Our chapter begins somewhere in the mountains. It was early in the morning, and everything was still and calm. Amidst the silence and beauty of the area, Makoto was running through the bamboo forest. She was barefoot, wore a white training gi, and was sweating up a storm as she ran, trying to push herself to the limit. Then, as she ran, the brunette tripped over a root, making her fall flat into the dirt. Makoto wasn't hurt, but she was more frustrated than in pain, mostly towards herself for recent events.
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The Guardians were up against a powerful Daimon that was huge as it was powerful. It was feminine, bright red in skin color, very muscular, had a pair of plug tongs on her head, and wore a purple unitard with strange purple pumps.
Sailors Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, and Solaris tried to dogpile her at once, but the Daimon tossed them aside.
Sailor Jupiter then dashed into the fray. "Leave it to me! Physical strength is my forté!"
The Guardian of Thunder then locked hands with one another, each one trying to overpower the other. Unfortunately, the Daimon was too strong even for Jupiter, as she quickly overtook her and tossed her to the ground. Not backing down, Sailor Jupiter unleashed her attack.
"JUPITER SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!"
She threw her signature disc of lighting, believing it would cause some damage, but with a might swat of her fist, the Daimon canceled it out, much to Sailor Jupiter's disbelief. Solaris then jumped in, summoning his Sunshine Meteor, and threw it straight into the Daimon's face, causing it to recoil in agony as it was blinded.
"Sailor Moon! Take it out, now!" Solaris yelled.
With her Spiral Heart Moon Rod, Sailor Moon used her signature attack. "MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!"
And with a blast of hearts, the Daimon was no more. Sailor Moon and the other Guardians celebrated their victory, but Sailor Jupiter wasn't as jubilant as she stood there silent, her pride in shambles.
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As Eudial unleashed her most powerful attack, Solaris clenched his sword and held it high, its gem beginning to shine, while the blade changed colors, slowly going from black to white. Then, he drew a circle with his sword, took a two-handed stance, and shot forward, cutting straight through Eudial's flames.
"SOLARIS CELESTIAL BLADE SLASH!"
And with one powerful and swift slash of his mighty blade, he cut straight through Eudial. Then, in a dying scream of agony, as her body convulsed and sparked with light, Eudial's body was disintegrated, leaving the talismans behind, and a Daimon Egg made of darkness that dissipated with a hiss, fading into the air.
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"Damn it! How could I let that thing beat me like that?!" Makoto berated at herself. "And if it wasn't for Harusuke powering up, he could have died! I couldn't do anything to help him!" She punched her fist into the ground. "I have to up my training so that I can get stronger!"
She then picked herself up and started running again, burning with determination.
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Back in the space of their headquarters, Kaolinite was still in the middle of recovery. Most of her wounds had already healed, but she still had to wait a bit longer to be up to full strength. She watched the recent battle with the Guardians and Eudial via the water in the fountain.
"So, the Guardians managed to defeat Eudial," Kaolinite murmured to herself. "Their strength is as formidable as ever, especially Sailor Moon and her brother Solaris. They both possess powerful light, power like that of our life-giving Taioron Crystal. We must obtain them for our Master, but first..."
The water's reflection changed, showing her Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune, holding their talismans.
"We must identify the last talisman holder since Eudial was able to discover the first two," Kaolinite went on. "It is imperative that we seize it first before those Guardians do as soon as possible."
She dispersed the reflection with a wave of her hand, and then Mimete appeared.
"You summoned me, Mistress Kaolinite?" said Mimete. "How may I be of service to you?"
"As you're well aware, Mimete, Eudial has failed," said Kaolinite. "Therefore, you must make up for it and find the final talisman. Tomoe will provide you with Daimons."
The reflection of Mimete twirled around as she changed her Witches 5 attire to a schoolgirl's uniform from Mugen Academy. "Of course. Just leave it to Mimete of Witches 5," she said. "Also known as teen pop sensation, Mimi Hamu, class representative of performing arts of Mugen Academy."
"Don't forget about the Guardians," warned Kaolinite. "They will try to stop you, so make sure you're prepared and put them down."
Mimete gave her a wink. "Not to worry. I won't let you down."
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At the Tsukino Household, it was just like any other morning. Usagi and Luna were outside checking the mailbox and found a postcard inside.
"Hey, Harusuke," Usagi called. "Look at this. We got a postcard from Mako."
Her brother then came over. "From Mako?" he said. "What does it say?"
Usagi took a quick read. "It says she's training at a temple in the mountains," she said. She turned the postcard to read the address, and her eyes went wide as she let out a gasp in surprise. "According to the address, the temple she's training at is next to a resort hotel where Mamo's working!" And the moment she realized this, a sly grin crept up the ordango blonde's cheeks as she snickered. "What lucky coincidence~."
"Oh no, she's not thinking what I think she's thinking. Is she?" Luna spoke worriedly.
"I think she is Luna," Harusuke flatly spoke as he shook his head wryly.
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A little while later, the teens were now riding the train en route to the mountains. On the ride there, they were having lunch. Like always, when it comes to food, Usagi was wolfing down hers with gusto, much to everyone's bewilderment.
"Man, this is so great!" Usagi spoke between bites. "This is why I love traveling! There's nothing else to do but eat!"
"Don't you think you should slow down a little bit, Usagi?" said Rei. "You're eating like you haven't in days."
"Not to mention you're getting rice all over your cheeks," Harusuke scolded as he took a napkin and wiped Usagi's face. "Seriously, would it kill you to have some manners?"
Luna and Artemis, while hiding in Usagi and Minako's backpacks, popped their heads out.
"Hey, Usagi, I'm starving," complained Luna. "How about something for me?"
"Yeah, me too, Mina," said Artemis. "I'm getting kinda hungry, too."
Usagi and Minako sighed, having tired expressions, and each dropped an Ebi-Furai tail from their lunches into their mouths.
"By the way, Usagi. Harusuke. I'm surprised that Chibiusa didn't tag along with you two," said Rei. "How come?"
