Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion, and the rest of the occupants of the Crystal Palace, had noticed their offspring were starting to mature with each new experience. Even Christen, though she did not like admitting it. Beryl and her former generals saw their young ladies growing too. However, the girls' main weaknesses were unresolved, though their friendships would undoubtedly pull them through those.

Yet, how do you make someone work through their weaknesses? Especially when they don't even want it to be addressed? As is typical of these situations, the girls will eventually have to deal with these hindrances sooner or later.

"Ugh, I'm so anxious for us to get that job!" Gracie moaned in exasperation as they all sat at the dining table for breakfast. Finally, it had been two months since their last adventure, and Gracie's arm was healing well enough, so she could start working.

"I can't wait to work with tiny, cuddly, little furballs of love!" Dawn gushed, imagining taking care of all the kittens she saw.

Ivy could leave or take the job. Shadow was not keen on bonding with kittens. Regardless, she could clean the place, feed, refill the water, and scoop their litterboxes. It was not the most enjoyable part, but it got her a good paycheck.

"I hate waiting too, but there's not much we can do." Crystal kept checking her computer to see if confirmation of their employment would be sent via e-mail.

"They are so desperate for help. I don't see them not hiring us." Christen said, resting her chin on her hand, looking bored.

"Luckily, we have some of the best experiences." Star smiled, getting a laugh out of some of the people there.

"Morning!" Ariel walked in and handed everyone morning mail addressed to them.

"I got one from the shelter!" Holly yelled in excitement.

"Me too!" All the other girls echoed.

On the bright side, all the girls had gotten the job! It was a no-kill shelter, so the girls took care of adoptions. Christen had suggested they adopt a kitten each, but with six felines already running around? Yeah, that is not going to happen. Also, this gave the moon kittens a chance to make friends of their own species (I know the moon cats are human, just saying.)

"Too bad it's only part-time..." Sometimes, Chibiusa wished she only had to worry about the usual things, not Senshi.

"Don't be discouraged, my daughter. Part-time jobs are hard to come by, but better for you all." Neo-Queen Serenity preached. All the other girls nodded in agreement. When the girls came home from the first day of work, they had their hands full of applications.

"Yikes! Quartz and Rose have had quite the history! Intelligent, but hoards numerous shiny and round objects, food aggressive and picky! Scratching and biting impulsively, and escape artists." So Emily read the complaints from former adopters of a brother and sister pair of kittens picked up as strays. Quartz is white with gold eyes, and Rose is pink with amber eyes, assumed to have had chemicals or dye spilled on her by accident to turn her pink!

"I can see why no one wants to adopt them." Trisha agreed.

"Comet, could you and your siblings talk to Quartz and Rose? I think it might greatly benefit them." Alexis asked.

"We'll do what we can to help," Comet replied.

As the kittens padded down the hall, intending to sneak into the shelter, Asteroid thought, "Do you think those kittens will understand us?"

"Uh..." His black, white-tipped sister blushed in embarrassment. As the oldest, she should have thought of that crucial detail.

"We can ask Neo-Queen Serenity to bestow speech on all the kittens?" Diana was curious to know if that was even possible. However, Neo-Queen Serenity was known to perform miracles.

Comet and Asteroid looked at Diana, stunned but pleased their tiny, young, gray sister thought of the best solution! Then, racing toward the Throne Room, they tried to decide how best to word their request as this was less important than reviving the people of the Earth!

"We should explain to her what the situation is." Comet reasoned with her siblings, who could not think of better options. They had to slip through a slight crack between the doors to slink into the room.

"Usako, we have guests." King Endymion chuckled as he noticed the kittens peeking through the crack in the doorway.

"Come in." Neo-Queen Serenity called.

"My queen, we have a request. It's to help the girls with an issue at their job." Comet began.

"Comet, while you and your siblings are to help the girls on missions, they must deal with other job issues independently." Neo-Queen Serenity explained sternly.

"Yes, I know, your majesty. However, enabling the shelter kittens to talk could benefit all parties involved in the adoption process." Luna's red-eyed daughter begged.

"We want to make some new friends too!" Diana pleaded.

