AN - Once again, my information might be a *little* off. I don't remember exactly what happens in the episode of Sailor Moon I'm referring to. Just thought I'd warn you, lol.

"Small Lady, this way, please," a blue-haired woman told the tiny girl as she grabbed her hand. "Your mother awaits you."

"Sailor Mercury," the little girl replied. "What's going on? Why are we running?"

"There's no time to explain right now, Princess," Mercury replied. "The palace is under attack, and we need to get you to safety quickly."

"Under attack," Rini asked. "Does that mean that . . ."

"There's no time to explain," Mercury repeated as she burst into the throne room. "I've returned with your daughter, Neo Queen Serenity."

"Come here, sweetie," Serenity said as she opened her arms. Rini jumped into her mother's arms and began to cry.

"I'm scared, Mommy," she whimpered.

"Shh, it will all be okay," Serenity cooed.

"Neo Queen Serenity, I must go join the other Scouts. Will you and Small Lady be okay here by yourselves," Mercury asked.

"Of course. Go, protect the castle," the Queen answered. The other woman curtsied and turned to leave. "Sailor Mercury?"

"Yes, my Queen," she replied.

"Please, you and the others, please be careful," Serenity said with concern.

"Of course. We'll be fine," Mercury said with a smile. She left the throne room, and closed the door behind her.

"Mommy, I want to help, too," Rini said. Serenity smiled down at her daughter and shook her head. "But . . ."

"No buts, Rini. Please," Serenity interrupted with a sigh. She grasped the little girl and looked deep into her eyes. "Now, just go to my chambers. You'll be safer there."

"Mommy, I want to stay here with you," Rini exclaimed. "Where's Daddy? I want to stay with both of you!"

"No, Small Lady, and that is final," Serenity replied firmly. "Now please, go to my chambers. I will summon for you when it's safe." Tears filled the little girl's eyes, and she ran off. "I'm sorry, my sweet daughter," Serenity said softly. "I don't mean to be harsh." She closed her eyes in concentration as an explosion rocked the throne room wall . . .

"They always treat me like a baby," Rini sobbed as she ran down the hallway. She lost her balance as she ran, and tripped and fell. She cried out in pain and surprise, but bit her lower lip. "I refuse to cry," she shouted. "I'm going to help whether they like it or not!" She stood and slowly made her way down the hall. She stopped as she passed the room where the Silver Emperial Crystal was kept. She cautiously entered the room and stood before the crystal.

"You are to never touch the crystal," the phantom voice of Neo Queen Serenity whispered.

"I know, Mommy, but I have to help you," Rini cried. "I want to help you and the others!"

"The power of the crystal is far too great for a little girl to handle," the voice echoed. "It's far too dangerous."

"I don't care, Mommy," Rini exclaimed. "I'm going to prove that I'm as strong as you are!"

"Please always remember my words, my sweet daughter. I love you more than you'll ever know," the voice said as it faded away.

Rini shook her mother's words out of her head. "Sorry, Mom," she apologized. "I've got to try to help!" She slowly reached towards the crystal, and as she picked it up, it began to glow. "What's happening," she exclaimed fearfully. She gasped as it disappeared. "Oh no!" Rini began to sob, and as the crescent moon on her forehead appeared and began to shine, she squeezed her eyes shut. Light burst out all around her, and she disappeared. When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in front of a large door.

"Welcome, Small Lady," a woman holding a staff greeted.

"Sailor Pluto," Rini exclaimed. "How did I get here?"

"When you touched the crystal, it disappeared and you were brought here," Pluto answered. "For some reason, the crystal reacted to your inner powers."

"Where is the crystal now," asked Rini quietly. "What happened to it? I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"

"I'm afraid so, Small Lady," Pluto replied. "When the crystal disappeared, your mother needed it the most." Rini's eyes grew huge, and tears began to form in them. Pluto took the little girl into her arms and comforted her as she cried. "Now is the time for you to be strong, much like your mother. There is a way to help her."