"As her future mother-to-be, I kindly asked her to stay at home this time," Usagi spoke importantly. "And she happily accepted."
"More like she left without saying anything to her," Harusuke muttered quietly.
Usagi gave Harusuke a quick and stiff jab of her elbow, making him yelp out in pain.
The train soon reached the station, and the teens made the rest of the trip by bus. After riding for a few minutes more, they finally arrived at their stop.
"Now, according to the guidebook, there should be a wonderful hotel that's not too far from the temple," said Usagi, pointing down the street. "It's right over there."
The others looked up, and they saw the hotel in the distance. It was a big building with several windows painted white and was pretty tall.
"Wow! It looks so luxurious!" Minako gasped in awe.
"I'm glad you agree," smiled Usagi. "Why don't we stay there instead of at the temple?"
"Hold a minute. I thought that we came here to help Mako with her training," said Rei. "That's the whole reason we're out here."
"True, but if we stay there, we'll still be close to her without interrupting her training," said Usagi. "And if she's in trouble or whenever needs us, we can run over and help her."
"That's honestly a good point," said Ami. "As long as I have a place to study, I don't mind."
"Then it's settled!" Usagi spoke eagerly. "We're staying at the hotel!"
"Hold it right there," interrupted Luna. "Don't fall for Usagi's scheme. Why don't you let her tell you the real reason why she wants to stay there?"
Usagi then cringed as Rei, Ami, and Minako grew suspicious.
"What's Luna talking about, Usagi?" Rei demanded. "What scheme?"
"I, uh, don't know what you're talking about," Usagi denied hastily. She looked across to her brother. "I'm not scheming at all! Right, Harusuke?"
But Harusuke was having none of it. "Usagi proposed this trip in the first place, and the reason why she wants to stay at that hotel is that Mamoru happens to be working there," he said.
"Harusuke, you traitor!" Usagi squawked. "How could you?!"
Everyone was now glaring at Usagi crossly. Even Ami was cross.
"So all that big talk about help Mako train..." began Rei.
"...and wanting to get away to study..." went on Ami.
"...was a big, fat lie?!" finished Minako.
"Well, I wasn't lying exactly," Usagi relented. "I figured this trip would be a bit more fun if we all had some things we wanted to accomplish. Don't you think?"
"We're sticking to our original plan," said Rei sternly. "We're staying at the temple."
The teens then marched away, leaving a sad Usagi toiling behind.
It wasn't long before they walked up the stairs to the temple, but unlike the Hikawa Shrine, there were even more steps, making it difficult to climb. Usagi already tired out after climbing the first forty. Rei, Ami, and Minako were also starting to feel tired, not being used to this either. The only few that weren't having any issues were Harusuke, Luna, and Artemis. The gang soon reached the top, Harusuke, Luna, and Artemis hardly winded while the girls were exhausted.
"H-How many steps was that?" panted Minako.
"Compared to the Hikawa Shrine," gasped Ami. "There at least fifty-two times as many."
"How the heck did you know that?" rasped Rei. "Were you counting this whole time?"
"I think my lungs got broken," Usagi wheezed. "I'm gonna die."
"Come on, girls. It wasn't that bad," Harusuke said as he wiped his brow. "Although, that was a pretty good workout. Compared to what I do in the gym, it was pretty easy."
The girls didn't say a word while scowling. Just then, there came the sound of grunting followed by the sound of pounding. Everyone looked up, and to their right, they saw a familiar someone who was punching and kicking away at a log post wrapped in rope, her brunette ponytail dancing in the wind.
"Mako!" everyone spoke happily.
Makoto then looked up, and when she saw her friends, she came over to see them. "What are all of you doing here?" she asked.
"We missed you!" smiled Usagi. "We thought you could use some help with your training, so here we are!"
"How could you just up and leave without telling us where you were going?" Rei lightly scolded with a smile. "Did you think we would let it slide?"
"We'll do anything to help out," added Minako. "Just tell us what you need."
Before Makoto could say anything, someone came running up the stairs and, with a giant jump, went right over their heads, performing a tuck and roll before landing on the ground and dashing off. It was only a glance, but the teens saw a bald young man who wore the same gi as Mako.
"Who the heck was that?!" exclaimed Harusuke.
"That was Kakusui Yakushiji, a Getsuren Buddist monk," explained Makoto. "He's been living and training here for the past four years on a quest to attain enlightenment." She sighed in admiration. "Isn't he amazing? He runs up and down this mountain area at least fifty times a day."
Usagi then glanced sly at Makoto while grinning. "Oh, Mako. You're not fooling anyone," she giggled, teasing. "You've fallen in love with that monk, haven't you?"
"N-No! It's not like that!" Makoto squeaked, waving her hands in denial. "A-Anyway, I have to get back to training now! See you later!"
And Makoto ran away, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks.
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Makoto followed Kakusui into the forest, trying her best to keep up until she came to an oasis with several waterfalls falling into a brook. Standing underneath one of them was Kakusui, immersed in deep zen meditation. Wanting to follow his example, Makoto carefully stepped one of her feet into the water, immediately feeling the icy temperature which made her shiver.
"Even though it's summer, the water's cold!" winced Makoto. However, she didn't let that stop her, as she waded into the water and up to Kakusui. "Please allow me to join you!" she said with determination.
Kakusui didn't respond while continuing to meditate. Makoto then stepped underneath the waterfall next to him and tried her best to be as zen as Kakusui, but the water was so cold, and the force from the falling water was so strong that she couldn't take it, and jumped out, her body shivering even more.
"Tell me, Kakusui! What do I need to do to become like you?!" Makoto begged, venting her frustrations. "Right now, I'm in a terrible slump. I can't give you the specifics or anything, but my techniques and skills don't work against my opponents, so if I had your kind of willpower, then maybe I'll be able to get out of my slump."
Kakusui then stepped out of the waterfall and stared at Makoto, his eyes calm and clear as he stayed silent.
"Well?! Why won't say anything?!" demanded Makoto, growing impatient. "Say something!"
