Diamond in the Rough

Chapter Ten: To the future!

The Sailor Senshi ran over a dark plain towards the distant Crystal Palace, as Chibi-Usa cried out that the enemy was attacking. Something fell from the sky and the palace exploded, the blast sending the Senshi flying. Chibi-Usa called out to their limp, unmoving bodies, and then she began to scream. She awoke in bed, gasping for breath and clutching her time key.

Morning. Chibi-Usa was standing in a park with the senshi.

"Please, Save my mother" Chibi-Usa was begging.

"We wil go to the future and help her, I promise" Minako said.

"No!" Another voice said firmly. They turned to see Sailor Cosmic Moon.

"Why not?" Usagi asked.

"Because, dangerous things happen when you meddle with time. I shouldn't be here and Chibi-Usa shouldn't be here, but we are both here for a reason. However, if you go to Chibi-Usa's future, you will endanger her and yourselves far more than staying here" Cosmic Moon explained.

"What do you mean?" Chibi-Usa asked.

"Wiseman plans to use you as a pawn Chibi-Usa" Cosmic Moon explained. "And Diamond will kidnap Usagi"

"Wait a second" Raye said. "You're from further in the future, so even if this stuff happens, everything is okay, right?"

"Wrong" Cosmic Moon said. "Chibi-Usa and Usagi will both suffer greatly and since I know what is in store for them, I can tell you that it nearly costs both of them thier lives. Yes, they do survive, however, Chibi-Usa will always remember the horrors she unleashed, and Usagi will always remember Diamond lips on hers. Do not go to the future. I will go and see what I can do" The senshi were not entirely convinced.

"I am going to" Chibi-Usa said firmly. Cosmic Moon sighed.

"Very well" She said quietly. "But you musn't leave my sight" Chibi-Usa nodded and lifted her key activating it.

"I request permission to cross time and space" She said loudly. The wind rose around them, a beam of light descended from the clouds, and the two vanished.

Sailor Cosmic appeared alone in a vague grey expanse.

"Chibi-Usa!" She called, but there was no response. A small building loomed ahead and she went towards it, but was suddenly challenged by an indistinct figure with a staff, who accused her of breaking an important Taboo, approaching the Door to Time. The figure then attacked!

"Pluto it's me! Rika!" Cosmic Moon shouted. Pluto came into the clearing just as Chibi-Usa appeared.

"Rika, you wish to return home already?" She questioned. Rika shook her head.

"I couldn't convince everyone that coming to Chibi-Usa's future was a bad idea, so I offered to go instead. I won't let Wiseman take Chibi-Usa" Rika promised.

"I know you won't. Do you really want to go there. It's dangerous right now" Pluot said quietly.

"I understand" Rika said, confidently.

Pluto then turned and opened the doors behind her with a command and her staff. Rika and Chibi-Usa has to enter the corridor of time to reach the gateway to Crystal Tokyo. It was hard to pass through, so they had to be careful.

"Protect Chibi-Usa" Pluto said. Rika turned to face the senshi.

"Aren't you coming with us?" She asked.

"I have to stay here" Pluto replied. Rika nodded and she and Chibi-Usa vanished into the mist.

When they arrived in the corridor, they were faced by a powerful wind.

"I don't know if I can make it!" Chibi-Usa cried, struggling. Rika scooped her up, though it was odd to be holding the girl who would grow up to be her mother. Rika braved the wind and struggled onward.

Meanwhile, on the Dark Moon their presence had become known. Diamond and the others were amazed they were trying to pass through the corridor. Wiseman appeared then.

"It is time to capture the rabbit and the ginzuishou" He told them. "Once we add their power to that of the black crystal, the Dark Moon will be invincible" He laughed as did Diamond and Emerald. Sapphire said nothing. Diamond watched the monitor and eyed the white haired girl. She was beautiful and she looked exactly like the Queen, except for her hair.

"Emerald, Sapphire! capture the rabbit. Then bring the new senshi to me" Emerald and Sapphire were startled. "I want her unharmed"

Sapphire shook his head.

"This is Wiseman's fault" He snapped. "He's twisted Diamond's mind somehow" Emerald agreed but said nothing. She wondered about the senshi that Diamond had asked them to capture.

Rika advanced through the corridor with considerable difficulty. Chibi-Usa tightened her arms around Rika's neck.

A familiar laugh was heard and Emerald appeared above them!

"This is as far as you shall go" She said laughing, blasting them with dark energy. Rika continues to hold on tightly to Chibi-Usa as they found themselves in a different place. Emerald landed and summoned a droid, as it would be easier for it to move through the passage.

"Kill the older one" She told the droid. Then she disapeared.

"Rika, look!" Chibi-Usa pointed and in the distance they saw a glow. Rika and Chibi-Usa began to walk towards the glow.

Chibi-Usa saw a shape in the distance, the gateway to Crystal Tokyo. Suddenly a voice called out to her, and a figure appeared. It wass Neo-Queen Serenity!

"Mama!". Chibi-Usa cried, breaking away from Rika.

"No!" Rika shouted.

"I missed you rabbit" The Queen said. Chibi-Usa stopped in her tracks. Mama never called her rabbit. Only the bad guys did. The "Queen" revealed herself to be the droid.

"You're such a smart little girl" The droid said, advancing on her.

"Cosmic Moon Flare" Rika attacked. "Back off!" She snapped. The droid whipped its head around. The droid blasted Rika, but the senshi maintained her ground. Rika tried to attack the droid, but her attack bounced off so she decided to use the crystal. She knew that if everything went right in the past, then her sister would inherit the crystal and not her, so she might as well use it. She powered up the crystal and it shattered the droid. Rika grabbed Chibi-Usa's hand and they went through the gateway. When it swung open, they were greeted to a view of a dark and blasted city...