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Missing 
Part 2
By Usa and Emiri
Disclaimers in part 1
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Minako sighed as she turned down her street. Normally, Artemis would be at her side or riding on her shoulder. "Artemis, I hope to Kami that you're alright." She closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry as she imagined all the places he could be. People were so stupid sometimes, who knows what someone might've done to him... "Iie!" she yelled, half to herself as she walked in the door. "You have to stop thinking like that. He'll be fine," Minako told herself.

"Minako, is that you?"

"Hai, Mama!"

Her mother came in from the kitchen. "I set dinner aside for you if you're hungry." She noticed tears on her daughter's cheeks. "What happened, sweetie?"

"Uhhh..." Minako didn't know what to tell her mother. She could just tell her that Artemis was missing, but then her mother might ask a lot of questions, and she couldn't lie about anything without giving herself away.

Instead of pressing any further, Aino Sakura, gave Minako a hug. "Whatever it is, everything will be all right. Remember that I'll always be there for you."

"Arigatou, Mama. Demo, if you don't mind, I think I'm just going to skip dinner tonight."

"All right, then it's off to bed with you. That is, if you've finished you're homework."

"Ehh..."

She pointed upstairs. "March right up there and get it done, now! You may be upset with something but that doesn't mean you can slack off."

"Nani?" Minako's lip quivered. "You're so mean to me!!"

"Minako... Gomen ne, but your grades have been less than stellar."

"Well, I have other things that have to be done that are more important than school!" Realizing what she said after she said it, Minako gasped and covered her mouth.

Sakura glared at her daughter. "That's it, you are grounded! Get upstairs right this instant and start on that homework! If you are not finished within the hour there will be hell to pay! You are not allowed to go to the Shrine after school for one week, is that clear!"

"You just don't understand!" Minako wailed, running out the door instead of going upstairs. She just couldn't face homework knowing that Artemis and Luna were missing, and nobody had heard from them.

"MINAKO!!!"

Instead of turning back, Minako ran faster, turning the corner and running...well, she wasn't exactly sure where to.

*************

"Demo, Mamo-chan, we haven't seen either of them since noon yesterday!" Usagi cried.

"I'm sure they're fine, Usako. They're probably off investigating some new enemy."

Usagi gasped. "Maybe they've been hurt... or worse!"

"Iie, you can't think like that. If you like, I'll help you look tomorrow."

"That's all right Mamo-chan. You're too busy with that seminar. We can handle everything over here. You're right, they're probably really busy tracking down the enemy."

"Cheer up, Usako. I have a present for you when I get back."

That definately cheered her up. "Honto!! What is it!?!"

"You'll see."

The doorbell rang just then and few minutes later there was a soft knock on Usagi's bedroom door. "Usagi, you have a visitor," Ikuko told her.

"Okay," Usagi replied. She gasped when Minako came into the room. "Mamo-chan, gomen, but I gotta go. Minako-chan's here."

"You don't have to go on my account," Minako whispered.

Usagi ignored her. "Oyasumi, Mamo-chan."

"Oyasumi, Usako. I hope all is well."

Usagi hung up the phone and eyed Minako warily. It had been a long day and her back was killing her. She stifled a gasp as she stood. 

"Minako-chan, did something else happen? I thought we were going to go home to get some rest. Why are you here? Did you find something out about Luna and Artemis?"

"Iie. I went home..." Usagi waited for her to continue. "And Mama ordered me to go do my homework, but since it wasn't done, she got mad, and I almost let it slip that I'm a Senshi!"

Usagi hugged her friend. "It's all right, Minako-chan. I know the feeling."

Minako hugged her back. "I thought you would. Gomen that I interrupted your phone conversation, though."

"No problem. I probably would've had to get off anyway. Papa has this thing about me staying on the phone late."

"Heh, I know how that is. Mama's like that too."

"So..." Usagi said with a smile. "Do you want the floor or the bed?"

"Nani?"

The pig-tailed girl laughed. "You are spending the night, ne?"

"Well, I guess I have no choice, since Mama probably won't let me back in until I do some serious grovelling...and I'm not ready for that."

"That's settled! Take the bed, you know I can sleep just about anywhere."

"I can sleep on the floor. I don't want to put you out or anything."

"You wouldn't be putting me out, Minako-chan," Usagi insisted. 

"What about your sore back?"

Usagi waved her off. "It's fine," she lied.

"Iie, I'm sleeping here!" Minako plunked down on the floor before Usagi could say more.

"Are you absolutely certain?"

"Hai!"

Usagi nodded and turned off the bedroom light. She tossed a pillow and blanket to Minako. "Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi. And arigatou."

"Anytime..." Usagi trailed off, thinking of Luna and how she would curl up against her. *Be safe...* She drifted off into a dreamless sleep.