Then, Kakusui began to shiver as his teeth chattered. "I-It's so cold...! I can barely move my lips!" he sputtered. He also let out a sneeze. "Geez, I hope I didn't catch a cold," he sniffed as he wiped his nose.
Makoto stared, feeling caught off guard. Then, a smile worked its way to her lips as she began to laugh.
Kakusui smiled, too. "That's better. That smile suits you so well," he complimented. "I'm glad I could make you laugh."
Makoto's cheeks went red as Kakusui walked past her, stepping out of the water.
"There's a favorite saying that I always live by day in and day out," went on Kakusui. " "No other path makes me feel so alive. Thus it is the one I take." "
" "No other path makes me feel so alive. Thus it is the one I take." " repeated Makoto. "I think I understand."
"But, even if you've chosen that path, you will still question yourself and your decisions the moment you run into problems," Kakusui sagely spoke. "Especially when during training when it gets tough. Even the most trained individuals feel this way."
Makoto was surprised. "So, you question yourself, too?" she asked.
Kakusui gave Makoto a sheepish grin as he scratched his head. "Probably more than most people," he replied.
As the two continued to converse, they didn't know that someone was spying on them from above in the shadows, its orange eyes twinkling in the darkness while letting out a little chuckle.
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Later that evening, the teens were lying in their futons, ready for bed in a temple room.
"So, Makoto, what made you decide to come here and train?" asked Rei.
Makoto adverted her eyes. "W-Well, no reason," she said. "Just kind of felt like it, I guess."
Rei knew that her friend wasn't telling the truth but didn't pry. "Well, let me know if you want to talk about it," she said. "We're here for you."
"Yeah. It's best not to keep worries to yourself," added Usagi.
"Guess you would know, Usagi," Rei teased. "Especially since you're such a secret schemer."
Usagi was cross. "Oh, yeah?! Well, you're just a big meanie!" she snapped as she grabbed her pillow and threw it right into Rei's face.
Rei was now angry. "Now you've done it! Take this!" she snapped back as she grabbed hers and Usagi's pillow and threw them.
One hit Usagi in the face, but the other hit Minako instead.
Now, Minako was mad. "That hurt!" she complained. "I didn't do anything, so why don't you work on your aim!"
She then threw her pillow, attempting to hit Rei, but hit Ami. At that moment, an all-out pillow fight ensued. Pillows were flying everywhere as the girls threw one after another, each trying to get their share of payback. The only one who was trying to stay out of it was Harusuke, who was desperately protecting himself with his blanket.
"Hey! Would you girls grow up already?!" Harusuke snapped. "Some of us are trying to sleep over here!"
But as he shot up from the covers, a pillow came flying and smacked him square in the face, causing all the other girls to freeze.
"Whoops! Sorry, Harusuke!" apologized Rei. "That was meant for Usagi!"
But Harusuke was now cross as he grabbed his pillow. "So you've wished for death, eh? In that case, it's time for some payback!"
And the pillow fight war continued till long after the stars came out.
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That night everyone was fast asleep, except for Makoto, who was outside staring into the starry sky, still lost in her insecurities. At that moment, the door opened, and Harsuuke came out.
"Harusuke, hey," greeted Makoto. "Did I wake you up?"
"More like Usagi's foot did," Harusuke replied. "I swear, she tosses in her sleep like she's got a bad itch or something." He then stood next to Makoto. "So what about you? Why are you up so late?"
"Well, I just needed some air, I guess," Makoto replied quietly.
The two stood there in silence, not saying another word.
"Say, Mako? I think I have a general idea as to why you came out here to train," said Harusuke.
Makoto was surprised. "Y-You do?" she asked tentatively.
"It's just a hunch, but yeah," said Harusuke. "This is about what happened back when we fought that tough Daimon the other day, am I right?"
Makoto instinctively flinched.
"See? I had a feeling that's what it was," said Harusuke. "After we defeated the Daimon, you had this frustrated look on your face. I know because I had the same look back when Nephrite passed away."
"Oh, yeah. I heard about that," said Makoto. "I think Usagi and Luna told me one time."
"Yeah. Ever since Nephrite sacrificed himself to save Naru and me, I had major doubts about my strength, the same as you, so I trained like crazy by myself. However, it wasn't enough," went on Harusuke as he looked back up towards the moon. "And it didn't help when I got my butt whipped trying to take on the Four Kings of Heaven all by myself. It made me wonder if I'm fit for being a guardian or strong enough to be one. But something changed all of that thanks to you and the other girls."
Makoto then remembered when she and the other girls comforted Harusuke when he broke down crying.
"When you all consoled me, it made me feel so warm and happy," Harusuke went on. "The fact that I had so many wonderful people who love and care about me willing to help, even at my lowest point. It made me realize that you can't always do things by yourself, and there's no shame in asking for help when you need it. And as long as I had you guys, I could do anything and be the strongest Guardian I can be. So, I'll respect your privacy if you want to keep some things to yourself. That's okay. But just know that you've got friends that are here for you, ready to help whenever you need them, especially me. Just say the word."
Makoto stared. Then, a smile spread across her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around Harusuke in a hug, much to the boy's surprise.
"Thank you, Harusuke," Makoto spoke quietly. "You're so sweet."
Harusuke blushed, but he returned the hug. "U-Um, yeah. Anytime," he replied.
"Everybody came out here to see me," Makoto thought to herself. "But this is something I need to work out on my own. But I'm lucky to have friends that are so understanding."
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Morning soon came, and Usagi and the others woke up to the sound of yelling and grunting.
"What's with all the yelling?" Usagi mumbled. "It's so noisy."
The teens peered out from their room and saw Makoto was in her gi, shadowboxing and kicking.
"Looks like Mako's back at it again," said Usagi.
"I don't think we should interrupt her," said Harusuke. "She's working so hard, and it would be a shame if we got in the way."
Everyone else agreed as they silently shut the doors.
