Ding-dong!
Kenji opened the door to find a panicked Mamoru. "I need to speak to Usagi, sir."
"I'm sorry, but it is late." Kenji began to close the door.
Mamoru gasped for more air before continuing. "Please, sir! It's important!"
Usagi came down the stairs in her pink pajamas. "Papa, who's at the door? Mamo-chan?" She squeezed passed her father. "You're pale. What happened?"
ChibiUsa heard the commotion outside. She crawled out from under the covers of her bed and peaked out the window. She saw Mamoru and Usagi walking away from the house. She could tell the mood between the two was serious, so she opened her window to hear what would be said.
"Mamo-chan! You're hurt!"
"I was leaving Motoki-kun's and took a shortcut and was attacked by Sir Grety. I couldn't defend myself very well, but Sailor StarMoon came and defended me. But then, when we thought he was gone, he came back and. . ."
"And what?" Usagi's face paled; she knew, but hoped she was wrong.
Mamoru looked at the ground, then looked Usagi straight in the eyes as he handed her Luna-P. Usagi took Luna-P from his hands and hugged it. Tears streamed down her face.
ChibiUsa couldn't believe it. "Auntie Cynthia!"

"Happy Birthday!" Sailor Venus started leaping around the room throwing confetti in the air.
Sailor Jupiter laughed. "Look at the maids. You can tell they want to slap her!"
"That's because they have to clean it up later," Sailor Mars giggled. "I can't believe the mess she is making."
Neo-Queen Serenity smiled wearily. The night before had brought a thunderstorm and she had been up all night trying to calm down her two-year daughter who now showed no signs of spending the night up.
"Mama! Mama! Can I open Rona-chan's present?"
"Go ahead," the exhausted Queen replied.
"Yeah!"
Rip! Pull! Tear! "Mama! It's a Feed-Me-Now Suzie!"
"That's great honey!" To Sailor Mercury, who had just walked into the room, she mumbled under her breath, "That is the most unoriginal name for a doll that I have ever heard. Why in the world. . .?"
Mercury giggled, then announced, "I have just been informed that Queen Cynthia has arrived." She pointed towards the door.
"Auntie Cynthia! Yeah!" Feed-Me-Now Suzie went flying as Small Lady ran over to her new guest. The doll hit Sailor Uranus square in the face. "Nice catch," joked Sailor Neptune as Uranus kept the doll at an arms distance.
"Auntie! Auntie! Auntie!" Queen Cynthia bent over and hugged her niece. "Hey there, little girl! I hear it's your birthday today!"
"Yep! Where's my gift?"
"Usagi Small Lady Serenity!" Neo-Queen Serenity scolded her daughter. "That is not polite!"
"Gomen." Small Lady looked down.
Queen Cynthia handed a present to her sister. "Here ya go, sis."
"FOR ME?!?!?!" Serenity ripped it open greedily.
"So I guess you hold your daughter to higher standards, huh?" asked Venus.
Queen Cynthia pointed at her Luna-P. "Your mama has told me that you really like my Luna-P."
Small Lady nodded. "Yep!"
Queen Cynthia playfully tapped Small Lady's nose. "Then you can have it. Happy Birthday!"
Small Lady's face lit up like the birthday cake that was being rolled into the room. "Arigato!" She happily hugged her aunt.

Usagi dropped Luna-P and began to cry uncontrollably. Mamoru wrapped Usagi in a big bear hug as the tears ran down his face as well. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I should have protected her."
Usagi stopped crying when she realized Mamoru was crying harder than her. "She wouldn't have wanted that. She wanted to protect both of us. This would have happened anyway."
"I am a terrible fighter. If I had just had stayed in shape, I could have fought him off and then Candra would still be with us."
Usagi smiled. "Don't you remember? ChibiUsa knows who she is," Usagi tried to reassure him. "ChibiUsa knows who Candra-chan is! That means she's seen her, which means we'll get her back!"
Mamoru shook his head. "But the future can change."
"Well, I'm trying to be positive about this. . .. You aren't in any shape to be going home by yourself this late. Maybe you should spend the night here. We just cleaned the spare room," Usagi offered.
"Thanks, Usako. But I don't think your father would approve."
Usagi gave it some thought. "You're right. Well, first thing tomorrow, I'll call an emergency meeting at Rei-chan's. I'll see you there?"
Mamoru smiled. "Yeah."
"Maybe Papa can give you a ride home," Usagi tried again.
Mamoru shook his head. "No. I'll be fine."
"You sure?"
Mamoru kissed her on the forehead. "I'm sure. Ja ne!"
Usagi watched him walk off. Please be careful. She looked at the moon. I'll get you back. I promise!

