agreement and took a stance of her own, to prepare to make their escape.

"1…."

Sailor Moon, with one hand, grasped the tiara on her forehead lightly, letting the red gem sparkle brightly against her fingers.

"2…"

She held it with a firm grip as she detached it from her forehead. Rini bent her legs low.

"…3! Moon Tiara Magic!"

A blinding light caught Prince Diamond off guard a small, spinning light sliced and cut through the colliding powers of light and darkness. It came storming toward him and its brilliance was reflected in his eyes.

"What the—" He started before he was engulfed in light.

Sailor Moon and Rini panted heavily as they raced through the labyrinth of the fortress. Sailor Moon could feel from the back of her neck as the hairs of her neck stood up against her skin, that Prince Diamond's evil aroma was close, catching up to them.

"There's gotta be a way out of here! Do you know the way?" Rini asked loudly.

Sailor Moon chuckled, "I never was good with directions…"

A sweat beaded down Rini's cheek, annoyed by her ignorance and lack of directions,

"Serena…"

"Hey! You got here, didn't you?" Sailor Moon argued, "You should know where to go from here!"

"Hehe…I don't," Rini confessed which caused Sailor Moon to groan in frustration.

"I know a way." A calm voice softly called out to them.

Sailor Moon and Rini froze, their ears sensitive to any sound, "Who's there?" They called out.

Sailor Moon motherly clutched Rini against her as she turned her head around to see a slender figure leaning against a Roman Column. His midnight eyes glanced at her blankly as his winter black hair fell mysteriously into those cool, yet familiar eyes.

"Who are you?" Sailor Moon asked as her lips quivered in fear.

The mysterious man crossed his arms against his chest and scoffed at her for her ignorance. But he answered to her willingly.

"A loyal member to the Black Moon Family," He answered.

Sailor Moon held Rini tightly in her arms as the figure finally stepped away from the shadows and faded into the light. Sailor Moon's breath was caught in her throat as Prince Diamond's younger brother, Sapphire, revealed himself to his enemy.

He looked only a few years older than her, but his soft youthful features gave him a sense of gentleness and care that she had never seen before. But his eyes glared at her with disdain, but only for a moment as he glanced at her and the young child in her arms.

"I may not like you, Sailor Moon," He addressed to her, "And I may think that my brother is watching his time with a big nuisance and problem."

"Nuisance…?" Sailor Moon coughed from his unexpected response.

"But…"He said softly and somehow, his looked somewhat gentle and stared with longing or even pity…or was it a glimmer of hope? Sailor Moon couldn't comprehend his masked eyes.

"You are the only hope any of us have to end this ridiculous war…so…" Sapphire stared behind him and snapped his gloved fingers, exploding dark energy from his hands.

Sailor Moon and Rini turned around to discover a lit tunnel that reflected the grounds of Crystal Tokyo just outside of the fortress. They stared back at Sapphire as he started to step back into the shadows and into the bowls of darkness.

"Wait…" Sailor Moon said and grabbed onto his dark blue jacket. This caught him by surprise. He looked over her to see her stare at him with such tenderness it made him flushed scarlet red across his pale cheeks.

"Thank you…for helping me and my daughter…at least I know that not all bad guys are…well, bad." Sailor Moon gave him a quick hug that took him by surprise once again and a friendly handshake before storming back to Rini's side and running into the tunnel of light.

Before the tunnel disappeared, Rini looked back at Sapphire, winked at him, and shouted, "Good-bye! And thanks!"

Emptiness overtook the hallways again and the phantoms took their rightful place against the walls and in the air of the fortress, leaving Sapphire cold and alone…but mostly confused on what just occurred.

He rubbed his gloved hand against his flushed cheek confusingly as he glanced at where Sailor Moon and Rini once stood.

He scoffed, denying any warm, satisfying feeling he might have felt from their gratitude.

"Humans are such strange and stupid creatures," He uttered before fading his appearance into the darkness of the night.

Moonlight bathed on the two girls with comfort and hope as it guided them through the broken pathways of the empty city of what was once the glamorous and beautiful Crystal Tokyo. Their hearts raced with the desire and anticipation to return to their friends. Sailor Moon sighed deeply with passion of the vision of Tuxedo Mask holding her safely in his arms and sweetening her with his kisses and everlasting love.

Both she and Rini ran faster and faster, passing through the dead trees which stood barely alive from the constant snowfall and the battles that this war cursed nature upon. Their dead branches and twigs that hung by the edges and their surroundings remained completely still. Fallen trees were over the short trimmed grass, their trunks broken apart and shredded from a lightning rod. Surely, it began to snow above them.

Over the hills, showered in moonlight, was the Crystal Tokyo Palace. Sailor Moon and Rini cheered for victory as they made their way home.

But suddenly, a dark presence crept up Sailor Moon's spine, causing her to stop in her tracks. Rini was a few feet away from her and glanced back at her. She looked at her curiously; mostly confused as to why Sailor Moon had stopped when they were so close to being free.

"Sailor Moon? What's wrong?" She called out.

Without Rini being aware, a dark caliginous fog formed quietly behind her, expanding until arm like roots began to stretch as if a monstrous being was awakening from its deep slumber. A quiet, ghoulish laughter rang in Rini's ears causing her body to grow limb and cold with fright.

"Rini!" Sailor Moon cried out as Wiseman slowly formed behind Rini. She turned around slowly and for a brief moment, thought she saw a corpse hovering over her with red eyes flashing at her for her body to be numbed and motionless. Her ruby eyes dilated as she lost herself in its gaze. She dropped the Luna-P Ball from her arms, letting it bounce off the ground.

"Ku ku ku…" The sinister voice chuckled as its scaly hands made its way to grasp Rini, mocking the image of a father-like figure embracing his arms to a child. Under Wiseman's enchantment upon her tiny body, her arms outstretched, encouraged him to come forth, and swept her away in his arms. He was about to reach her when suddenly, Sailor Moon grabbed Rini by the shoulder, releasing her from his trance, and pulled her against Sailor Moon's body.

Rini cried with horror from the figure she saw as Wiseman chuckling at her, with his creepy hands nudging at her to grab. Sailor Moon swung Rini behind her protectively, holding up her scepter as Wiseman continued to laugh.

He held up a clear crystal ball in his almost transparent hands. His empty sockets for eyes began to illuminant bloody red as the glow of the crystal ball became strong.

"You are mine, Princess of the Moon," He declared as he sent a powerful blast toward Sailor Moon and Rini, which caused the little one to screech loudly with horror.

Sailor Moon covered Rini completely with her body as she outstretched the reach of her scepter and allowed it to concentrate with power as she stood protectively over her daughter.

The thought of her safety clouded Sailor Moon's mind as the dark energy started to consume her. But she brushed the dreadful sensation from her mind as sparkles of light started to explode from her scepter, signaling her to attack .Her eyes opened wide and her mouth arched opened as she cried, engulfing everyone in light,

"Moon Scepter Elimination!"

OMG! Another cliff-hanger? XD Aren't I evil?? Anyways, to let you know, and are soups for the writer's soul. They're soooo helpful with the right words to use. I hope you liked the chapter ;)

Sorry, no previews. Make your own predictions, hehehehe ;)