The group then had their breakfast, a small meal comprising a small bowl of miso soup, some pickled radish, a small bowl of rice, and a small lumpy ball that looked like fruit.
Usagi was shocked. "Wh-What the heck is this?! Is this really breakfast?!" she screeched. "This isn't enough to get me through the day!"
"I read somewhere that eating small portions like this will boost your brain's potential," said Ami.
"And with this kind of diet, you're bound to get healthier and lose weight!" added Rei.
"I also heard that this is what martial artists eat all the time," said Harusuke. "For some reason, it helps them stay active and full of energy during training."
"They're right, so this could be good for you, Usagi," said Minako. "Think of this as a good opportunity."
"But I don't wanna worry about my health when I'm on a trip," complained Usagi. "I just wanna eat good food."
Just then, Luna and Artemis came into the room.
"It looks like Mako's already gone out to train," said Luna.
"Yeah, she's working hard," said Artemis. "Aren't you guys going to join her?"
There was a long silence until, at last, Usagi spoke up.
"All right! Screw this crummy breakfast!" the ordango spoke with determination. "Let's all go to the hotel and get a real breakfast!"
Everyone fell over in surprise.
"Can't you ever think about anything else but food?!" Rei yelled.
"Y-You don't have to get bent out of shape about it," Usagi pouted. "It's just the way I am."
"Good grief, you can be so hopeless sometimes, Sis," Harusuke groaned.
"Well, there's no use getting to her," sighed Rei. "We'll go to the hotel."
Usagi's face immediately brightened with joy.
"But what are we going to do with all this food?" wondered Ami. "I hate to see it go to waste."
"It won't," Usagi spoke brightly. "We'll eat it, of course!"
Usagi began to chow down, Minako started digging in her bag, searching for something.
"Whatcha looking for, Minako?" asked Harusuke.
"Well, since we're going to a fancy hotel, there's bound to be a pool," smiled Minako. "So, I figured I'd bring this along." She then pulled out a strapless one-piece swimsuit colored black with almond white stripes and had a bow in the middle at the top.
"Wow, you sure came prepared," commented Luna.
Rei then pulled out her swimsuit, a knot-front, cut-out, red-orange, one-piece swimsuit. "I've brought mine, too," she said proudly.
Usagi also took her swimsuit out. It was a green, skirted one-piece that had little sunflowers all over it. "So did I," she grinned. "Aren't the sunflowers cute?"
The cats groaned, exasperated.
"I guess Ami was the only girl who was serious about coming here to check up on Mako," sighed Luna.
"She's always so selfless," added Artemis.
But Ami went red with shame as she too took out a swimsuit, which was a red one-piece with white polka-dots with a bow on top. "I-I brought one, too," she mumbled.
Luna and Artemis groaned while Harusuke wryly chuckled.
"Well, it's understandable, considering it's a pool we're talking about," said Harusuke. "I only wish I brought mine."
"Wait, you mean you didn't bring yours, Harusuke?" asked Usagi.
Harusuke shook his head. "Nah. Didn't think I'd bother to bring it," he said. "Besides, it's bound to get crowded there, and I'd like to stay close to Mako if something happens. And I could probably use some training myself."
Luna and Artemis's eyes sparkled, filled with admiration while comically overflowing with tears.
"Harusuke's the only one who gets it," wept Artemis.
"He's the only pure heart among them!" sobbed Luna.
Harusuke tilted his head. "What are you two talking about?" he asked curiously.
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There was a courtyard outside at the hotel with about three large pools, each having lots of people enjoying themselves. Now, decked out in their swimsuits, Usagi, the girls, and the felines decided to get some food per Usagi's request, and the ordango blonde was enjoying herself with a big plate of spaghetti and engorging herself enormously.
"Now, this is a real meal!" Usagi spoke between slurps.
Then, her eyes caught sight of a waiter walking by carrying two large stacks of plates. Usagi's eyes immediately went heart-shaped, for that waiter was none other than Mamoru.
"H-Hi, Mamo!" Usagi managed to say before swallowing.
Mamoru was surprised as soon as he saw them. "Usako? And everyone else is here, too?" he spoke. "What are all of you doing here?"
"I know, right? What a coincidence!" said Usagi, pretending to be surprised. "I mean, I never expected to see you here!"
"Geez, Usagi, you're such a terrible liar," chided Rei. "Can't you at least try not to be obvious?"
But Usagi ignored Rei. "Hey, Mamo. Let's go hang out somewhere after you're off!" she offered.
"Sorry, but I won't have any time for that," said Mamoru. "The job pays well, but there's a lot to do, and there's never a free moment."
Then, a man's voice called out. "Hey, Chiba! We could use your help over here! Table six needs another order!"
"Coming!" Mamoru called.
And without even saying goodbye, Mamoru raced away.
Usagi was disappointed, but that quickly changed. Three guys were walking by, and when they saw Usagi and the girls, they couldn't help but check them out.
"Whoa, you see her? They're super cute!" said one.
"Forget that! All of them are pretty good-looking!" said a second. "Especially the girl with black hair."
"I love the one blonde with the red bow," said the third. "I feel like that cutie's eyes seem to be drawing me in!"
Knowing that the boys were admiring them, Rei, Usagi, and Minako all struck poses and put on their best smiles, pretending not to notice, while Ami looked more confused.
"Hey, let's go talk to those hotties and say hi. They look single," suggested the first one.
Then, the third guy gasped while pointing. "Hey, look at those girls over there!" he said. "They're even hotter!"
The other two turned to where the third one was pointing and were immediately smitten.
"Yeah! You're right! Let's go check them out!" said the second.
The guys then ran off, leaving Usagi, Rei, and Minako speechless, feeling like they got slapped in the face, while Ami didn't react at all.
"What do they mean by that?!" Usagi snapped crossly. "Who could be hotter than us?!"
Then, Usagi saw who the guys were checking out. Haruka and Michiru sat on lounge chairs not too far away, sunbathing while wearing sunglasses. Haruka was wearing a pair of white shorts, a blue tank top with white stripes, and a white long-sleeved button-down, while Michiru was wearing a beautiful one-piece colored black.
