Candra desperately tried to think of something. "Stop it! How about this?" offered Candra. "I win, you let the girls go."
"And if we win, we get their energy and you come back with us," countered Libertine.
"Wait a minute. We?" asked Candra.
"Youma! Get her!"
The youma smiled. "With pleasure."
Candra quickly put both hands in front of her neck, wrist-over-wrist, fingertips pointed up at an angle. "Starlight Crystal Power! Make Up!"
After she henshioned, StarMoon put her thumb under and her pointer finger over the jewel of her tiara. "Tiara Beam!" The youma just deflected the beam and leapt for StarMoon. She pulled her StarWand out of her brooch. "Starlight Supreme Thunder!" This only slowed the youma. It was able to advance little by little, no matter how much power StarMoon put into the attack.
"Princess!" Libertine called out. "You are making this too easy! I thought you were stronger than this!"
Sailor StarMoon grunted under the pressure. So did I. Now what do I do?

"Mercury and I got nothing here," said Venus into her communicator. "How about you, Saturn? ChibiMoon?"
"Nothing here. Sailor Moon?"
"Jupiter and I got nothing. What about you, Neptune and Uranus?"
"Zero. Mars? Is she there yet?"
Sailor Mars stopped and looked down the stairs. "I still don't see her." She looked behind her. "Pluto?"
"I don't see her, either."
"Mercury, can't you pick her up on your computer?" asked Mars.
"I tried, but she left her watch at home and I'm not able to track her brooch."
Jupiter leaned over and put her hands on her knees. Moon reached over to feel Jupiter's forehead. "Are you alright?" she asked.
"I think they took my energy when I was passed out. That or they took it and that's why I passed out."
"Sailor Moon!" They looked over to see the group of girls, who had managed to untie themselves, running up to them.
"Well, hello. Do you girls need help?" asked Jupiter.
"No, but Serenity does!" said one of the girls.
"Nani?" Jupiter and Moon asked together.
"We got attacked by these bad guys. . ." said a second girl.
". . and Serenity became Sailor StarMoon and tried to save us! But now they got her!" said a third.
"How did you girls get away?" asked Jupiter.
"They weren't paying attention," replied a fourth.
"That could have been dangerous," said Moon.
"We were hoping to find you," said the second.
Sailor Moon smiled. "Well, it's a good thing you did. Now I want you girls to realize that you can't tell anyone that Serenity is Sailor StarMoon. That has to be our little secret. It is very important that you keep this to yourselves."
The girls nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"Jupiter. You call the others and watch these girls in case someone comes to get them. I'll get Can. . . Sailor StarMoon."
Jupiter nodded. "Hai! Alright, girls. Let's go over here. Minna! We found her."

StarMoon was slammed against the wall. She was so tired, she didn't realize she was sliding down. She simply touched the corner of her lip and checked her glove to see if there was any blood. She had been beaten so badly that anyone else in her position, bleeding everywhere, buries galore, and probably close to death, would have curled up into the fetal position by now. StarMoon, however, started to get back up. "Is that the best you got?" she scoffed.
The youma couldn't help but ask, "How?"
"I grew up with worse," StarMoon replied. "You're going to have to try harder."
"Well, then," said Libertine. She and the youma powered up. "How about you try this?"
"Starlight HoneyMoon Therapy Kiss!"
Sailor Moon's attack hit both Libertine and the youma, destroying the youma. Angrily, Libertine turned around. "And just how do you keep popping up everywhere?"
"It's my job," said Sailor Moon.
"Well, your job just cost these girls their lives. . .NANI? Where did they go?" She looked at the rope, which was now tied to a rock.
"Looks like they were just a tad bit smarter than you," said Sailor Moon.
Libertine regained her cool. "That's alright; I got some of their energy anyway. By the way, tell Jupiter I said 'Thanks' for the energy I took from her last night. Oh, wait. You are not going to be able to; I will have killed you before you have a chance."
Sailor Moon lowered her eyes. "Wanna bet?. . .Starlight HoneyMoon Therapy Kiss!"
"Ring of Immorality!"
Sailor Moon was thrown into the street right in front of a speeding car. She screamed as the driver of the car tried desperately to avoid her. Like clockwork, Tuxedo Kamen came out of nowhere and saved her. "Oh, I do love you!" Sailor Moon told him.
"Later. Let's go!" He grabbed her hand and the two darted out of sight.
