____Usagi and Minako were in the mall looking at dresses the two were surrounded by stores and people of all kinds. Minako was in flare jeans and a tight orange top. Usagi was wearing brown corduroys with an anime T for Evangelion. "Wow! America's not _too_ different from Japan! Ohhhhh.... What's that smell?" She turned in the direction of the food court. "That smells delicious!"
____"Mmmm.... Yeah! Let's check it!" And so they made their way to the food court and soon found that the wondrous smell was from Cinnabon. They each bought a large cinnabon and a cafe` latte` and sat down at an iron wrought bench to enjoy their meal. "So how do yah like being an exchange student, Usagi?"
____Usagi looked up from her food. Now that she was seventeen she had mastered the art of eating neatly, but she still stuffed herself on occasion. She swallowed her food and answered, "Cathy's REALLY nice! Yeah she - Owwww!!!!!!!" They bothe went flying as a blast of energy hit them. They landed hard against a wall. "Oh m` god, what was that?" Usagi looked up to see a monster. Although he was gorgeous every inch of him screamed evil. "Mina-chan?"
____"I'm okay. We have to find a place to transform and _really_ fast! We have to get rid of this dude!" As they stood up and began looking around Minako noticed that the energy that had hit them had destroyed a twenty foot radius and where they had been was far from the middle. :Good he doesn't know who we are.: "Come on Usa-chan!" She grabbed Usagi's hand and tore into the bathroom. "Venus Crisis Make Up!!!!!" A flash of orange light and her clothes were replaced by her Super Sailor fuku.
____"Moon Eternal, Make Up!!!" Now Usagi wore her Eternal Moon fuku with her white wings. They ran out into the devastated court and Sailor Moon began her call. "Where ever evil goes the Sailor Senshi follow! To shut evil away, I am Sailor Moon! A champion of justice and defender of good! In place of the Moon I will punish you!"
____Then it was Sailor Venus` turn, "I am Sailor Venus sworn to root out evil! A defender of good I fight by Sailor Moon! We're gonna shut you down!!" a pause as they stared in hatred. "Venus, Love-Me-Chain!!" A golden chain of heart links whipped towards the monster.
____He dodged them deftly, "Ahhh... I know who you are but you have not aloud me to introduce myself! I am Uvan and on this crisp October dusk I will please the Lady with the deaths of those who would stand against her!" with a sneer "I stand for evil and I am a champion of Lady Belladonna! And you....you are dead." The vampire whispered lustfully and spread his lips in a smile that revealed his fangs. He reached down to the whimpering child at his feet. "What would you do to save this one? Would you hand yourselves over or fight me? Only bringing his death and yours? You are strange. For I have heard of you before, you would risk yourselves for others." He raised the boys wrist and scratched it lightly with his nail. He breathed the scent of the boys blood deeply. "Ahh.. So young. Aren't they all? Mmmm.... You run a lot don't you? So much texture...."
____"Noooo!!!! I'll give myself to you! Leave the child alone!" Moon yelled as selfless as usual. She would always risk herself before watching another take pain she could stop. The boy whimpered and whispered ‘mommy'.
____"No! I'll turn myself in and I'll promise not to fight you! But you must hand the boy over to Sailor Moon and allow them to leave unharmed!" Sailor Venus allowed her chain to dissolve and looked up at him with steel in her eyes.
____He looked at her measuringly and another ghostly smile spread across his lips. "I agree!" He said gleefully, obviously finding this whole scene amusing to no end. He clasped the boy's wrist in his hand and then let him go. The boy's wrist now had no sign of a gash. He ran a few steps and then collapsed to his knees from blood loss and fright. Sailor Moon scooped him up and throwing a worried slash encouraging look at Venus, jetted out of there.
____"What do you want from me and this world?" Venus was slowly walking towards him.
____"Hmmm... I suppose you think me the typical idiote who happened to fall upon a large vat of evil power? I know better than to tell my enemy my plans. Learn this now. My lady is no Queen Beryl, she will defeat your world easily. Ah ah ah! Hands up! I trust you no more now than I did before." He waved his hand up lightly and then sprang from his perch to land a little ways in front of her.
____"Just because you would break your promises to us doesn't mean I would break mine, even to you." She looked at him challengingly, but he continued to look on at her expectantly. Obviously waiting for her to reach him, she sighed and continued walking with her hands up.
