Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. It was made by a genius and I'm not that smart, though I might wish otherwise.

Author's Note: If the setting is the palace compound, I don't write the capital city, Manetheron, anymore. That's 'cause, on Earth, the palace is not considered part of the city. While it is located in the center of Manetheron, the palace compound is not considered part of the city but is a separate entity. Um… kind of how like Washington DC is not part of any other state and is a state all on itself? Something like that.

Chapter Six: Ladies And Gentlemen

August 16, 2:25 pm

Prince Endymion's Rooms, Gaia Palace, Earth

"This is just damn frustrating!" Nephrite groaned in frustration, plopping down on one of the stuffed chairs in Endymion's sitting room.

"It's like looking for a needle in a haystack." Kunzite rubbed his temples. "I can't believe how many women are in this kingdom!"

"Believe it," Endymion dryly replied, for he, more than anyone, knew just how many women were in the kingdom for they all have, at one time or another, been pushed at him or pushed themselves at him.

It was a week and a half after Endymion charged his generals with trying to find the identity of the mysterious blond lady who lost her memory. Night and day, the generals (for the prince has not left his rooms since the night the woman fell on him) tried to search for the woman's identity, couching their questions in the broadest terms possible to avoid suspicion. They didn't want anyone to know that she's been with the prince all this time – in his bed, in his bedroom, in his private chambers, and without a chaperon – because it would raise hell and none of them wanted that.

"About the girl, any improvements?" Zoisite leaned back tiredly and closed his eyes.

"She's getting better physically, if that's what you mean. She still hasn't regained her memory, though, or anything close to it. Her headaches and occasional bouts of dizziness have lessened too," Endymion replied.

"Is she still shy and timid?" Jadeite grinned. Two days after the doctor's visit, the generals met with her to ask a few questions to help them get started on their search. She spent the entire time blushing and avoiding their eyes, apologizing profusely and assuring them constantly that nothing did and would ever happen between her and Endymion. She kept insisting that she wasn't attracted to Endymion at all and assured them that she "wouldn't like him even if he were the last man on this planet". They left feeling quite protective of her and thoroughly amused by her reactions.

"No," Endymion dryly replied; being stuck with her in close quarters made him know her quite well. "Quite the opposite, in fact."

"Did you finally tell her who you are?" Kunzite queried.

"No, there's no need for her to know, is there?" Endymion's answer was on the abrupt side and they all knew why. Every woman Endymion met knew he was the prince and acted accordingly. This was the first time Endymion could be with someone of the opposite sex without his royal lineage hanging over his head. As far as the lady was concerned, Endymion was just a rich man, not that it seemed to bother her at all and neither did she seem to notice that Endymion was a handsome man. And though he would never admit it out loud, Endymion enjoyed her company immensely for she looked at him and saw a Human Being and not a Prince or a Handsome Wealthy Man.

Nephrite spoke up, "Are you sure you want to call her Usagi for the time being?"

"Yes. We don't have any other choices, anyway, and it's rude to let her remain nameless for the time being. I mean, how are we supposed to call her?"

"'Mine'?" Jadeite joked.

"Oh, grow up, Jade," Nephrite reprimanded with a laugh.

"How did you come up the name 'Usagi', anyway?" Zoisite asked curiously.

Endymion's face broke into an affectionate smile and, since the prince wasn't looking at them anyway, his generals exchanged startled looks. "After her bath, she – "

"Did you watch?"

"Of course not!" Endymion flushed. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Jade! I left the room, of course!"

"Pity," Jade murmured, imagining the beautiful blond girl. No one took his comments seriously since everyone knew Jadeite was just joking with his slightly disrespectful off-hand comments and that, joking aside, he saw and treated 'Usagi' like the gently bred woman they all believe her to be – with respect and deference. Although in Jadeite's case, there was also a lot of flirting comments added in that; out of the five men, Jadeite was the biggest flirt.

"You were saying?" Kunzite prompted the prince.