Libertine sneered. "So, the Prince left without his Princess, ne? Now what did you see in him, Princess? Princess?" Libertine turned to hear a response and found StarMoon gone. "What the. . .? AAAAAAH!"

Candra gasped. "Ouch!"
Ami kept dabbing with the cotton ball. "Gomen."
"That's okay." Candra smiled weakly. "I really thought I was going to die back there. I don't know what I would have done if Haruka-chan and Oneesan hadn't helped me out of there."
"And let's not forget Mamoru and Usagi, who helped by being distractions, whether they knew it or not," added Michiru.
"Yeah, I wondered why he saved me and then dragged me away with his hand over my mouth," said Usagi.
Mamoru shrugged. "I knew you would have said something," he said.
Candra put her inhaler back in her mouth. As Ami leaned over to get another bandage out of her first-aid kit, Candra noticed the worry on ChibiUsa's face. Candra put her hand on ChibiUsa's head and said, "I'm alright. I just needed a little help with my breathing. Hey, Minako-chan. Didn't you say you needed to tell Serenity something?"
"Huh? Oh! Right. Rei-chan? Care to join us?" Minako asked.
"Sure would. Usagi, we need to tell you something." As they took Usagi out, the rest of the girls and the only guy looked at each other and quickly started doing their assigned tasks. Candra and Mamoru were in charge of the balloons. "So, Chiba-san? When are you going to give it? During the party or after?"
"During. She told me once that she wanted all of her friends to be there when she is asked." Pulling the box out of the closet, he added, "That was before we knew about ChibiUsa, but I think it still stands."
"You do realize that when you marry her, you marry the rest of us?" asked Candra.
Mamoru handed Candra the balloon box. "Uh, I didn't until just now. Kami-sama, what have I gotten myself into?" The two started laughing.
"Um, Usagi-chan? I'm really sorry," said Rei.
"Yeah. Me, too," said Minako. "I thought that is was Mako-chan telling me that you were now dating Jim-chan. I know now that it was really Libertine."
"I'm sorry, too. Libertine kept telling me that you weren't going to help me." Rei sighed. "I don't know why I listened to her."
"Well, as long as I didn't do anything, I'm fine," Usagi beamed.
Rei and Minako both formed sweatdrops. "That's good to hear," commented Rei.
"Okay, girls! We're ready!" Mako called from the doorway.
"Ready? Ready for what?" asked Usagi.
Minako slyly pulled out a blindfold and covered Usagi's eyes. "No peaking!"
"What is going on?" asked Usagi.
"You'll find out!" said Rei. She and Minako dragged Usagi back into the temple. "Step up! No! Up! Ack!" Usagi didn't do what she was told and fell up the steps, bringing Minako down with her. "Usagi! Get off my foot!" cried Rei.
They finally got Usagi into the temple and pulled off the blindfold. Usagi let out a long gasp when she saw the words "Happy Birthday" draped across the ceiling. There were balloons and streamers everywhere. "Minna?"
"Surprise! Happy Birthday!" Everyone jumped from his or her hiding place.
Usagi started crying. "I thought you guys forgot."
"How could we, Serenity?" asked Candra.
Usagi looked at Candra. "Oh, it's. . ."
". . .our first one together!" they finished together. "Hug!"
"Oh, geez. . ." said Haruka.
"Okay now. Less hugging, more eating," said Mako as she and Hotaru brought out the cake. "Now, we are going to get the plates and forks," Mako stated as they placed the cake on the table, "and when we get back, the cake better still be here. I am not making another one."
"Awww, man," said Usagi and ChibiUsa as they crossed their arms at the same time. Everyone else laughed.
After most of the cake was gone and the games where played, it was time for the presents. Usagi thanked each of her friends for the gifts, then looked at Mamoru. "And just where is your gift?" she asked with a pouty face.
Candra rolled her eyes. "Serenity. Honestly."
Mamoru smiled. "It's right here," he answered, reaching into his coat pocket.
"Candra-chan. Where are you going?" asked Mako.
"Never mind me. Keep goin'. Keep goin'." Candra waved off the question as she headed into another room.
"Uh, okay," Mako replied.
"Usako, the last time I did this, I wasn't able to do it properly. So, this time. . ." He pulled out the jewelry box and opened it. ". . .I want to do this right."
"Mamo-chan!" Usagi gasped.
"Usako. You are the sun in my sky, the only reason I get up in the morning. I cannot remember what life was like before you."
"Mamo-chan," she breathed.