Rini wiped away her tears and squared her shoulders bravely. "What do I have to do," she asked.

Pluto released the little girl and walked over to the door. She waved her staff in front of it, and the door began to open. "You must go through this portal I have opened. In the past, you must find your mother's younger self and convince her to give you her crystal. Unfortunately, I will not be able to help you. The journey will be a difficult one, but you must succeed if you wish to save your mother."

"Alright, Sailor Pluto," Rini replied. "I'll get the crystal, and I'll help my Mommy."

Pluto smiled and put a necklace around Rini's neck. "This key will bring you home when you find the crystal," she told her. "Be careful, Small Lady."

"I will," she replied. "I'll be back before anyone notices I'm gone." She smiled and waved to the older woman, and then disappeared into the portal.

"I certainly hope so, Small Lady," Pluto replied. She closed her eyes painfully as she sensed the screams of millions cease.

* * * * *

"Serena! Serena, wait for me," Molly yelled out as she ran to catch up with her friend. Serena stopped on the school's front steps, and waved as she turned towards her friend.

"Hi Molly," she greeted. "What's going on?"

"Not much," Molly replied. "I'm just waiting for Melvin to get out of class. We're going to go over to the arcade. Do you want to join us?"

"No thanks, Mol," she replied. "I'm just going to go home."

"Are you okay, Serena," Molly asked. "You almost never turn a trip to the arcade down."

"I'm fine," she said. "I just don't feel like going." At that moment, Melvin came bounding down the stairs.

"Hey Serena! Hello, my sweet," Melvin greeted the girls cheerfully. "Are you ready to go," he asked Molly as he grabbed her hand.

"Yes, let's go," she answered with a smile. "We'll see you later, Serena."

Serena watched as her two friends walked off. "I might as well head home," she sighed. As she walked along, she was deep in thought, and did not hear a motorcycle slow down beside her.

"Hey there, Princess. Do you need a lift," a man asked her. Serena turned towards the voice and smiled. There, sitting on his motorcycle, was Darien.

"Hi Darien," she greeted. She walked over to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "How was your day," she asked as she stood beside him.

"It was good," he replied. "So, do you want me to give you a ride home?"

She thought for a moment and then shook her head. "No, I think I'd rather walk," she said.

Darien cut the engine and got off of his bike. "What's wrong? You're not scared are you, my beautiful Meatball Head," he asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

Serena wiggled out of his grasp and glared at him. "Darien, I really wish that you . . ." She never finished her sentence because Darien kissed her.

"I'm sorry, Serena," he apologized. "Now come on, and I'll take you home." He picked her up and placed her on the back of the bike. After he put a helmet on her head, he, too, got on. "Hold on tight," he said as the engine roared to life. Serena wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his back. Then, with a sudden jerk, they were off.

* * * * *

"Oh where is Serena," Luna asked as she paced back and forth across the windowsill in Serena's bedroom. "She's late getting home again."

"You know Serena," Artemis said. "She probably has detention again."

"Yes, perhaps you're right," Luna replied. "But she has become so much more responsible lately. I suppose it was just too good to be true."

"Too good to last long, you mean," Artemis snickered.

"Now come on you two," Mina said. "I'm sure she has a good reason for being late. It's not detention because she was in school when I got there this morning." Mina moved from her position on Serena's bed, and sat down on the windowsill.

"I hope she hasn't run into any trouble," Luna said as she climbed into Mina's lap. All three looked out the window as a motorcycle pulled up to the house.

"Well, it looks like the mystery is solved," Artemis commented as Serena hopped off the back of the bike. The three watched Serena as she kissed the driver of the motorcycle, made her way up the sidewalk, and disappeared onto the porch. Seconds later, she came into her room.

"Hi Luna, sorry I'm late getting home. Darien decided to take the scenic route and . . . Oh! Mina, Artemis," she exclaimed. "What are you two doing here?"