____As she reached him he smiled, "Ah. That's good, keep being nice and you may survive!" She balked and tried to pull away from his grasp but even her senshi strength couldn't compete with his vampirical strength. "Oh come now I'm only playing with you! The cat and the mouse as they say." he giggled as he looked down at her.
____He's _giggling_! Oh, god what am I in? "What are you going to do to me?" She looked up at him for the first time truly afraid. There's no way I can break his grip. What am I going to do? I have to buy time, but how?
____"Well I'm not sure yet . I honestly hadn't thought that you would give up, I didn't think I would be taking prisoners." He looked about the wreck of the mall. It was all strewn glass and metal chairs and tables. Randomly set among the destruction were half trampled people and forgotten shopping bags. His eyes were glazed in deep thought. Venus didn't even need to think, months of acting on her own with no one to save her butt kicked in.
____ She kneed him in the crotch and as he doubled over brought her other knee into his face and her fist down onto the back of his neck. Jumping back she yelled "Venus Love-Me Chain!!" He however blocked it sloppily and jumped behind a pilar. She didn't move, she was unsure of what could be awaiting her if she went after him. In a few seconds a blast of green energy narrowly missed her as she leaped out of the way. :Ok he's got his second wind. I can't fight with him behind that pilar. If I blow away the pilar the whole ceiling will cave in, and that wouldn't help me any.: Her mind was now in a total Sailor V mode so calling in for back up didn't even cross her mind. Luckily for her, Sailor Moon was in the process of doing just that.

____Sailor Moon had just given the kid to an ambulance and warned the police to stay out that the Sailor Senshi had the situation under control. Now she was finding Rei on her communicator when Sailor Mars landed right next to her. "I sensed trouble so I came as soon as I could. Are you calling the others?" Moon nodded and contacted Ami and told her to get Sailor Jupiter and get to the Echelon Mall.
____"The monsters in the food court and he's got Venus," she disconnected and looked up, "Come on we've got to help Venus she could be in trouble!" They took off at a dead run for the entrance.

____"Alright then come on out! You've found out I'm more than just a pretty blond! I can kick ass too you dirty bastard!" Before Venus had joined the Senshi she had quite a mouth. Since she worked on her own and was a petite blond blue eyed kid, she had to look tough some how. "Venus Love-Me Chain!!!" The heartlink chain wrapped around the pole. She heard him roar in rage. "Ahha! Now I've got you!" She ran around the pilar and caught a blast of energy in the stomach and then a boot in the head. "Ah!" At least he doesn't wear steal tipped boots like Rubeus. Her mind thought numbly, oblivious to her bodies pain. Then she was being drug to her feet by her hair.
____"Little foolish girl with the pretty red bow, you thought you could defeat me didn't you?" Her mind was too clouded with flashes of light and patches of darkness to formulate an answer to a question it barely registered. All she could do was whimper at the pain he continued to cause her. He shook her causing some of the bright lights and dark pools to fall away so that she could partially see. Her eyes came into focus on him and she snapped her leg out as best she could and knocked him, them, over. She landed next to one of the iron chairs and weakly swung it at him. It hit on target almost smashing his skull with its weight. But being a vampire had its advantages, as they both lay there he began to regain consciousness. When his eyesight cleared he began to crawl to a woman who was laying half dead nearby. When he reached her he gently pushed up her chin and began to slowly feed. As he drank her blood the wounds he had suffered began to close.
____"Get away from her! Fire Sniper!!" He was hit with an arrow of pure flame and it knocked him away from the woman's now still form. He looked up to see a purple haired girl brandishing a fire bow in a red and purple super sailor fuku standing in front of Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus. Sailor Moon had righted a chair and was setting Venus on it, he dully noted that it was the same chair that Venus had just slugged him with. "I am Sailor Mars and I will defeat evil across the Universe!"
____"To defend my friends and my world, I am Sailor Jupiter!" Super Sailor Jupiter jumped from the rafters to land next to Super Sailor Mars.
____Then Super Sailor Mercury stepped from behind another pilar. "Where ever evil hides I will find it and destroy it! For my world, I am Super Sailor Mercury!"