Usagi's anger dissipated immediately as she and the others went up to the two. "Hey, Haruka! Hey, Michiru!" she greeted.
Haruka lifted her sunglasses. "Bun-Head? You're here too?" she asked.
"What a coincidence," smiled Michiru. "Nice to see you."
"Nice to see you too," the other girls said.
"Your swimsuit's so amazing, Michiru," complimented Minako. "You look gorgeous."
"Well, thank you," said Michiru. "But you're all looking gorgeous yourselves."
"Guess we all look amazing and gorgeous," giggled Usagi.
"I take it your brother's not with you?" said Haruka. "I would have thought that he would be here."
"Nah, Harusuke had some stuff to do," said Usagi. "He didn't bring his swimsuit anyway."
"What a shame," said Michiru. "And I was hoping to catch a glimpse of him in a swimsuit, too. I bet he would have looked dashing in a speedo."
Rei and Minako then began picturing Harusuke in a speedo posing, looking quite alluring, making their cheeks go red as they blushed furiously.
"Say, Usagi? Why don't we start heading back to the temple?" asked Ami.
Usagi twidled her thumbs. "Well, I'm not so sure," she said. "I'm going to stay here a little bit longer."
"You do know that Mamoru can't spend time with you no matter how long you stick around," said Rei with a sly grin. "You have no reason to stay here, so you should give up and leave."
Usagi's cheeks puffed in an angry pout. "Geez, you're so mean, Rei!" she snapped. "You think you're so smart! Well, I've had it with you!"
The ordango blonde pounced, intending to tackle Rei into the pool, only for Rei to step out of the way to avoid her. Usagi fell into the pool with a splash and let out a squirt of water as she came back up.
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After a while, Usagi got dressed and dried off and dragged her heels back to the temple, feeling depressed. On the way back, she ran into Harusuke.
"Heya, sis," Harusuke greeted. He then saw how depressed Usagi was. "Let me guess, Mamoru couldn't give you the time of day?"
The ordango blonde sadly whined. "Rei was right! Mamo didn't even have one minute to spend with me," she moaned sadly.
Harusuke gently patted his sister on the shoulder. "There, there. I'm sure you'll be able to go on a date with him as soon as we get back home," he said. "Anyway, why don't you come with me to see Mako? She's mediating with that Kakusui guy somewhere in the forest."
"I guess so," mumbled Usagi.
The two Tsukinos were just about to head on their way when there was the sound of thundering footsteps coming from somewhere behind them. The two turned around and saw a startling sight coming straight towards them. It was a Daimon that of the second type, the ones that were purple with red eyes with multiple tendrils, but it looked just like a lemur. As soon as they saw it, Usagi let out a scream of surprise, and Harusuke tackled her out of the way as the Daimon bounded past them, disappearing into the forest.
"That was a Daimon just now!" cried Usagi. "But who sent it?!"
"I don't know, but it's heading towards where Mako and Kakasui are!" Harusuke yelled. "Come on! We gotta contact the girls and stop that thing before it's too late!"
The Tsukinos then raced off as fast as their legs could carry them.
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Deeper inside the forest, Makoto and Kakusui were meditating on large rocks. Makoto tried her best to stay focused, but she couldn't while glancing over at Kakusui, who was as zen and calm as ever, not moving a muscle. Makoto tried to concentrate again, but then, she was interrupted by the sound of snoring. Sure enough, when she opened her eyes, Makoto saw that snoring was coming from Kakusui, who was nodding off while sitting up, much to her bewilderment.
Kakusui soon woke up and let out a big yawn as he stretched his limbs, and when he saw Makoto staring at him, he let out an embarrassed laugh. "Looks like I screwed up again," he said wryly.
"Aren't you supposed to be training, though?" asked Makoto. "I mean, for a while there, I thought you were meditating on your inner strength."
"Well, I was, but it's also important to relax your mind once in a while," said Kakusui. "After all, you need to recharge your body as well as your mind." He then chuckled. "Then again, I guess I relaxed too much."
Makoto couldn't help but laugh too. Suddenly, the two were rudely interrupted by the sounds of stomping as the ground shook. It was quiet at first, but as it got closer, they grew louder until finally, the lemur daimon came bursting out from the bushes letting out a demonic roar. Makoto immediately stood in front of Kakusui, determined to protect him as the Daimon charged at them, but reacting quickly, Kakusui pushed Makoto out of the way. Then, much to Makoto's horror, the Daimon thrust out its claws at the man and plunged them into his chest. Simultaneously, both Usagi and Harusuke arrived and saw the terrible scene in front of their eyes.
As the Daimon took its claws out, it pulled out from something from Kakusui's chest. It was his pure heart crystal that was glowing brightly with its radiance.
"No! Kakusui!" Makoto cried.
Kakusui, now pale, looked across to Makoto while somehow staying on his feet. "Everyone... needs support!" he gasped. "Don't... push yourself and believe... in others!"
The man then collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness. As the Daimon held the crystal in its hand, Makoto quickly ducked into the bushes and took out her transformation, while Usagi and Harusuke did the same.
"JUPITER STAR POWER MAKE UP!"
"MOON COSMIC POWER MAKE UP!"
"SOLAR CRYSTAL POWER SHINE ON!"
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Transformation Sequence: Makoto
Makoto's hand is held up as green sparkles swirl around it, alighting her fingernails, turning them into a shade of bright green. Her transformation stick appears spinning, and she takes hold of it, the star on end as well as the symbol glowing. It starts to turn around rapidly as green light envelops Makoto. As she holds up her pen while spinning around, long streams of lightning erupt from it, encircling her body, forming an atom of sorts before exploding in a brilliant flash of light. Her outfit forms, having to look just like Sailor Moon's, wearing green boots along with her pair of roses earrings, the bow is pink, and the rims of her gloves green, as is her skirt, her choker, and collar. After that, Jupiter finishes with her signature pose.