"Right. She was humming and combing her hair then began fixing it in this weird style, high pigtails on each side of her head. She said she fixed it like that without even really thinking about it, that she was on automatic pilot and putting up her hair like that felt right, somehow. I told her it reminded me of bunnies and that she could be called Usagi for the time being, since we didn't know her real name."

Zoisite teased him, "How does it feel to be playing nursemaid, your Highness?"

"Quite fun, actually, as I've never catered to anyone before, but don't tell anyone I said that, especially not her. She yells and screams and acts like I'm her personal slave. Surprisingly, I enjoy it. She has a sizable temper that's very easy to prick and she's also so easy to tease."

"Baka!" came a distinct feminine yell from within the rooms.

Four pairs of eyebrows rose up as the prince just sighed. "Speaking of the, uh, angel. That's her way of letting me know she needs something. Can you imagine that?" Endymion had a stupid grin on his face. "She calls me 'baka'. Nobody ever tries to insult me, male or female. The men because they're afraid I might challenge them to a duel and the women because they want to be on my good side and yet here she is, calling me stupid and idiot with practically every breath she takes." He chuckled. "Of course, I insult her right back. It's quite fun, all around. Anyway, why don't you come in and see how she's doing? And so you can get the image of the shy, feminine girl you thought you knew out of your heads."

----------

"Well, it's about time, baka!" Usagi fumed once Endymion entered what she now considers her bedroom, even though it was originally his and he sleeps in the couch across the room and he's free to go as he pleases while she's stuck to the bed.

"I'm hungry," she complained.

"You're always hungry, odango," Endymion responded, automatically, it seemed.

He glanced at the empty tray beside her and pulled a rope to call a maid. "Zoi, wait in the sitting room and give this to the maid." He handed Zoisite the empty tray. "Tell them I need more food."

"Why me?"

"Because you're the youngest and because I told you to."

"All right," Zoisite grumbled, hating to leave what promises to be a most interesting interaction between the prince and his patient.

"'Odango'?" Jadeite wondered out loud.

"He calls me that, can you believe it? He's so rude, don't you think? He thinks I'm a dumpling head! An odango atama! Imagine that! How can you guys stand being with him?" she demanded of Jadeite.

"We kind of have to." Even the stern and serious Kunzite wasn't immune to her innocent charms, for his lips were twitching as he fought to remain a serious façade.

"Whatever for?" she demanded.

"How are you feeling?" Endymion smoothly interjected.

"Hungry and bored out of my wits. Why can't I leave my room?"

The eyebrows rose at her possessive wording. Endymion took it all in stride for he was well used to her. "You're here for your own safety."

"Oh, bother safety! I'm going crazy, locked inside like this! Why can't I go out? You all go out, why can't I?"

The three remaining generals looked to the prince to hear his reply.

"Because you can't."

The three remaining generals looked to Usagi to hear her reply.

"That's it?" she shrieked. "That's all you can say? I can't go out simply because you told me to?"

Heads swung to look at Endymion.

"Yes."

Heads swung to look at Usagi. And so it went for the rest of the conversation…

"Of the two of us, who's the boss of me?"

"I am, until I decide you're well and ready to go out."

"When did you become a doctor and my keeper?"

"Since the doctor left me in charge of you."

"Where is my doctor? I want him back! He's more reasonable than you can ever be!"

"He's busy elsewhere and trusts me to take care of you."

"Well, I don't trust you! I want to go out!"

"You can't."

"Who died and made you king?"

Kunzite cleared his throat and two heads swiveled to look at him, each with slightly surprised expressions that told him they forgot they had an audience. "If I may, your… er… Endymion, perhaps it won't be so bad if she was allowed to go out."

"You're such a dear, dear man." Usagi beamed at him.

Jadeite, who was never one to let an opportunity to flirt pass him by, took a step forward and beamed at her. "And to assure your safety, I would be honored to be your escort."

"You're such a wonderful man," she gushed. "Where have you been all my life?"

"Right here, my lady, right here. I am fully ready and willing to take you wherever you may want to go. Whatever your pleasure, I am entirely and completely at your immediate disposal." Jadeite finished his (overdone) flowery speech with a low bow. Though seeming oblivious, he was well aware of Endymion's eyebrow ticking in frustrated anger. He enjoyed pricking Endymion's temper; Jadeite was like that sometimes.