"Wow, thanks for the greeting," Artemis remarked dryly.

Serena smiled and patted him on the head. "Sorry, Artemis," she apologized. "But why are you two here?"

"When did Darien get a motorcycle," Mina asked, ignoring Serena's question.

"He bought it last week," Serena replied. "If my father saw me on that death machine, he'd have a heart attack!"

"Well, the reason we're here," Artemis stated, "is because there's a Scout meeting at the Temple."

"Oh, I totally forgot about it," Serena said. "Rei's going to be so mad." She took out her communicator. "Rei? It's me, Serena," she spoke into it.

"Where are you? You're not in trouble, are you," Rei asked with concern.

"No, it's nothing like that," Serena reassured her. "I just wanted to let you know I'm on my way there right now. I got distracted by Darien this afternoon."

"Well hurry up, Meatball Head, and bring blondie along with you. I know she's over there," Rei said, referring to Mina.

"Hey," Mina could be heard shouting in the background.

"We'll be there soon," Serena said as she closed the link. Fifteen minutes later, everyone had gathered in the fire reading room.

"Wow, so Darien has a motorcycle, huh," Lita asked after Serena had explained why she was late. "Me and Freddie used to go riding all the time. It was so romantic."

"It was pretty exciting," Serena said. "But I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been in such a rotten mood."

Luna cleared her throat, and all eyes were on her. "You girls can gossip later," she told them. "Business first, ladies."

Rei kneeled down in front of the fire and began to chant. "Oh Great Spirit of Fire . . ."

"That won't be necessary, Sailor Mars," a voice said from the shadows. The five girls and two cats jumped to their feet.

"Alright, come out here, creep," Rei said angrily. Slowly, a figure emerged from the shadow, and everyone in the room gasped.

"Sailor Pluto," Luna exclaimed.

* * * * *

"Aah," Rini screamed as she fell from the sky. She was too scared to open her eyes as she plummeted towards the ground. "I'm going to die before I save my mommy," she said as she began to cry. Seconds later, she felt herself emerged in water. She opened her eyes and frantically looked around for the surface, and then quickly swam towards where she saw the sky. As she broke through the surface of the water, she took a deep breath. "Its' a good thing Sailor Mercury taught me those swimming techniques," she said.

"Hey," someone shouted from the shore. Rini looked in the direction the yell had come from, and began to swim towards the person. When she reached the shore, she saw a little boy about her age. "What are you doing swimming out there all alone," he asked. "Don't you know that you're supposed to have an adult watching you? Why are you swimming in your clothes?"

"It's none of your business," Rini told him. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

"You look like you're cold," the boy said. "Where are your parents? I can take you home, if you you'd like, because you look like you're lost."

Rini looked at the boy and decided that he wouldn't believe her if she told him where she was really from. "I'm staying with one of my mom's old friends," she said finally. "I . . . I . . . achoo!"

"Here," the boy said as he wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. "One of my friends lives nearby. She can dry your clothes so that you won't get sick."

"Thank you," Rini said as she allowed the boy to lead her in the direction of his friend's house. "So where do you live?"

"I live on the other side of town," he replied. "Do you see that road over there," he asked as he pointed behind them.

"Yes," she replied.

"That's the road you have to take to get back to the main part of the city. But I'm visiting my friends. That's whose house we're going to right now. Where do you live?"

"I live very far away," she said quietly. "My mom got hurt, and that's why I'm looking for this other person."

"I'm sorry about your mom. My parents almost got hurt once, too. But I thought you said you were staying with your mom's friend," the boy asked.

"Uh, I am," she quickly lied. "I just got separated from her. I'm sure I'll be able to find her again. My name is Rini. What's your name?"

"My name is . . . whoa," he said as he tripped over a rock. Rini giggled and helped him stand.

"Your name is whoa," she asked. The two children laughed as they continued on their way.