Transformation Sequence: Usagi
Usagi's Cosmic Heart Compact opens, revealing the pink heart-shaped crystal inside, waving her hand over it. It flashes twice and erupts in pink light. Usagi is now standing in the middle of a light blue heart that's spinning to the right. She stands one leg while holding up her arms and begins pirouetting in the opposite direction, going faster until, in a burst of light, pink ribbons envelop her torso and midsection, transforming into her leotard. She elegantly stretches out her arms, and pink ribbons cover them, forming into her gloves. She then raised her right foot high with incredible flexibility, and pink ribbons cloak it changing into her boots. The heart made of blue light then turns into a circle of sparkles swirling around her waist, forming her skirt and bow. Now no longer in light, Usagi spins around a couple of times like a ballerina and takes a slight bow. As she comes out from her bow, a crescent moon mark glows in the middle of her forehead. Then, a tiara appears bearing a gold symbol of the moon, along with her earrings, choker, and her ordango covers. Finally, Usagi opens her eyes, her transformation now complete, and strikes her signature pose.
Transformation Sequence: Harusuke (Post Crystal)
Harusuke's hand waves over the Sunstone Crystal, and it begins to pulse with light until it shines brightly. Harusuke, now shrouded in light, holds his hand with the Sunstone Crystal up high and throws his fist to the floor, and his symbol appears beneath him. Light encases his legs up to his hips, and in a burst of light, his boots, belt, and additional armor on his thighs materialize. Then his right encompasses his right arm from hand to shoulder, and his gloves, along with some armor, appear, and the same happens to his left hand. Harusuke then punches his fists together, creating a spark of light, and crosses his arms as his chest gets wrapped in light. Harusuke then throws his arms out, and his chest plate appears, the symbol in the middle glowing brightly. Finally, his helmet appears on his head, this time covering up his entire head, leaving his face exposed. Harusuke opens his eyes smiling with confidence, his transformation now complete, and assumes his signature pose, with the sun appearing in the background while his symbol overlapped it.
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Sailor Jupiter bravely stepped in front of Kakusui's unconscious body, which in turn got the Daimon's attention.
"Hey, Daimon! Anyone who tries to harm Kakusui will answer to me, Sailor Jupiter!" the guardian scowled. "So, if you know what's good for you, you'll give back that pure heart you stole!"
The Daimon's red eyes narrowed in anger as it snarled, charging straight at her with its mouth wide, exposing its razor-sharp teeth. Sailor Jupiter leaped to her right to dodge, and as it dashed forward again, and jumped into the air. But the Daimon whipped one of its tendrils and smacked her on her stomach, knocking the wind of her. Stunned, Sailor Jupiter fell to the ground, hitting the dirt. As the Daimon closed in on her, two voices cried out.
"Hold it right there!"
The Daimon looked up, and standing on top of a large boulder were Sailor Moon and Solaris.
"No matter how many times you try and take pure hearts, we will always pick ourselves up and fight to protect the innocent!" said Sailor Moon.
"And this place is sacred for those who wish to train to become the best versions of themselves! We will not allow you to disturb the peace with your evil!" said Solaris.
"I am the Pretty Guardian who fights for love and justice! I am Sailor Moon! And in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"
"And I'm the knight with the brilliance of the sun and the courage of a warrior, who fights for love and justice! I am Solaris! And in the name of the sun, with my blinding rays, I'll scorch you!"
At that moment, Sailors Mars, Mercury, and Venus also arrived.
"And we'll chastise you as well!" said Sailor Mars.
The Daimon growled as it brandished its claws while hanging onto the crystal.
Sailor Jupiter then turned to the others. "Listen, I want you to leave this to me!" she said. "This is something that I have to do by myself!"
The Guardians were surprised. Before any of them could protest, Sailor Jupiter's antenna extended as she charged at the Daimon while generating a large amount of lightning into hands, creating a disc.
"JUPITER SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!"
Sailor Jupiter unleashed her attack making the disc fly with her throw, but the Daimon crossed its arms, blocking the attack, and, with its brute strength, bounced the attack right back. The Guardians all scattered, trying to get out of the way, but didn't react in time, as the Sparkling Wide Pressure hit the rock that Sailor Moon was standing on. A mighty explosion blew all the guardians back as rubble flew everywhere. Seeing all the Guardians down and out, the Daimon tried to make its escape, but then something shot past, cutting the arm that was holding the pure heart crystal off using a sword, and another snatched it away. It was Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune. As the Daimon roared in agony, Sailor Neptune inspected the crystal.
"Looks like this one doesn't have a talisman," said Sailor Neptune. "Another fruitless effort."
Sailor Uranus then threw the heart crystal back towards Kakusui, and it went back to his body. The Daimon soon regenerated its arm and was raring to fight, snarling with anger, but then Sailor Jupiter got back up, ready to take it on again.
"You need some help there?" Sailor Uranus asked her. "It might be too tough for you to handle."
"No thanks," said Sailor Jupiter curtly. "I'll do this myself."
"Very well then," said Sailor Neptune. "Don't hurt yourself or anything."
The two Guardians then disappeared into the treetops. The Daimon's red eyes gleamed with rage as it shot its tendrils at Sailor Jupiter, forcing her to jump. This time she used another attack.
"JUPITER SUPREME THUNDER!"
She released a massive shockwave of thunder at the Daimon, and once again, it deflected the blow like it was nothing while attacking her with its claws. Sailor Jupiter jumped, and she dashed as the Daimon pursued her, not even giving her a chance to counter.
"This is insane! This Daimon's too fast for me!" Sailor Jupiter thought. "It's taking everything I have just to dodge!"
Then, the Daimon shot out one of its tendrils, and it wrapped around Sailor Jupiter's body tightly. Sailor Jupiter struggled as she desperately tried to get free, but the tendril held her tighter. The Daimon growled as it opened its mouth wide, attempting to bite its victim's head off when a gold blur shot past and cut the tendril setting Sailor Jupiter free. That blur was Solaris, who had summoned his sword to cut the tendril. The other Guardians managed to recover attacked the Daimon, not ready to give up.