Sir Grety threw Candra to the floor. Hard. "You could at least treat me with some courtesy!"
Sir Grety simply laughed at her. "Until you admit I am your man, you will get no respect."
"The only thing I'll admit is that you are one big jerk." As she started to continue, he slammed the door. "Well, fine, then. See if I care."
Candra got up and brushed the dirt off her gray dress. She looked around and noticed that though the room she was in was elaborately decorated, it was a complete mess. There was dust on the floor, some kind of dead bug in the corner, and cobwebs everywhere. Candra sighed at the dust and grime that had piled up on the bed. Well, if this is what I have to sleep on, I guess I better do something about it.

"Okay, minna. What are going to do about this?" Usagi looked at her fellow Senshi for the answer.
"We could always use the Sailor Teleport," said Minako.
Yes, but we don't even know where she is yet," Haruka pointed out.
With that remark, the room fell silent. ChibiUsa quickly wiped a tear from her eye, but Diana noticed anyway. "What's wrong, Small Lady?"
"Well, I'm worried about Candra-chan. Mama told me that there were a few times before she met her that Candra-chan tried to kill herself. And Auntie Cynthia told me once that she would rather die than be held a prisoner." ChibiUsa looked up. "That's why I'm worried; she might try again."
Usagi's ears perked up. "She what? Why?"
ChibiUsa shrugged. "Mama said something about not liking herself."
"Wow. She never mentioned this before," commented Ami.
"She has so much going for her. Why would she do that?" asked Mako.
"Mama said that was private stuff between her and Auntie Cynthia," said ChibiUsa.
"This means we have to step up our search!" said Usagi.
"Ami-chan, see if you can find her on your computer!" ordered Minako. "Rei-chan! See if you can sense her."
"Uh, Minako-chan?" asked Mako. "Why don't we just ask Setsuna-san? She would obviously know."
Minako and Usagi looked at each other. "Guess we never thought about that," Minako replied sheepishly.
"Nobody cares. . ." sighed Setsuna. Then she turned serious. "Sir Grety has taken her to the Silver Millenuim. However, he has a shield around the Moon. It's very difficult to break. We all would have to attack, but we cannot land and we cannot hold the teleport and attack at the same time."
"The five of us have done it before," said Minako, meaning her and the Inners.
"The enemy you destroyed was not very powerful," replied Setsuna. "To be teleporting and attacking at the same time uses a lot of energy. We would not even have enough to make a dent."
"I wish we could at least talk to her," said Michiru.
"Yeah. I wonder what she's doing?" Usagi wondered out loud.

"Time for dinner, Serenity!" Sir Grety knocked on her door.
"That's PRINCESS!!!!!!!" Candra yelled back.
"That's the last time you talk back to me! I'm comin' in!" Grety opened the door and gasped. "How did you get the room to look like this?!?!?!"
Candra turned around, holding a broom. Having been unable to find clothing more suitable for cleaning, her dress was now ruined. Dirt had been smugged all over her face, most of it on her forehead. "Um, I'm pretty sure I cleaned it," she told him.
"Why did you go and do that?!?!" Grety was still in a state of shock.
Candra placed her hand on her hip. "And what's wrong with having a clean room? I want to be able to sleep in here without sneezing."
Grety walked up to her. Moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively, he slyly responded, "What makes you so sure you will be spending your nights here?"
Candra slapped him. "Asshole." Though she didn't like cussing, it was the first word to sprang from her mouth.
Grety grabbed her arm. "Listen. You will do what I say. . ."
Candra was starting to get a little scared. "Why?" she asked in a different tone.
Candra's question caused him to stop for a moment and soften, but then the fire returned to his eyes. "Because I said so! Now! It's time for dinner!" he said as he threw her out the door. Candra hit the wall and fell to the ground. She knew she had to hold him off as long as she could and quickly became obnoxious again. "Okay, okay. I'm going. Gosh, what a jerk."
"What did you say?"
Candra stared him straight in his eyes, and then smiled. "A bunch of words."
"You little bitch!" Sir Grety dragged her downstairs. "You royals and your sarcasm."

"Oneesan! That was the best! We need to do a duet sometime!"

Michiru finished her song, then put her violin down. She was playing to keep her mind off the situation, but she just wasn't in the mood.
She took out her photo album from a few years ago. There was the craft fair, there was Halloween, there was Haruka throwing Michiru into the pool, followed by Candra. We had some good times together, she thought as tears ran down her checks.

"Hey, Jupiter! I wanna be the first customer at your restaurant!"

Mako stared at her opened math book and tapped her pen on the pad of paper. "None of this stuff makes any sense. It's all Greek to me. . ..What's that smell?" She turned around and jumped a mile upward as her meal began to burn. "Great!" she mumbled as she tossed the bowl in the sink. "Now I can't even cook canned soup." She watched the steam come out of the bowl and sighed. Turning to the picture on the wall of her and Candra, Mako said, "Come back soon."

"I love you, Serenity. I will do anything for you."

Usagi stopped tossing the ball in the air. She sighed and looked over at her dresser. There was a picture of Candra alone and one with Candra, Usagi, and ChibiUsa, all with their tongues out. Usagi started to silently cry as she started tossing the ball once again. Come back safely.

Chapter 10: Usagi Worries! Candra Fights!