____Now Eternal Sailor Moon stepped forward, "Evil is a plague that must be obliterated! It destroys worlds tearing them apart, but it is the good that fights that evil that makes it worth the battle! The hope in a child's eyes at every new day! I am Eternal Sailor Moon and you will pay for trying to steal that hope away!!" She leaped into the air, "Sailor Moon Kick!!" He only managed to dodge enough that her foot didn't snap his head off instead she broke his jaw. Without a word, since speech was inaccessible to him he disappeared. Just as the police burst in.

____:Cain's sake! That little blond bitch almost killed me!: He moved at inhuman speed through his chamber. Gathering a knife and jacket he grabbed his hat on his way out of his apartment door. :Blood! Life's elixir that's what I need.: He made his way to a park and taught a football player why his parents always said not to jog at night. By the time he was done he was able to clamp his mouth over the wound and drink freely. As he finished he had already decided how he would kill them.

____All four inner senshi's heads snapped around at the polices` entry and Mercury took the initiative. "We should get out of here before the poverotsy push their way in. Come on," she said as she hefted Sailor Venus` limp body and they leaped up onto the second floor disappearing around the corner. "Sailor V? Come on wake up." They all watched their friend expectantly for a moment then Mars stepped forward.
____"I'll take her. Hmph." Now Venus was thrown over Mars` shoulder and they headed to Usagi's place (Catherine's house) as quickly as possible. As they snuck in ,Usagi, who had detransformed called in and since she didn't get an answer they rushed up to the guest room.
____Mars set Venus down on the bed as Usagi ran downstairs for water and the others detransformed. Ami lifted Venus` chin and opened the girl's eye while Makoto used a flashlight-keychain. "They're dilated, is that water cold?" Makoto looked at Usagi, and she nodded. "Good. Rise and shine!" She dumped part of it down the blond's throat and the rest down the back of her fuku. She gasped and sputtered as the cold water hit her spine. Now Mars who had been standing at the side leaped forward and threw her arms around Venus.
____"What happened? I was so worried!" Mars sat back on the bed as Venus rubbed her head and the rest made a semi-circle around them. "Are you alright?"
____"I sent Moon out with the little boy and then we were fighting, nothing really out of the ordinary about that. He's stronger than anyone else I've fought alone but it wasn't strange. He's a vampire." She rubbed her temples and stood and with a soft glow and a shimmer of orange she was in normal clothing again. Mars did the same and then some one knocked at the door. They all jumped then Usagi shook herself and opened the door. They hadn't realized that they were that on edge until the nock.
____"Hi, you guys must be Usagi-chan's friends. I'm Catherine. Would you mind if I borrowed her for a sec?" she took Usagi's hand and pulled her out of the room. "The next time you decide to have a party can you clear it first? I don't mean to sound like a bitch but this is gonna come down on my head. I don't care, but we've got to ship them off before my mom gets home."
____"I'm sorry!" Usagi's mind flew. "Minako-chan felt dizzy and this was the closest place to go so we brought her here. I'll make sure to clear things with you from now on."
____"That's good, and you and yer buds were at the mall right? You should give everyone's hostesses a call cause there was a big duke out there. It was probably after you left, but they won't know. That's why I'm home, I was hoping that you'd be here." She smiled and spoke, shaking her head. "They said it was a gang fight from the amount of damage or a terrorist hit. I'm really glad you guys got out of there beforehand." She opened the door and waved to them, "Do you guys want something to eat? Drink? I just did some shopping." Five surprised smiles were her answer.
____While her guests sat around the kitchen table she took out chips and an onion dip. Then grabbed cookies. "Hey, do any of you guys drink wine coolers? If not we have Coke and Barq's." They all asked for soda. She shrugged and filled their orders, then grabbed a Fuzzy Navel for herself. She sat down and they all thanked her for the food. "So how do you guys like america? I know your probably sick of the question but Inquiring Minds want to know!" They said they all liked it. "Okay I have some other questions about Japan. First, what's the biggest difference between the land of the Rising Sun and the Rice Country?"
____"I'd have to say punishment for crime, Japan is a lot stricter." Rei said and cocked her head.
____"Yeah or the people. Japan has a lot of rules about manners and your social place. But Americans don't seem to get that. They can be really rude. -- No offense!" Minako face faulted.
____"Its okay. I know what we can be like. I try to be more polite, I just don't always manage. (Bad upbringing I suppose.)" Catherine winked and smiled wanly "I would much rather live in Japan in all honesty."