After a few minutes of serious debate in her head, Neo-Queen Serenity conceded, "Very well..."

"Don't fret, my queen. We'll make sure you don't regret this decision." Asteroid promised.

"Someone needs to be able to take my Silver Crystal-" Neo-Queen Serenity was cut off when an excited and shrill voice sounded behind her!

"I can carry it in my collar locket!" Turning around, everyone saw Elizabeth sitting on top of a floating Selina. She was pawing open the gem on her collar, which was a locket.

"That's so sweet of you to offer, Elizabeth. Thank you. Please, be extremely careful with it." Neo-Queen Serenity placed the crystal securely in Elizabeth's care.

"I promise you. I won't dare lose it!" Elizabeth vowed through Selina, a determined fire in her cherry-colored eyes.

"We trust you." King Endymion assured the young kitten with a warm smile.

Elizabeth's return expression showed nothing but joy! Both royals knew the indigo kitten wanted to prove herself as helpful, brave, intelligent, reasonable, respectful, serious, dedicated, playful, and encouraging. Most of these traits benefited Jewel's growth as a Senshi, Princess, and a person, but others are desirable traits of Luna, Artemis, Comet, Asteroid, and Diana. On the way to the shelter, Comet and her siblings stored power in their crescent moon marks to activate the Silver Crystal. Diana noticed Elizabeth was looking sadly at the ground, almost ashamed!

"We're here!" Comet's voice caused them all to look up.

"Aw, how are we supposed to get into this place?!" Asteroid looked all around the shelter, but it was heavily locked!

"We dig," Elizabeth replied with conviction and started tunneling!

"How do you know if this is even going to work?!" Asteroid shouted, his green eyes wide with concern.

Elizabeth popped her tiny head back up, "I don't, but that's why it's called 'taking a chance.'"

Liking Elizabeth's sass, the moon kittens jumped into the hole and helped shovel! Eventually, they made it! But, unfortunately, all the kittens were awake with gleaming eyes on the intruders in their pen!

"Greetings, fellow feline friends!" Diana called out. Most of the kittens responded in surprised meows.

Comforted by the fact some of these kittens are friendly, Comet, Asteroid, and Elizabeth climbed out of the pit too. Recognizing who they are connected to by their marks, the kittens had no qualms about becoming friends. That is until Quartz and Rose joined the congregation! Quartz hissed angrily at the kittens, and Rose did not look too pleased either! Finally, Elizabeth clawed open her locket, unable to understand, and the moon kittens activated their magic!

A searing yet refreshing silver light filled the shelter, and when it dimmed, the stray kittens were left feeling confused as their brains started to process things they had not previously understood.

"Is everyone OK?!" Comet asked.

"We're fine..." A light blue female moaned, rubbing her green eyes.

"Hey, I can understand you." A white male cat with greenish-yellow eyes spoke slowly in amazement.

"We can talk!" They all chorused happily.

"So, we can all talk now...?" A cold, stern voice spoke up: It's Quartz!

"What was that light?!" Rose demanded in a softer, warmer voice, much too kind for her attitude.

"THAT is the Silver Crystal's power. We used it to increase the chance of your adoption." Comet created the mystical occurrence.

While most of the kittens agreed to be able to talk to people would let them get to know people better, Quartz and Rose did not share this view.

"WE don't need humans! This world would be better without the lot of them!" Quartz growled aggressively.

"How can you say that when it is Neo-Queen Serenity who just agreed to grant you the ability to talk?!" Asteroid snapped.

"While we agree the gift is kind, we do not need to trust all humans easily." Rose defended her brother's words.

"What did humans ever do to you?!" Diana cried out.

"How about locking us in a cage with no food or water and throwing us out like trash?!" Quartz hissed fiercely.

Feeling deeply sorrowful and shocked at what an early life such as that must have felt like, the moon kittens could say no more. So, satisfied with their small victory, Quartz, and Rose climbed back to their perches and refused to budge! But, despite them, the stray kittens decided to, at least, give this communication thing with humans a try at adoptions tomorrow!


Quartz-Jim Cummings (Steele from Balto)

Rose- Bridget Fonda (Jenna from Balto)