He slipped the ring on her hand. "Tsukino Usagi, you do not even know how much it would humble me if you let me become your husband."
"Kami-sama! Hai!" squealed Usagi.
CLICK! FLASH! "That was perfect!" Candra looked at the screen on her digital camera.
"Candra? You knew about this?" asked Michiru.
"Well, yeah. Who do you think helped him pick out the ring?" Candra asked.
Minako looked at Mako. "Uh oh."
"See? I told you it wasn't what it looked like," Mako whispered back.
Usagi and Mamoru, apparently oblivious to all of this, leaned over to kiss. ChibiUsa and Hotaru stuck their out tongues. "Yuck," they declared.
"Oh, Usako."
"Oh, Mamo-chan."
"O-kay. This is getting a little too romantic for my tastes." Candra couldn't help but stick her finger down her throat in a fake attempt to gag. "If you two want to keep this up," she continued, "may I interest you in a hotel room?"
"Candra-chan!" said Minako. "Such a comment from you!"
Candra shrugged. "If you asked Jim, he would tell you I'm like that all the time."
"I hate to break up the love-fest and change the subject," said Rei, "but I should say this while we are all here. I think that it would be a good idea to have Candra-chan with one of us at all times. At least until we can defeat Grety and Libertine, I feel that's the only way that she is going to be safe."
"I agree; today just proved a hypothesis of mine," Candra said. "Ever since I have been fighting Sir Grety, I had this feeling that he was getting stronger and stronger with each encounter. At first, I thought it was just me and my inexperience. But I know that, had I met Libertine last year, I would have defeated her by now." Candra gave the group a sly smile. "Or at least sent her home crying to her mommy."
"Why didn't you tell us this?" asked Mako.
"Well, I think that if he has been getting stronger, it was at a very slow rate and I couldn't tell. However, ever since he has been here, he has been attacking more people than before. I'm not sure why he is, but because he's just now getting more energy, I am now able to see the growth.
"I remember him saying something a few years ago about getting enough to make a sidekick. But he said that so often that I thought that it was just an idle threat. Then he comes here and, what four, five months later, Libertine appears. She's the one we want now."
"Why her and not Grety?" asked Ami.
"If what I remember is correct, then she is his key to reviving the Dark Kingdom. I'm not sure how, but something about her being pure energy and that would allow her to pass by Sailor Pluto and go back in time and grab Beryl and bring her back." She shrugged. "I don't know. It won't work, though."
"Why not?" asked Mamoru.
"She's actually part human," answered Candra.
"But if she's made of pure energy," asked Setsuna, "then how can she be part human?"
"Don't ask me. I guess this stuff just happens," Candra said.
"How did you know this anyway?" asked Mako.
Candra asked, "About her being human?" Mako nodded. "Well, 'cause of this." Candra showed the group a grey minicomputer with a pink cross and a darker grey moon on the lid.
"How did you get one?" asked Ami.
"Remember the first battle you girls had with Grety? Well, after you all left, I checked to see if he was going to come back. He use to do that a lot: attack, fall back, and attack in the same place again. I guess he gave that up, but I still go back just in case. That's when I found Ami-chan's mini."
"NANI?" Ami cried. "I lost it?"
"I guess. I saw the symbol and knew it was yours, so I used the Ginzuishou and made a copy for myself."
"But it was on my dresser the next morning," a flustered Ami responded.
Candra opened hers, pushed a few buttons, and let everyone see what was on the screen. "I guess once Mercury meets a new Sailor Senshi, her computer records the name of the Senshi and, after a few days, gives the name, age, address, and few other things. See? Here's me and here's Usagi."
"It says here that I'm the Princess!" Usagi pointed out. "And that it was last updated. . .the day after I met Ami-chan!"
Rei looked up at Candra. "So, we could have just used this. . ."
". . .and saved ourselves a lot of trouble?" finished Mako.
Candra nodded. "I figured that out the first night. I looked up Ami-chan's address, then teleported in and out. You where so tired, you never noticed."
Everyone groaned.
"Oh, geez." Ami was looking at her mini. "Right here it says, 'Usagi Small Lady Serenity. Address: unknown; possible time travel'."
"Grrrr. . ." Usagi mumbled.
"I thought you all knew about this and was never able to figure out why nobody never said anything about it at school," commented Candra.
"Well, then why was it a surprise when you met me?" Usagi asked.
"Well, because it was just so difficult to see you as the most powerful person in the universe," Candra explained slyly.