____"No you don't! Most of us would like to live in America because Japan's too strict!" She smiled and laughed.
____"Speak for yourself! I wouldn't want to live here. Again no offense to you, but this country is really immoral and not open minded! For being a free country I've never seen so many stupid prejudices before." Rei went on angrily.
____"Yeah, like the big thing with coloring your hair. My mom would KILL me! But its supposed to be really common among Jap teens." She laughed, "And the play houses with all female or all male actors! Cross dressing is kinda` frowned upon here."
____"Mmhm. And like homosexuality. Even though you people will say your all open minded you are MAJORLY against it!"
____Catherine held up her hands. "No, I have to defend ‘us' here. We're about split halfway down the middle here, for the most part its religion that stops them from understanding slash excepting it. Then there's the group who's parents are dead set against it and never learned that its okay. And then there is the group that's okay with it because they have a brain in there skull and gays, and bi's themselves. Its not everyone. And its not the country's fault." She looked at them expectantly.
____"I guess your right." Makoto said. Speaking for the first time.
____ "My turn for a question!" Minako smiled breaking the tension, "Why did you take japanese? And why be one of our temporary families?"
____"Well, first off, I love Japan- the language, the culture, the religion, the anime! And I don't know. My mom didn't mind having someone here as long as they weren't a guy." she grinned and winked, then frowned. "I really don't know. I just was like hey some one can stay at my place! We have the room! It was one of those things. I don't know. Hmmm.. This is going to bother me for the rest of the day now. You realize that." She stuck her tongue out and they all laughed. They continued to talk until the sun set.
____The phone wrang and they all looked up. "Oh, shit!!! You guys have to call home!!" Cathy sprang to her feet and picked up. "Hello, Lance residence..."
____"Hi, honey, I'm leaving work now so I'll be home in about a half an hour. Can you take out the sausage that we made the other day?" {Usagi and co. have only been here three days.}
____"Yeah, sure mom. Usagi, we're having sausage tonight. Do you like it?" Everyone immediately went still on cue.
____"Hai!" she waved and smiled "Tell your mom I said Konban wa!"
____Cathy grinned back and spoke into the phone. After she hung up they all broath a sigh of relief. "Call our ‘families'?" Ami asked.
____"Yeah! None of them know your here! And you all went to the mall today right! So they only know that you went there and after the big fight never checked back in! Oh, gods how could I forget this!?!" She handed the Cell-phone to Minako and sat as she began dialing.

____Oh, wow how could we have not thought of that? Ami asked herself. We relaxed because we're in another country, and subsequently put our ‘families' through a lot of worry. She looked up as the phone was passed to her. She dialed the number and heard a worried voice answer.
____"Hello this is the Andersons." It was Mrs. Anderson.
____"Hello, Ms. Anderson I-"
____"Ami? Oh, thank god! Are you all right?"
____"Yes, I'm fine I'm sorry I didn't call sooner I-
____ "Where are you!?!"
____ "I'm at Lance-san's house." She looked up at the paper being held infront of her nose. It read: ‘Sorry didn't think all freaked out forgot to call Sorry!!', in scrawled lettering. "I'm so sorry! I didn't think! We were all so freaked out that we forgot to call you guys!" She lapsed into Japanese for a few words in her rush and picked up again in English after she said ‘Gomen!' three times. "I'm so sorry!"
____"Oh, its all right dear! We're just all so glad that you and your friends are safe! Lansan's? Um.. Who is that?" The voice now trembling with relief tripped over the words.
____"Catherine Lance. Usagi is staying with her."
____ "Oh, Catherine. Alright, we'll be right there to pick you up!" The woman finished at the same time the doorbell rang.
____ Ami heard Catherine answer the door and admit the guardian of Rei. "Hello everyone!" The woman said happily and hugged Rei.
____ Then her son strode in and called, "Rei-chan! Thank God your all right!" He gave her a quick nervous hug of his own that brought smothered giggles from Minako and Cathy. He blushed a little at this, and stepped back to his mother's side.
____"Sayo nara, guys. I'll see you later!" She walked through the door followed by the son and mother who waved and quickly made chase.
____ After the door was shut behind them the girls all burst into giggles at the boy's obvious crush on Rei. Who as obviously knew about it. Even though she played the role of indifference.
