AN: Here we go again!!! Second-chapter of this update. "..." is talking, '...' is thought, [...] is AN, (...) is extra info but part of the fic, ... means trailed off, -- means interrupted. Onto the fic!

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The sun glowed blood red on the horizon. Makoto screamed with joy when she saw Chibi Usa and ran to hug the cotton-candy haired bunny as Usagi set her down. Chibi Usa revealed Luna-P, which she'd been hiding under her arm. The cat-like orb now floated along behind her.

Mirai was surprised to find that someone besides himself could time travel. His past counterpart was strangely silent.

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Darkness began to surround them, and the stars winked into existence. A crescent moon hung overhead. It was twilight.

"Chibi Usa, Trunks," said Usagi (de-henshined), addressing the five- year olds. "You better head back to CC. This part of Tokyo is no place for kids in the dark."

Chibi Trunks tried to protest, but his voice didn't seem to work. Usagi still understood. Quietly she addressed him. "Trunks, I know that you're very capable of taking care of yourself. I know that you would be fine. But I need someone strong and dependable who can protect my little bunny and guide her home." Trunks's face reddened but he puffed out his chest and hovered in the air. Usagi called the Nimbus for Chibi Usa, and soon they were gone.

Usagi turned to the remaining four searchers. "Time is short. We *must* find Venus tonight. The Darkness is getting even stronger, I can feel it. We need to unite the Inners once more and leave as soon as possible."

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They searched mostly as a group. Every alley way was examined, all powerlevels checked in every apartment and all buildings. They carefully watched even passing car, looking for something unusual. Usagi and Makoto used the pay phones and phone books to call every place they could think of: from hospitals to movie rentals, accountant offices to supermarkets. All with no success.





The hours had passed. It seemed the only light came from the occasional undamaged street lamp; even their flames of hope had flickered out. Usagi felt that the darkness was consuming her, and she was helpless and at its mercy.

With heavy hearts they headed into the nearest bar, to rest and refresh and decide what to do next. It was hopeless, so it seemed silently agreed that they would be leaving.

Yamcha looked defeated. Trunks looked melancholy. Seventeen looked sullen as usual, but even more so. Makoto looked so very depressed and silent. But to look at Usagi made you want to cry. So many times she had looked up, hearing a possibly familiar voice or seeing a flash of blonde, hoping that the impossible might be possible. But that hope was gone; the flame was extinguished. Usagi looked heartbroken. She had failed her friends and she doubted that she'd ever see Venus again.

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A frazzled woman hurried over to the gloomy table. She was balancing a tray laden with beer mugs in one hand and her notepad in another. "Can I take your order," she panted.

Usagi dared not look up. No one replied. The woman pushed a stray hair out of her face. "Come on, please minna. I've got about twenty other tables to take care of. If you're gonna order, *please* hurry up and do it."

Usagi looked up. Blue looked into blue. The tray of mugs clattered to the floor. "Mina-chan," said Usagi quietly.

"U- U - Usagi...?"

Suddenly it clicked. "USAGI!!!!" she cried, throwing her arms around her friend. Usagi was stunned at first, but smiled. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly Minako stood up. "This is no place to discuss matters of destruction," she said seriously. She threw off her apron and gestured for them to follow her as she ran outside. Her boss hollered as she fled.

"Sorry," she yelled back, "but I've got an important business mission . . . I've gotta save the world . . . one more time." She flashed her V sign and was never seen in that bar again.

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Sorry this whole search thing is quite a bit monotonous. Next chapter takes you back to Rei, um Chichi, and gives you a bit of her POV. And after that the real action starts to kick in. Wow, this might turn out to be a really long fic!

Hope you enjoyed these updates. I wouldn't expect too much more too soon. But I'll try.

Please review!!! Arigato minna-chan. Ja ne!

~Calli-chan