She took some warming up for me to get used to, but it had been worth it. She is my leader, my princess, my hope. She is the messiah we have been waiting for. It is a title no one but her could bear. No one else has the heart for it.
It took her transforming in front of Neptune and I for us to realize her identity. Who would ever have though the bouncy, noisy, childish blonde we'd all come to adore could be the same Sailor Moon we fought beside even before we were willing to admit she was an ally? Someone that bright and cheerful would have been my last guess for the one saving world butt right, left, and center. Shows what I know.
Usagi attracts people the same way a flame attracts moths. There is just something about her that makes people want to bask in her sunny nature. Even her temper tantrums seem like nothing more than adorable to me. It may be because I'm her elder by a couple years. All the joys I put aside to follow my destiny I see her basking in, and it makes me smile. She's the only one I know who could raise spirits at the end of the world.
I do know how she would face the end of the world. I've seen her face the end of the world. She'd done it more times than fate has the right to ask any person. She has seen her friends die on her repeatedly. Yet, of all of them, she seems the only one that takes it to heart that there will be an end coming. She acts out with them almost as if she's storing things up. Usagi has been repeatedly mentioned as one to never pass up free food, but there's more to it than that. She never passes up a chance to do anything she enjoys. Food, the arcade, gossip, sleep... even making out with her prince, Mamoru. If he wasn't her destined love, I'dve had to scare him off. No one gets to tarnish my princess' smile. Her shine.
It would be a scary world without that delicate, naive, innocent shine. Somehow, that shine has survived seeing us all perish. It has survived situations where she was powerless, or, at least, thought she was. To say nothing of her glow somehow surviving her heart being somewhat accidentally broken. Stupid prince.... Despite that, however, she has continued to shine. That's probably why the enemy always attacks her. It's a beacon that brands her as something different. Something special.
What I can't figure out for the life of me is why her friends can't see it. Usagi and Sailor Moon are like two sides of a coin. Completely different, but still one unmistakeable whole. Usagi smiles and cries. Sailor Moon unleashes moon-powered whup ass. Usagi can seem a little self-centered, but Sailor Moon always obviously has everyone else's interests in mind. I can see through that, though. I'm not even sure if she knows what she does entirely.
Let me give you an example. Dark hair, flashing temper, loves fire, and can banish spirits. Remind you of anyone? How about anyone NOT a fire senshi? The only person in the whole city like that is Rei. Rather obvious. Try another. Blue hair, shy, good with computers, a real strategist, and smart as anything. No one would ever even CONSIDER that it could be the city's reigning chess champion and school aged genius Ami, right? When they're with Usagi, however, she draws out their other sides. It's the only way I could not have noticed that they are Mars and Mercury. I mean, isn't it obvious?
Usagi forces them to act like kids. They resent her for it, to an extent. To a point, even Mamoru holds her in a little contempt. However, if it weren't for her sunshine, they would be consumed by their mission. Like Michiru and I were for the longest time. Usagi has shown us that at times Uranus and Neptune aren't necessary. That Haruka and Michiru are fine, and are actually preferred. Our princess, the one to whom our duty is pledged, prefers us to be ourselves. That is the second greatest gift she has ever given us.
The first is more from her Sailor Moon persona. Neo Queen Serenity as well, from what I've heard. I have never met her myself, but from the stories understand that she is the same duty bound, disciplined, loving person as Sailor Moon. Not quite the same as the warrior, but closer than the carefree, angelic child we guard now. Sailor Moon gave us the gift of her duty. We look after the planet, but it so nice to know that there is someone else who has our backs, just as we have hers. She never let us go, even if we felt it was our duty. The best example would be at the Heart Snatcher's cathedral. Sailor Moon did not want me to die, even though it seemed necessary. The mission was all, after everything was said and done. But she didn't accept our sacrifice. She insisted it wasn't needed. That she could save the world anyway, if only we'd stay by her side.
Yes, I am aware she was not henshined at that time. I was the one with her broach, after all. I'm not likely to forget that any time. She was still Sailor Moon, soldier of love and justice, and Serenity, all powerful princess of our system. Any time she takes control like that, any time she stands up for herself and her ideals, she is Sailor Moon, regardless of the outfit she's wearing at the time. Everyone else, including me, is really just a civilian until we henshin. Usagi is the only one different. Usagi is the only one whose attitude is change enough.
Truth be told, I'm happy Usagi is who she is. No, more like ecstatic. Soldiers live to fight another day. That's what I did for so long. That's what Setsuna still does. Well, technically guard another day, but whatever. Usagi lives to live another day. Without that childish side of her, she wouldn't have been reborn after defeating Beryl. She couldn't have revived the Doom Tree. She wouldn't have withstood the Doom Phantom, and she definitely would never have chased Saturn into the Tau Nebula. Or thrown herself into space for Sailor Chibi Moon. Don't even get me started on what would have happened with Galaxia. Sailor Moon would have slain Galaxia, and earth would have been the only planet to survive. If earth survived, considering Mamoru's star seed had been taken. Usagi fought Chaos instead. With her heart. With her desire to fight with her brother and eat cookies. With her unending love for every part of life.
And warrior that she is, Usagi won. Not Sailor Moon. Usagi. That's the truth. The one no one else seems to see. The truth that makes me glad my princess is Usagi, and not Serenity yet.
Usagi is Sailor Moon's strength, not the other way around. And I couldn't be happier.