"Jupiter, are you okay?" asked Solaris.
But Sailor Jupiter was still stubborn rather than grateful. "I thought I'd told you that I could handle this on my own!" she said with irritation. "I can beat this Daimon by myself!"
She was about to try fighting the Daimon alone again when Solaris stopped her.
"Don't be such an idiot, Sailor Jupiter! You can't take on this thing alone!" he scolded. "I know you have your reasons and want to prove how strong you are, but when it comes to taking on a stronger enemy like this one, you need help!"
Sailor Jupiter glared, but Solaris stared back at her.
"There will be some battles that you can handle yourself, but there are also others that you can't handle alone!" Solaris went on. "It doesn't make you weak or anything! It takes strength to stand alone, but it takes smarts and courage to know when to accept help and ask for it. So, you can trust us!"
"That's right!" called out Sailor Moon as she dodged a swipe of the Daimon's claws. "We're your friends! And we'll always help you, no matter what!"
"We're a team! We fight and fall as one!" Sailor Mars also shouted as she fired multiple rings of fire.
"You need to trust in us just as much as we trust you!" said Sailor Mercury.
"Alone, we're strong, but when we're together, we're even stronger!" Sailor Venus shouted as she used her Love-Me Chain to wrap around the Daimon's body.
Sailor Jupiter's glare softened in surprise as she thought back to last night when she talked to Solaris and Kakusui's words before he passed out. Then came trouble. As Sailor Moon raised her Spiral Heart Moon Rod to finish the Daimon, it suddenly broke free from its restraints and shot its claws at Sailor Moon, knocking it right out of her hands.
Sailor Jupiter then looked at Solaris. "All right then. I admit it. I need your help," she conceded. "Will you please help me, Solaris?"
Solaris smirked as he nodded back. "As if you needed to ask," he said with confidence.
The two then took their stances, ready to continue the fight.
"I believe in everyone because you're all my strength!" said Sailor Jupiter. "I know we can do this as long as we fight together!"
Then, Sailor Jupiter began to glow in bright green, her body radiating with light. The light was so bright that even the Daimon was blinded, as were Sailor Moon and the others. Solaris's Sunstone Crystal began to glow green as well, as he suddenly switched to his Jupiter Mode.
"Wh-What's going on?!" cried Solaris. "I didn't call for a Unison Fusion!"
Then, Sailor Jupiter heard a voice inside of her mind.
"Sailor Jupiter. You've managed to unlock new powers that lay dormant inside of your willingness to accept help. Now, you can take your powers to the next level. All you need to do is shout, "Jupiter Planet Power, Make Up!" "
Sailor Jupiter wasn't sure who the voice was, but she didn't have time to wonder as she held up her hand while parroting the words.
"JUPITER PLANET POWER MAKE UP!"
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Transformation Seuence: Makoto
The planet Jupiter appears, and Makoto puts her hand up, her fingernails begin to sparkle in bright green, and her transformation wand comes to her hand spinning, now having a different design. Her body now becomes silhouetted in green, as blue lightning erupted from her wand while holding it up. As she spins around a few times, until stopping with her back turned, the lightning swirls around her, forming rings like an atom. Finally, the lightning explodes, revealing Makoto in her green Sailor Uniform wearing green boots, a pair of rose earrings, a pink bow and ribbon, gloves with green trims, and a green skirt, choker, and collar. Makoto then turns around, and in the middle of her forehead, her symbol appears, and then her tiara materializes. Her transformation finished; she assumes her final pose, her sign and planet appearing in the background against a starry sky.
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"I don't get it," said Sailor Moon. "Sailor Jupiter looks the same to me, aside from the glowing."
"Yeah, but something's changed," said Sailor Mars. "I can feel it. Her powers have grown stronger."
The rest of the Guardians could only stare while Sailor Jupiter and Solaris bravely stood against the Daimon, who still was raring to tear them to pieces. Then, with a roar, it lunged straight for them, but Solaris and Sailor Jupiter were already on the move, both dodging it. As soon as Solaris landed back on the ground, he crossed his arms, leaving his pinkies and index fingers extended as his body sparked and crackled with lightning.
"SUPREME THUNDER!"
He unleashed a mighty clap of lightning that struck the Daimon right in the middle of its chest, which made it convulse and spark while roaring in agony. Sailor Jupiter's tiara then extended, collecting enormous lightning into it. Next, she raised her arms above her head while spinning around and generated a large sphere of blue lightning that grew larger as she called out her attack's name.
"JUPITER COCONUT CYCLONE!"
With a mighty punch of her fist, Sailor Jupiter blasted the sphere of lightning straight at the Daimon, unleashing a tremendous shockwave of high-voltage that sent the Daimon flying and crashing with a mighty explosion of power. Sailor Moon and the other Guardians were amazed.
"S-Such incredible power!" gasped Sailor Mercury.
"Solaris and Sailor Jupiter are not only in perfect sync, but Sailor Jupiter also learned a new attack!" Sailor Venus spoke in awe. "Awesome!"
However, despite their new powers and inflicting heavy damage, the Daimon wasn't down yet. It let out a roar in anger as it glared murderously at Solaris and Jupiter, hungry for payback. Sailor Jupiter then looked across to Kakusui and remembered his sage advice.
"...it's also important to relax your mind once in a while. After all, you need to recharge your body as well as your mind."
Sailor Jupiter then looked across to Solaris. "Listen, I need you to follow my lead," she whispered to him. "Do you trust me?"
Solaris looked back at her. "Yeah. I do," he replied.
Sailor Jupiter then took Solaris's hand and closed her eyes, and Solaris did the same. The two began to radiate with a green light even brighter than before as they synchronized their breathing. As they did, they each could hear the sound of a heartbeat that seemed to echo throughout their bodies.
"This sound..." Solaris thought. "Could this be... Sailor Jupiter's heartbeat?"
"I can feel Solaris's pulse," thought Sailor Jupiter. "It's weird. For some reason, it feels so comforting."