"Oooooooo!" everyone else replied to Candra's playful insult.
Ami hit her head on the table. "Baka! Baka! Baka!"
"Hey!" Rei cried. "Watch it! That's an antique!"
"For tonight, Candra-chan could stay with us," Michiru offered.
"Yeah! Slumber party!" cried Hotaru. "You can sleep in my room!"
Candra laughed. "Okay. I just have to call home and let them know what's going on."
Haruka stood up. "Well, let's get moving then."

Candra's cell phone started to vibrate. She rolled over and grabbed it out of her purse. "Hello?" she hissed.
"I'm outside," said the voice on the other line.
"Okay. I'm coming." Candra pushed the 'end' button to hang up. She slipped quietly out of the bed she and Hotaru were sharing during their "sleepover party" and grabbed a bag. She tiptoed past the other rooms and slithered out the front door. "Hey, Greg."
"Hey, sis." He hugged her. "It's been a few days, hasn't it?"
"Haruka, do you hear something outside?" asked Michiru.
Haruka peered out the window. "Star's outside with someone. . . .She's hugging him."
"Is it Jim-san?" asked Setsuna.
"No, he doesn't look familiar," replied Haruka.
"Here are the clothes you asked for." Greg and Candra traded bags.
"What's in the bags?" asked Michiru. She and Setsuna had joined Haruka at the window.
"I can't tell; it's too dark," replied Haruka.
"How are the others?" asked Candra.
"They are okay. We're all worried about you, but we all feel that this would be better for you right now. If you were to be attacked at our house, we wouldn't be able to protect you."
"I can take care of myself when it comes to these kinds of things," Candra said.
"But you are our baby sister and as your older brothers, we feel that we have a duty to protect you. When it comes to this, we aren't able to do nothing," Greg stated.
Candra smiled. "I know. I'm glad you fellas care. I just. . ." A tear ran down her check. "I just wish that it didn't have to be like this."
"Oh, Candra." Greg wrapped her up in another hug. "This isn't easy for anyone, but right now, this is the best thing we can do. I know you; right now you feel that you are just bringing everyone down, but you are a joy to be with and this will be worth it."
Candra, with her face buried in his chest, just nodded. "I think it's time I went back in," she said.
"Okay. Give me kiss."
Candra smirked. "Greg," she said in her stop-treating-me-like-a-kid voice. He leaned over and kissed her on the lips.
"AAAAACK!" Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna reacted to Candra and Greg's kiss. "What in the world?"
"Someone's gonna be over tomorrow to visit," Greg told Candra. "'Night, girl."
"'Night, dude." Candra slipped quietly back into the house. She stopped to peak into Haruka's room and found her in bed, back to the door. Candra gave a quiet sigh of relief and headed back to Hotaru's room.
When she heard the door close, Haruka rolled over. Michiru and Setsuna popped up from the other side. "That was close," commented Michiru.
"I know," added Setsuna.
"We have to find out who that is," stated Haruka. "I don't want Star to think she can run around behind her boyfriend's back, whoever that really is."

Ding-dong.
"Hotaru!" Setsuna yelled. "What have we. . .?"
"I got it!" Hotaru yelled, completely ignoring her. She opened the door, leaving the chain on. "Hello? Can I help you?" she asked.
"Uh, hey. Is Candra here?" asked the man at the door.
"Maybe," replied Hotaru.
"Hotaru!" Michiru ran up to the door and pulled Hotaru away from the door. "Hello. You are looking for Candra?"
"Yes, I am. Is she here?"
"May I tell her who is here?"
"Yes, you can." He pulled back a few loose strains of hair behind his ear.
"Um, would you tell me your name please?" Michiru asked.
"It's Ozzie," he said.
Michiru raised an eyebrow. "Ooookay. Candra! There is an Ozzie here to see you."
"Ozzie!" Candra bounced down the stairs and almost ran into the door. "Hang on." She closed the door, undid the chain, and reopened the door. "Ozzie!" she squealed again and hugged him.
He had to take a step back. "Hey, girl. Waz up?" He put his hands under her armpits and picked her up. He spun her around a few times and put her back down. "Tickle Monster!"
"No! Not th Tickle Monster!" Candra burst into laughter. "STOP!!!"
Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna started at the scene with wide-open eyes. "Can someone explain what is going on?" asked Setsuna.
"I was kinda hopping you could tell me," responded Hotaru.
"Hey, we're going to go to get some ice cream. Who's coming with me?" asked Candra.