____Within fifteen minutes the house was empty of all but Usagi, Catherine, and her cat. "Wow. What a hectic day. You have good taste in friends, Usagi." Catherine smiled. "Just remember that they were never here."
____"Wha- Oh, yeah. I can't let your mom know. Okay." They just looked at each other for a few seconds.
____"Well, um. What do you want to do? I'm guessing you don't want to play Parcheesi, and my brain's numb of creativity from art club. It always seems to use it all up...." She smiled. "So all I'm good for is doing dinner and watching some TV." Usagi grinned back and they made dinner and sat down to watch La Femme Nikita. After watching the nightly line up of action thrillers they headed up to bed after a quick ‘good night' to Catherine's mom.
____Lying in the darkness Usagi suddenly felt lonely, used to sharing her bed with Chibi-Usa and Luna. She felt nervous all by herself after today's attack. She needed to talk to some one, she slipped out of her room and headed for Cat-chan's. When she reached the door she paused about to turn back when she heard movement about the room. That vampire? Could he have found where I am? She reached for the door knob and slowly turning it, opened the door.
____Catherine was sitting at her desk in a circle of lamplight sketching in a book. She looked up and smiled, waving Usagi into the room. "Shhh..." She closed her book and stood up. As Usagi shut the door she turned on the over head light.
____Usagi turned back from the door right into a hug. "It was the attack right?" Catherine took her wrist and led her to the corner of the bed. "I'm sorry that had to happen. Its unusual if its any consolation. In fact this is the first I've ever heard of one." She smiled kindly.
____"Thanks, its kind of that and kind of homesickness. I miss my family and Luna, my cat. I even miss, Shingo, my little brother." She looked up at her friend and had to return the bright smile on the girl's face. "Can I stay here tonight?"
____ "Yeah, I don't mind you bunkin` with me." The brunette grinned. And stood up, "Do you want to go get your pillow? I'm up for a snack." She fake laughed maniacly and walked out the door. Usagi sprang up and hopped after her. They grabbed her pillow on their way down to the kitchen where they grabbed cookies and chocolate milk.
____As they stepped back into Catherine's room Usagi remembered the book she had been drawing in. "Cat-chan, what were you drawing in that book?" Usagi asked as she sat on the corner of Cathy's bed. Cathy smiled and blushed.
____"I had hoped you hadn't noticed. I like to draw a lot and I have this sketch book. I was drawing a manga style picture of Ayanami Rei from Eva." She held out the book. "Do you want to look through it?"
____ "Hai." Usagi opened the proferred book and began looking through. "Oh, wow, these are really good!" She grinned up at Cathy. "I really like your Eva drawings. You really like Rei don't you?"
____"Yeah, she's my favorite. I love her Lancea Longinius and the blue hair just rules." She flopped down next to Usagi and yawned. "Guess I'm more tired than I thought!"
____They finished eating and Cat finished her drawing. "Ready to go to bed?" Cat asked of the yawning Usagi. Who nodded and yawned some more. So they curled up under the covers and fell fast asleep.

____Catherine awakened but did not open her eyes. Feeling a warm body curled around her made her think back to the night before in wonder. When she remembered that it was Usagi-chan she relaxed. Whew. Only Usa-chan and only here because she was lonely, AND only here to sleep. Man for a second there I thought I'd gone to bed with someone. And what confused me most was that I didn't remember! She smiled, God, could you imagine? Me and Usagi! That wouldn't work! She opened her eyes and looked over at her blond friend. Not that she isn't cute, but she's my friend. She grinned Besides she is so hung up on her Mamo-chan I don't think she'd give anyone else the time of day! She gave a small laugh and Usagi's eyes fluttered open. "Ohaiyo gozaimasu, sleepy-head."
____Usagi smiled shyly back and unwound herself from her friend blushing. "Ohaiyo. I hope I didn't keep you up."
____"No, you? You don't even snore!" She giggled and sat up ignoring her friends nervousness in an attempt to releive it. "Ready for breakfast? I'm making pancakes and bacon this morning."
____"Hai. I love breakfast! Its my favorite meal of the day!" Usagi brightened, the two quickly dressed and headed down stairs.
____When they arrived at the foot of the stairs they saw a big peice of paper on the kitchen table which they had cleaned off last night. It read:

_______Cat and Usagi,