We're coming to a close, everybody! I want to thank all of you once again for sticking with me throughout this story and picking it in the first place when there are hundreds of better stories out there. I love all of you!

Love,

Pegasus'Horn

Thorny Roses

Chapter 22

Chibiusa felt her head begin to throb as she opened her eyes. She sat up, shivering from the cold. She was still dressed in her pajamas. She looked around, feeling fear heavy in her stomach like rocks.

She was in a medium-sized room, the color of dark purple. The walls seemed shiny, as though they were made of diamond or glass. Chibiusa attempted to stand up and walk around but a tug on her wrists notified her of the chains around her wrists.

She pulled and thrashed, becoming more desperate with every passing second. With one more pull, she slipped from the lack of friction under her feet, falling to the ground. She painfully banged her chin on the hard floor. Chibiusa closed her eyes, feeling tears of pain and frustration well up in her eyes.

"So, this is the Rabbit that has been evading us all this time?"

Chibiusa looked up, seeing a tall man with short, white hair. His eyes were a cold and malicious purple, much like her cell.

"Hmph," he scoffed. "How pathetic."

"Sailor Moon and the Senshi are gonna save me!" Chibiusa thrashed against her chains. "And then Tuxedo Mask and the Shitennou are going to beat you up!"

Diamond sneered. "That idiot Tuxedo Mask won't be saving you anytime soon—we're in the future, Rabbit."

"T-the f-f-future?" Chibiusa stuttered. "…Daddy…Mommy…"

Diamond stiffened at the mention of Chibiusa's parents. He examined the girl before him. At a glance, she was quite different from her mother.

Her mother's beauty in her is marred by her father's genes, Diamond thought.

But still, he could see slight resemblances between the girl and Neo-Queen Serenity. Especially in the way the Rabbit glared. Like now.

"They will save me. And you are going to lose because Sailor Moon always succeeds," Chibiusa growled.

Diamond narrowed his eyes dangerously. "We'll see, Rabbit. We'll see."

He turned on his heel and disappeared, leaving Chibiusa alone in the dark cell.

…

Emerald and Sapphire waited in the throne room. Diamond appeared and walked over to his throne.

Sapphire shared a glance with Emerald before he stepped forward.

"So, has the Rabbit been captured?" Sapphire asked.

"Oh, yes. She has been captured," Diamond said nonchalantly. He picked up a wine glass beside him, swirling it around before taking a sip.

"What do you plan to do with her?" Emerald asked.

"I plan to use her as bait for Sailor Moon. Perhaps I'll make a trade with those pathetic Senshi and Shitennou: the Rabbit for Sailor Moon. Maybe I'll be able to kill Endymion, as well," Diamond gleefully said.

Emerald and Diamond looked at each other in alarm.

Wiseman materialized in the room. "Diamond, I ask you to reconsider this plan."

Diamond snorted. "Now, why would I ever do that? If I take the past-form of Neo-Queen Serenity, I will have Serenity as well as the Earth. Why would I need Endymion's brat in the picture?"

Wiseman glowered but was hidden well behind his hood.

"Very well." Wiseman disappeared, appearing before Chibiusa's cell door.

I must act quickly if my plan is to take place. I won't serve that pathetic fool Diamond any longer. Wait, my Dark Crystal. Soon, our dreams will come to fruition.

…

Usagi had collapsed on the floor, a complete mess. Mamoru kneeled beside her, cradling her in his arms.

"We're so sorry, Usagi," Petz continued.

"We have to save her," Usagi said.

"It's impossible! There's no way to get to the future," Berthier said. "Not unless you have a Time and Space Key."

"They used to be built into our systems when we were a part of the Black Moon Clan. After you purified us, they disappeared," Rubeus explained.

"Yeah, the only way you'll be getting to future is if you happened to have connections to the Guardian of Space and Time," Calaveras snorted.

The Senshi and Shitennou suddenly perked up. "I'll go get Puu!" Ami said, Zoicite following behind her.

"Puu?" Koan asked.

"Only…THE GUARDIAN OF SPACE AND TIME!" Jadeite boasted to Calaveras.

Rei smacked his head. "Immature bastard," she muttered.

"You know you love me, baby girl," Jadeite winked. Rei only rolled her eyes.

Ami returned with the cat ball in her hands. Zoicite tapped on the ball, trying to get it to awaken.

"What do we have to do to call Sailor Pluto?" Minako asked.

"I have no idea," Zoicite muttered. He tapped on the eyes. "Um, Sailor Pluto?"

"You have to be louder," Nephrite said matter-of-factly. "SAILOR PLUTO!"

"Well, that sure worked," Jadeite snorted.

"I heard you the first time, no need to shout," Sailor Pluto's hologram materialized before them.

"Damn," Jadeite swore.

"Pay up, Jay," Kunzite smirked, holding open his hand. "Nephrite got something right. Pay up."