"Um. . .I guess we all can," said Haruka. "Let me go get my wallet."
"Nope. All on me! Come on!" Candra gestured.
"Candra-chan! Look out!" Hotaru pointed behind Candra.
There was an explosion behind Candra and Ozzie. The force sent the two of them flying towards the house. Haruka caught him and Michiru caught her. "It's Libertine!" yelled Hotaru.
"Alright. Ozzie, here's my mini; get the others," instructed Candra. "Press 'Communicate', then her name. Now, get inside!" Ozzie nodded and did as he was told. "Let's do this! Starlight Crystal Power! Make Up!"
"Uranus Crystal Power! Make Up!"
"Neptune Crystal Power! Make Up!"
"Pluto Crystal Power! Make Up!"
"Saturn Crystal Power! Make Up!"
"Ring of Immorality!"
"Silent Wall!"
Libertine pointed at StarMoon. "Just hand her over and no one gets hurt!" she yelled.
"Why do they always yell that at the beginning?" asked StarMoon. "It gets old and it never works!"
"Well, this does! Corruption Beam!"
Saturn put up the Silent Wall up again; however, the force sent Saturn into Pluto. "I think the only thing to do is my other attack!" she uttered.
"Wait! If she made of only dark energy, light energy will stop her," StarMoon responded.
"What are you taking about?" asked Neptune.
"The Ginzuishou. If I use it, it should stop her," StarMoon said.
"Corruption Beam!"
"Dead Scream." Pluto's attack knocked Libertine off-balance long enough for StarMoon to show them her Ginzuishou. "It only has one fourth the power of the whole thing, but it should be enough to stop her. And we need to do it now," she continued as Libertine stood back up, "because I figure that the next time we meet, she may be too strong."
Libertine started laughing that annoying evil villain laugh. "Who's says I'm not already?" The wind started to pick up as Libertine tried to somehow convince her foes that she was better then them.
StarMoon took a few steps forward. She closed her eyes and started to glow grey as did her brooch. Placing her hand around the brooch, she brought out her Ginzuishou and put it over her head. "Moon Crystal Power!" she yelled. The wind picked up. The light from the Ginzuishou cut through all of that and headed straight for Libertine. This sudden burst of energy surprised Libertine and she had little time to put up her shield. "You will not win, Princess!" yelled Libertine.
"Funny! That was what I was gonna say!" StarMoon put all of her energy into the attack. Libertine slowly started to disappear. "I am tired of dealing with you! Get off of my planet and out of my life!"
Libertine looked up and yelled, "Please, Sir Grety-sama! Help me! Help m. . .!"
The light slowly died down along with the wind. The Ginzuishou returned to its place in the brooch.
"Candra!" Neptune held StarMoon in her arms. "Are you okay?. . . Haruka! She's starting to get cold!"
Ozzie stuck his head out of the door. "Is it over yet?" he asked.
The Inner Senshi turned the corner. "What's going on?" asked Venus.
Saturn looked over and stood up. "Candra-chan used her Ginzuishou to defeat Libertine!"
The Inners gasped. "Candra-chan!" Sailor Moon yelled and ran up to StarMoon. "Please, Candra-chan! Wake up!"
"Serenity," mumbled StarMoon, her eyes still closed. "Is she gone?"
"Yes, she is."
"Okay." StarMoon opened her eyes. "Now, it's his turn."

"Candra!" Greg, Jim, and Lance jumped up from the table as she, Ozzie, and the girls walked into the ice cream parlor. Candra rested on her left leg and leaned her crutches on the booth. "Hey, guys," she said has she hugged each of them.
"We heard it was bad, but we didn't think it was this bad," said Jim. "Hey, Minako-chan."
Minako gave Jim a peck on the check. "Hey, Jim-chan."
"You know what I just thought," said Candra. "Even though I met them first, I never introduced you guys to Haruka and Michiru. Guys, this is Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna. Girls, this Greg, Lance, Jim, and you already know Ozzie. These are my brothers."
The jaws of Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna hit the floor. "Your brothers?" asked Haruka.
"Yeah. What did you think? That I was dating them?" asked Candra.
Haruka and Michiru looked at each other and fainted.
"Haruka-chan? Oneesan?" Candra asked with concern.
Setsuna and Hotaru looked at each other. "Well, that explains a lot," said Setsuna.
"Ug. . ." groaned Haruka.

Chapter Sixteen: Could This Be The End? Grety's and StarMoon's Beginning Revealed!