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Transformation: Unknown.
Solaris and Sailor Jupiter stood back to back, holding hands as their bodies radiated with light Solaris being gold and Sailor Jupiter's being green. They both hold up one of their hands, and their symbols appear above them, both of them overlapping one another. Then, the two let go, and they shoot into the air flying in a swirl, their bodies silhouetted with their respective colors. They fly closer together until they finally merge in a bright flash of gold and green. A girl's silhouette in gradient colors of gold and green flies through their overlapping symbols standing on top of them. Boots and gloves materialize around the girl's feet, along with clothes and armor mixed with Solaris and Sailor Jupiter's outfits colored green and gold. The girl opens her eyes and poses while Solaris and Jupiter's symbols appear in the background.
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Sailor Moon and the others were stunned with disbelief as this new warrior emerged from the light, radiating with power.
"Wh-What the heck just happened?!" exclaimed Sailor Moon. "Where are Solaris and Sailor Jupiter?!"
"I-I think they combined!" said Sailor Mercury.
"But how is that possible?!" Sailor Mars spoke with wide eyes. "Two guardians can't fuse, can they?"
The girl looked across to the Daimon as it let out a roar ready to attack, but before it could react, she disappeared in a fraction of a second. The next thing the Daimon knew, it was being sent high into the air after being punched straight into the jaw. She reappeared in front of it, raised her kick, and then gave it a mighty kick sending it straight to the ground with a powerful slam. Then, as she landed on the ground, the girl held out her hands, generating an enormous about of power, her body crackling and sparking with energy as a sphere of green high-voltage energy formed in her hands while the ground buckled and shook.
"SOLARS JUPITER SPARKLING METEOR CANNON!"
An intense and powerful green beam with gold sparks erupted from her hands as it shot forth. The sheer force of the attack was enough to create a powerful concussive blast of wind that whipped and blew about the trees and forced the Guardians to brace themselves so they wouldn't get blown away. The Daimon roared in pain as it dissipated in a cloud of smoke. What remained was a tiny bamboo lemur that bounded away in fright and a black Daimon Egg that disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Sailor Moon and the others could only stare in awe as the girl stood tall in victory, her hair billowing in the wind. At that moment, she seemed to blink like a switch flipped inside her head as she looked around.
"What the... What's going on?" the girl spoke in a girl's voice. "What happened?"
"I... have no idea," the girl spoke, now speaking in a boy's voice. "I'm guessing we beat the Daimon?"
Sailor Moon and the others recognized the voices immediately.
"S-Solaris? Jupiter? Is that you two?" Sailor Moon asked tentatively.
The girl turned around. "Of course, it's us, Usagi," she spoke in Solaris's voice. "Who'd you think?"
"Hold on a second, what's going on?!" the girl spoke in Sailor Jupiter's voice. "Why did your voice come out of my mouth?"
The girl then looked at herself and did a double-take in surprise.
"What the-! What the heck is up with this outfit?!" she exclaimed in Solaris's voice. "And why the heck am I a girl now?!"
"How should I know?!" the girl spoke in Sailor Jupiter's voice. "This is starting to freak me out!"
"Calm down, both of you," said Sailor Mercury calmly. "Now, I know this may come as a shock, but the two of you somehow fused into a single body."
The girl stared at Sailor Mercury as her eyes widened in disbelief. "WHAT?!" the girl exclaimed in both Solaris and Jupiter's voices.
"How the heck did we end up fusing?!" the girl spoke in Jupiter's voice. "It just doesn't seem possible!"
"And yet here we are," the girl spoke in Solaris's voice. "It makes sense, and yet it doesn't seem possible. So weird." As she admired herself, her cheeks then went pink. "And a little bit embarrassing."
"Well, I gotta say, you two are powerful," said Sailor Venus. "You both ended that Daimon in seconds."
"And you guys look so cool together!" gushed Sailor Moon. "Just like in an anime show!"
"The only thing that's weird about is how you're both able to speak in that body," said Sailor Mars. "It's like your talking with yourself. Or rather yourselves, I think."
"Never mind that! How are we supposed to get back to normal?" she asked in Solaris's voice. "We can't go back home looking like this! What are our parents going to say?"
"Yeah, this does pose a problem," she hummed thoughtfully in Jupiter's voice. "It would make things a bit difficult if we came back home looking like this."
At that moment, the girl began to glow brightly, and in a bright pop of light, Solaris and Sailor Jupiter reemerged.
"Hey! We're us again!" said Solaris with relief. "Thank goodness."
But Sailor Moon was disappointed. "Awww. What a shame. I was hoping you two would stay fused for a bit longer."
"Well, can't say that's been an experience," Sailor Jupiter spoke as she looked at herself. "Either way, I'm glad I'm me again."
"But I wonder what that was anyway?" wondered Sailor Mercury. "Could it be a newly discovered power?"
None of the Guardians knew nor had an answer.
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The day after, Usagi and her group rode the training back home to Juuban, having lunch together. Much to everyone's disdain, Usagi and Makoto were wolfing down their food like a couple of hyenas.
"Well, it looks like Mako's all right now," said Rei. "Well, if you count not getting enough to eat."
"What did you expect?" Makoto spoke between bites. "I may have been training, but I was starving!"
"Good grief, at least don't stoop to Usagi's level when it comes to manners," sighed Harusuke as he wiped Makoto's cheek with a napkin. "You're getting food all over you."
Makoto then blushed. "H-Hey! I can get it myself, Harusuke!" she complained. "You don't have to do that!"
Rei, Ami, and Minako stayed silent while watching the two.
Then, Harusuke glanced outside the window and saw something that made him smile. "Hey, Mako. Look outside," he said while nudging her. "Looks like somebody's giving you a proper send-off."
Makoto then looked out of the window, and as the train rolled by, she saw Kakusui standing on a bridge waving goodbye. She wasn't sure if he could see her, but Makoto smiled and waved back, mouthing thank you as the train rolled on.