"When can we leave? Right now?"

"No," Endymion interrupted.

"Oh, hush," she said peremptorily, causing Endymion to sputter in indignation. "I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to this really nice man who, for reasons beyond my comprehension, is your friend."

"Tomorrow, perhaps?" Jadeite questioningly looked at Endymion, who was still glaring at the impudent girl on his bed. "I'll come by before noon and we can go out then. We can shop, eat out, see the sights, and all that stuff."

"You're sooooo nice!" Usagi gushed. "You're such a dear, dear, dear man! You can be sure I'll be ready by then."

----------

"Are you mad? Are you totally out of your mind?" Endymion roared at Jadeite in his private study.

When Zoisite entered with the food tray and Usagi attacked it with relish, Endymion gestured curtly for his generals to follow him to his private study. Rendered almost soundproof by the thick walls and numerous books lining the walls, Endymion knew he could shout to his heart's content without alarming Usagi, who was just next door.

"Of course not. Look, Endymion, I can understand how she feels, trapped in one place day in and day out. I'd go crazy too, if I were her. Besides, fresh air and a nice walk will probably do her good."

"It could also improve her disposition," Zoisite helpfully added. "And isn't that what you always complain about?"

"I don't always complain," Endymion grumbled.

"Yes, you do. She's all you ever talk about," Kunzite disagreed.

Endymion shot him a dirty look. "Anyway, what if someone recognizes her?"

"Isn't that the point?" Jadeite calmly explained. "If we go out and someone recognizes her then it'll make things easier, won't it? We don't have to search the entire city looking for someone who knows her. And if you're worried about her being linked to you, then we can simply ask her to tell anyone who'd listen that she was with us and not with you."

Kunzite nodded. "Good thinking, Jade, that's a great plan. We should've thought about that before. I mean, since she has amnesia and we took care of her, she's probably grateful for what we've done so we can ask her to back us up when we tell everyone that she was found in the palace grounds and woke up in the garrison. We've got an in-house physician and lots of people in that place so she'll have no shortage of chaperones and her reputation will remain intact. Dr. Walters can also lie about it and your name won't even come up, so you'll be safe."

"And since the garrison is quite large, we can just say that we kept her in one wing so as not to be disturbed and that'll explain why the other knights and novices never knew she was there," Nephrite said.

"The maids might talk."

"We also have loyal maids in the garrison who have proven their worth, Endymion," Nephite reminded him. "Those who are close to us and whom we trust to be discreet, we'll assign them to Usagi, don't worry."

Endymion scowled.

The generals all smiled innocently at him, almost pitying him. There was nothing wrong with what they were asking, they had a perfectly logical argument and, try as he might, Endymion couldn't find anything wrong with it. He would never admit that he feared letting her out of his sight for her memories might return and with it, the knowledge that Endymion was prince and the most sought-after male in the land. The generals sympathized with him but they also knew that it was best for the girl to regain her memories – and they knew Endymion knew this as well. Also, deep inside them was the hope that Endymion had finally found someone he could like, for they, as the kingdom's loyal subjects and the prince's closest friends, also wanted to see their prince settled in and regain his rightful place as the Terran King.

And it really wouldn't do well for the future king to fall for a girl who didn't even know her own name.

----------

August 16, 7:22 pm

Hikawa Shrine, Manetheron City

That night, in the outskirts of the capital city of Manetheron, as far from the palace as was possible and still remain within the boundary of the capital city was a beautiful remote place called Hikawa Shrine. In the grounds, four ordinary Terran-looking girls were standing on the landing outside the room of a visiting Shrine Priestess from a far-away never-heard-of (and non-existent) province. The Priestess was named Rei Hino and she was with her three friends, who also came from the same province as she did…

"Any sign of her?" Minako Aino (AKA Sailor Venus) asked the rest of the girls.