The Senshi watched with disbelief (at their awful timing) and with humor as Jadeite slapped a couple wads of cash in Kunzite's waiting hand.

"Wait…you guys made a bet on this?" Nephrite asked.

"Seriously?" Minako shook her head. "Now is not the time."

"Don't worry, I think you're always right," Makoto smiled.

"Thanks, babe," Nephrite smiled.

"Sure thing," Makoto replied. "Now, pay up," she said, turning to Jadeite. He placed money in her hand, too.

"I suck at betting," Jadeite muttered.

"Obviously," Rei said.

"Anyways," Usagi cleared her throat, looking towards Sailor Pluto. Her hologram stood at the center of the table, allowing everyone a good look.

"Sailor Pluto, Chibiusa has been kidnapped by the Black Moon Clan. We need to go save her so you need to get us through to the future," Usagi said.

Sailor Pluto did not look surprised or shocked in the least. She nodded her head.

"Wait a few minutes, I will open a portal."

The hologram disappeared and for a few seconds no one spoke. Suddenly, a swirling light appeared in the center of the living room. A door framed by stone faded into focus.

Everyone stood, staring at the door and at each other.

"Everyone, transform," Usagi said.

In half a second, everyone was ready. Sailor Moon looked to the Shitennou apologetically.

"Actually, I want you guys to stay behind," she sheepishly said.

"WHAT?!" They yelled.

"Why?" Kunzite asked, slightly hurt.

"I need you guys to stay behind and protect Tokyo. There's a big chance they make come back to the past or something," Sailor Moon explained.

"But we can't let you guys go off on your own," Nephrite exclaimed, particularly looking at Makoto.

"Nephrite, she has a point," Tuxedo Mask said. "As much as we need the numbers, we need someone to watch over Tokyo in our present."

Zoicite stared at Ami for a long time before nodding. "Fine. But please take care of yourselves and each other. I'll try to tweak my communicator so that I can communicate with you guys even if we're in different times."

"Sounds like a plan," Sailor Moon said. She reached over and opened the door, which emit a bright white light.

"Ready?" Tuxedo Mask grabbed Sailor Moon's gloved hand.

She nodded. "Yes. Let's go save Chibiusa."

…

Emerald and Sapphire stood around the corner, staring at the door to Chibiusa's cell.

"We have to save her," Sapphire said, not removing his eyes from the door.

"How, Sapphire? We can't just take her!" Emerald hissed. She was still a little skeptical about trusting Sailor Moon. "She's heavily guarded."

"But we can't just sit here," Sapphire insisted.

Little did they know, another being was waiting around another corner, wondering how he would get to the Rabbit, as well.

Wiseman hid in the shadows, slightly irritated. He wasn't able to get into the cell, for some strange reason. There seemed to be another force stopping him, possible from the Rabbit herself. Regardless, he would not be able to just pop into the cell and take her.

Besides, her screams would immediately alert the guards and Diamond of his plan.

Right at that moment, two Yuma appeared, from the end of the hallway. Wiseman watched, as did Sapphire and Emerald, as the Yuma opened Chibiusa's cell and entered, dragging her by the chains. She attempted to struggle, dragging her feet on the ground. The Yuma harshly pulled on her chains, causing her to fall to the ground again.

Chibiusa bit back a cry of pain, a few tears welling up in her eyes. Her lower lip trembled as the Yuma hissed and chuckled at her. Sapphire and Emerald felt a stab of pity for the young girl. Wiseman only saw potential in her emotional weakness.

Chibiusa examined the hallways as they two large Yuma led her somewhere. All of the hallways looked the same. Even if she were able to escape, she would become lost in this maze.

They stopped at a pair of double doors. The doors began to open and Chibiusa was pulled into a large, tall room—what she assumed to be the throne room due to the raised throne seated at the top of a few stairs.

Sitting atop the throne was none other than Diamond.

"So, Rabbit, how are you enjoying your stay?" Diamond smirked after the Yuma left Chibiusa in the room.

Chibiusa only glared. Diamond stopped smiling, again amazed by the similarities between the girl and her mother.

"Answer someone when they ask you a question, Rabbit," Diamond growled, leaning over her small form. "Didn't anyone ever teach you respect?"

"Coming from the person who kidnapped a little girl because he's infatuated with her mother. Some respect," Chibiusa snorted under her breath.

Diamond steamed. He didn't realize the Rabbit had any wit. He shook away his anger, turning to walk around her, much like circling his prey.

"Anyways…you have something I want, Rabbit," Diamond nonchalantly continued.

Chibiusa stiffened but betrayed no other emotions.

"Something small, something that should belong to me…something you're father is taking advantage of," Diamond continued.

Huh? Chibiusa was confused. "Wait, what? What is my father taking advantage of?"

"Your mother, of course."

To be continued…

The final chapters will be written in continuous parts with no time passing between them I'm doing this so that I will be able to update more often.

Love,

Pegasus'Horn