Chapter 2: A New Evil

      Rini hopped along the street to the temple on Cherry Hill. Today, Raye promised that she would tell her fortune.

"This is going to be so much fun," Rini said to herself. Darien was no fun lately, he just sat and thought. He seemed so sad, but when she asked him what was wrong, he'd just reply nothing. Today, he went over to Andrew's arcade, leaving Rini by herself. She walked herself up the steps, but she saw all the girls chatting.

"Hey! Raye promised me a private fortune, I don't want her to say it to all of them!" she said aloud quietly. Their conversation seemed to be intense, like it was something really important, so Rini decided to hid and listen in.

"I don't know what happened. I really didn't see any problems with Darien and I. Now he just laid this on me. What do you guys think?" Serena almost sobbed out.

"I don't know, I kind of feel the same as you," Lita replied first," I thought you guys were the perfect couple."

"Yeah, me too. It seemed that your guys' chemistry was really good for each other," Amy said.

"I don't know, I didn't seem to see any problems between you and him, but obviously something's got to be the matter between you two," Raye commented.

"Raye, that's so mean, why did you say that?" Lita interrogated. Raye sighed in exasperation and continued.

"I didn't mean to be offensive, SO DON'T BITE MY HEAD OFF ALL RIGHT!" Everyone seemed to quiet down at her outburst. Just then, Chad came out of the temple with a big broom.

"Hey, what's going on, I thought I heard the beginning of a cat fight. Man, those can be real vicious. I didn't want to miss it."

"No Chad, no catfight here," Lita told him.

"Aww man... Oh well, what'cha  guys up to? Anything I can help with?"

"NO Chad, get back in the house and finish your chores before Grandpa has a coronary!" Raye nearly screamed at him, ticked for butting in their conversation. He ran in the house, in dire fear of what she might do.

"Anyway as I was say-"

"So what's with you and Chad?" Lita interjected her.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Oh you know, I think there's something going on between you two," she replied.

"That's crazy! There NOTHING going on between me and Chad."

"Are you sure, because I think there is too," Mina agreed.

      "NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT! Now we are not getting in to this and let me finish what I was talking about earlier before I forget!" she yelled in a huff.

"Okay, whatever you say," Lita backed off.

"Anyway," she started up again, "Every one of you knows what Darien is like, especially you Serena. He's not the type to just go off and do something without a perfectly good reason. I don't know why, but I think the reason he broke up with you has nothing to do with your actual relationship. Just be patient and see what happens." Nobody spoke, Raye's words were full of wisdom and it seemed like a good alternative, but Serena was unsure.

"I don't know Raye, what if it is, maybe I'm just not a good girlfriend and Darien wanted someone more mature maybe," she suggested.

"Don't be silly Serena. Come on, don't let this get you down," Mina consoled, "I've got an idea, how about we all go to the mall and get makeovers done. I heard a really cool boutique just opened up and they're giving discounts!"

"Yeah!" Lita agreed, "Come on, this ought to cheer ya up Serena!"

"I guess...but I get to go first!" she exclaimed.

            Rini couldn't believe her ears. Serena and Darien broke up? How could this be? No wonder Darien's been depressed. It wasn't fair!

I can't let this go on any further, they have to get back together, Rini thought. Before she could think of anything else, Rini lost her balance and stumbled backwards, landing with a loud thud.

"Huh? What was that?" Serena asked. The girls just shrugged until they saw Rini running down the steps.

"She heard our whole conversation, oh that little eavesdropper!" Serena said, very annoyed.

"Hey, take it easy, I'm sure she won't say anything," Lita said.

"Well, ya never know!"

"Don't worry about it. I was supposed to tell her fortune today and I totally forgot. That's probably why she was over here," Raye explained.

"Oh.... anyway, let's head to the mall!!" Serena cheered.

      "She cheered up really fast," Amy said to Lita.

"Yeah, well be thankful she doesn't have her mind on the break-up. They can be really tough, I've been through my share of them."

      "Yes, that's true. I hope she gets back to normal soon. It's much better than the sad Serena."

Meanwhile

Emerald lurked down the hallways of her desolate home. Diamond wouldn't let her compete with the scouts and it completely pissed her off. Was she not strong enough? Smart enough? Of course she was. She could do a lot better than that half-wit Rubeus.

I hope Diamond doesn't compare me with that moronic brute. He was given four of the best warriors and he let them be brainwashed by that ditz Sailor Moon. Now they're all goody-goody. Oh please, nothing more could make me sick, other than the fact that Diamond's pining away at some stupid girl that could possibly mean destruction to our world. This busty blonde couldn't take it anymore, she would soon demand some action be taken by Diamond.

We can't let those dumb-ass Sailor Scouts get the best of us. Why can't Diamond see that!! Emerald thought with such frustration that she didn't even see Sapphire bolting down the hall.

"Oomph!" she cried out when she was knocked to the ground. Emerald looked up to see Sapphire's grim face.

"What are you so damn pissy about?" she asked as he helped her off the ground.

"You'd be mad at the same reasons. Diamond's just sitting around pensively while there's so much work to be done. It's making me angry," he growled, his blue eyes giving an icy glare.

"And the way he's all over that girl Sailor Moon, that makes me angry too!" Emerald justified.

"What for? Are you jealous Emerald?" Sapphire inquired in a cocky tone. She flushed a cherry red at the accuracy of his allegation. Still, she would not let him know it was true.

"No, of course not. I'm a hundred times better and more beautiful than that little bitch," she declared.

"Then I wonder why he likes her and not you," he laughed as he walked on past Emerald. His last words echoed in her mind and will soon drive her to madness.

I must prove myself worthy again in my prince's eyes,' she told herself, once I beat that witless little idiot, Diamond will see how much better I am than her.

Diamond and Emerald had been lovers before. Their affair was quite heated; there was never a night that they were separated. The two years had been complete and utter bliss for Emerald, she thought that they would be together forever. However, she was then brought to the sick sensation of reality. Everything was just fine until the "Wiseman" showed up to advise young Diamond. He was the first to show him the Imperium Silver Crystal the power he would wield if he captured it. The Wiseman also showed him the bearer of the crystal, the beautiful Neo Queen Serenity of the 30th Century. Their early attempts to achieve the crystal had failed, so they decided to go back into the past to retrieve it. The plan was going okay, in a sense that Diamond claimed to know what he was doing and how to get the crystal. Once he laid eyes on that Sailor Moon; however, marked the end of Emerald. Diamond demanded their separation, saying that he needed time to plan and couldn't be tied down by any woman. Emerald knew full well that was a flaming pile of bullshit. Diamond's every waking thought was of Sailor Moon and she knew that once he gained power, Sailor Moon would be his next target. Not to kill her of course, but to make her his forever perhaps. The very thought made Emerald want to vomit. She would prove to Diamond that she was better, or at least die trying.