"No, unfortunately not." Makoto Kino (AKA Sailor Jupiter) sighed. "I've met a lot of men and women, hear gossip I'm not supposed to, but nothing about a woman who came out of nowhere."

"Me neither." Rei Hino (AKA Sailor Mars) gloomily stared at the shadowy trees bordering the Shrine.

It was late in the evening and the shrine was closed. The main priest, who was the only other person in the temple compound, was sleeping and since the Shrine was normally empty even during the daytimes, so the girls had no fear of anyone eavesdropping. They were hanging outside in the grounds, enjoying the Terran night air and privately comparing it against what they were used to back in their homelands and on the Moon.

Rei continued, "I use my powers sporadically but to no avail. Of the few who visit the shrine, all I get are girls who are in love with, or think they're in love with guys and vice versa, people wanting things; the usual Shrine stuff, I suppose. No Lunarian auras or anything."

"The minds of debutantes are stupider than I thought. All they care about is fashion and the Prince," Ami Mizuno (AKA Sailor Mercury) said irritably. "And even if they were given the chance to learn more, they refuse to."

Rei looked in amusement at the thick book Ami was holding. "In all our time here, you have been the least complimentary of Terrans and yet you have no complaints about their literature?"

Sailor Mercury, who had always been a voracious leader with near-photographic memory (and who disliked persistent and unrepentant idiocy), was currently holding a book of Terran origin, the title of which the other Senshi couldn't see clearly. However, knowing Mercury as well as they did, it was a good bet that the book she held was about the latest Terran technology or information or history or some local stories like myths and legends and the like.

Ami gave Rei a flat look, but otherwise ignored what her friend said as she continued, "Anyway, based on how those girls talked, I'm beginning to think the man walks on water for the way those inane females talk. They discuss His Royal Highness," and Ami injected so much sarcasm in those three words that the three girls looked at her in surprised amusement, "exclusively, with occasionally forays into fashion and other women – usually in relation to His Royal Highness," again with that tone of voice. "I haven't even met the guy and I already hate him."

"He's actually pretty cute," Minako remarked.

"You've seen him?"

"Yeah, right, I wish." It went without saying that the Princess of Venus, the planet of Love and all that went with it, was not just boy-crazy, she was boy-obsessed down to her fingertips. "I work in the palace and a lot of the other maids have seen him. They gush about him constantly, saying that not only is he cute but he's extremely nice, too. They fight over who gets to clean his room and stuff. They're not allowed to talk about him with the commons ever since he hit puberty and became such a heartthrob. Apparently, there was one enterprising maid before who used to clean His Highness' room," she said, deliberately foregoing Ami's exotic pronunciation. "She stole some things and auctioned them off to the highest bidding female and sold any information she could get to the tabloids. Since then, they've been strict. Usually the only ones allowed inside the prince's rooms or the king's or any of the generals are those who have been in the staff for a long time, you know, those who have proven their worth. Anybody caught stealing, selling, or even sharing information about any of the High Command with someone outside the palace staff is fired. Of course, that doesn't stop some females from trying to install spies in palace to tell them what they can about the prince. I'm glad that the Queen asked you and Mer – uh, Ami." The girls were making an effort to get used to their aliases. "To work in tandem and if it weren't for Mar – er, Rei's power that makes us exude familiarity and trustworthiness and Ami fabricating our past using her Memory Device, I doubt I'd be able to get a job in the palace itself."

"So you haven't seen the prince at all? Not even when he's walking around the castle?" Makoto asked curiously. Like all the girls, save Ami, she was quite boy-crazy.

"I'm not that high up in the servant's ladder, I'm afraid. Still stuck with the chores that keep me outside the main rooms of the palace – kitchen, mostly. I hear what's happening but I don't see it myself. And like I said," she pointedly reminded Makoto. "The only ones allowed inside the private rooms are those who've been on the staff for a long time and have gained the butler and housekeeper's trust. I suppose the Queen didn't think it important enough to enable me to clean the rooms of those Terrans and I'm kind of glad I don't have to. I mean, hello? I'm a Senshi, a Princess! What do I know about cleaning? In the kitchen, I mostly help out others in doing whatever tasks need doing, they tell me what to do and I (with a couple of other girls) do it." She sighed. "We're not even sure where Serenity is, if what we're doing is the right thing. So I guess it's all right and understandable that the Queen made me a kitchen maid and I'm most likely to remain so in our tenure here."

"Do you cook?" Makoto asked in surprise, for only she and Ami could make a decent meal. Although Minako was nowhere near as bad a cook as Serenity, who could probably burn water without even trying, her dishes never quite turn out the way they're supposed to.

"You've got to be kidding, right? I clean the place and wash the dishes and stuff, keeping my eyes and ears open for any tidbit of news that I can get. And, like I said, if ever anything needs to be done that is related to cooking, because of the size of the staff and the number of mouths to feed, there's usually a few of us who are asked to do certain tasks. So don't worry, the dishes are safe from me," she assured Makoto.

Rei stared hard at their leader. "You really do kitchen duty?"

Makoto flushed. "Well, I try to. Most of the time, I just try to look busy and as if I know what I'm doing. There are too many of us anyway, so it's not like they notice what I'm doing. Or not doing."

"Well, what's the latest? Have you heard anything interesting?" Ami asked hopefully.

They all disliked having to live in disguise without their powers and, due to the long-standing indifference between Moon and Earth, they also didn't like having to live among a people they didn't care for.

Minako promptly reported, "The prince is staying in his rooms, where no one is allowed inside except for his generals. They say he's sick, which rarely happens, but the family doctor hasn't visited him yet and every food tray sent to him returns empty. And other than two trays sent consisting of broth and chicken soup, the rest of the food sent were all the usual kinds of food, which he polishes off. He now eats a lot, twice more than he normally does, according to an upstairs maid, and I don't think a sick person will have such a voracious appetite, right?"

"They will if she's Princess Serenity." Rei sighed. "She could be on death's door and still eat enough to feed an army. I have to admit I kind of miss her. I haven't teased anyone in ages, and her appetite was always good for a half-hour fight."

"He has four generals, doesn't he, Minako?"

"Yeah, the Terran High Command, they're called. Although loosely applied, that term also includes the prince and the king. We got briefed about them before we left. What about them, Makoto?"

"Two with blond hair, one of them short and one of them long, then one with red hair and the oldest one with white hair?"

"It's more silver than white, but yes, those are the description of his generals."

Makoto frowned. "I think they've been to my shop. They were going around and talking to my patrons, usually girls, and they asked some questions."

"Questions? What kind of questions? Is it such a bad thing for them to asking questions?"

"It's not the norm, according to some of the girls." Makoto shrugged. "I couldn't get too close to them and the girls I spoke with didn't really want to talk about what was asked, but I gather they were trying to look for a certain woman."

"What's the big deal, then?" Ami asked. "Half the women I tutor have mentioned that his generals are quite the playboys, fully content to have the prince's rejects."

"It's just weird that they're asking about a certain woman just when we're looking for a certain woman, too," Rei mused.

"Are you getting any Feelings, Rei?" Minako asked sharply. "Do you think our princess is somewhere near?"

Rei shook her head. "Because I can't fully use my powers, I can't get a clear view at what my intuition is telling me. I do know that we're at the right place and that we're following the right track; that much I can tell."

Minako frowned, looking down as she scuffed one slipper against the rocky ground. "I've asked Artemis and Luna to check out the prince's private quarters. I don't think he's hiding anything but since he's acting so weirdly, it never hurts to be sure. Besides, if ever Earth's up to something, it might be in the best interest of the Moon and the rest of the Silver Alliance to know about it."

"Are cats allowed inside the palace?" Ami wondered.

Minako answered, "No, but they're cats, right? They're limber and agile and can climb up the windows and take a peek."

Makoto stretched as they all headed inside the room they shared. "You know, I'm sure glad the queen changed those two into cats. It was a brilliant idea."

"Artemis and Luna would have your hide if they heard you talk like that."

"Then we'll have to make sure they won't ever know I said that, right, Rei?"