Act 8

Sailor V telling Sailor Moon not to follow Tuxedo Kamen. Ariel pops up in the moon shaped box. "Sailor V, who may be the Princess, told me not to get close to Tuxedo Kamen." She intones the last bit with a pointed finger, as the moon screen fills the screen. "But…there's no way I could ever think of Tuxedo Kamen as my enemy!" Ariel protests, her hands clenching together. She fades into the scene of Sailor Moon tying her hankerchief around Tux's hand, and the way he gazes into her eyes before thanking her, to Sailor V saying that destiny can't be changed. The screen switches back to Ariel, who is smiling. "I think maybe Sailor V understands that. I mean, I've got enough enemies with just the youma!" She says, backing up and doing a little spin as she ends with, "I'll have to keep on doing my best!"

Intro:

Mulan, Belle and Jasmine sitting around the table in the secret karaoke room. Belle sighs, and looks at the door. "Ariel's late." Jasmine remarks.

"Apparently it's her job to help clean up the classroom today." Explains, Mulan, who isn't wearing her glasses.

"Even so." Jasmine says. "I'm gonna go see what she's up to." Mulan smiles. Jasmine gets up and heads to the door.

"She'll be fine." Belle says. "She's not a child."

Jasmine walks back to the table. "Well, true, but this is Ariel we're talking about, she could be klutzing out somewhere."

As Jasmine speaks, Belle narrows her eyes. "If you go that far, that's a little bit nosy, don't you think?" She asks, arms crossed over her chest.

Jamsine presses her lips together, and sits down. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it."

In the front of Crown Karaoke, Aladdin seems to have recovered from his terrifying amusement part experience, and is taking digital photos with his turtle. "Good afternoon!" Ariel calls cheerfully, flashing her card and hurrying down the call.

"Ariel-chan," Aladdin calls. "Sorry that I was such a bother the other…." He trails off because she's already gone.

Ariel bursts through the door of the secret room. "Hey, listen to this!" She begins excitedly. But the other three stand up, with stern expressions on their faces.

"Ariel you're late." Jasmine says.

"Where were you?" Asks Belle.

"Here, look at this! Look!" Ariel shoves a flyer at them.

"A contest for the best costume of the character designed by Aurora?" Mulan reads.

Ariel snatches the flyer back. "It's for the character Aurora designed. See, her here." She points to the character on the flyer which kind of looks like a flying unicorn. "You've seen it before right?" She shows the flyer to Jasmine.

"So, basically it's a cosplay contest?" Jasmine asks.

"Right! And Aurora is coming to the event! And if you win, you get a limited addition Nako-nako stuffed toy! I want it!" She clasps her hands dreamily.

"THAT'S what you called us here for? Why don't you just enter if you want?" Belle says, annoyed.

"Oh. So, you won't huh, Belle-chan…"

"Of course not."

Ariel turns to Mulan and Jasmine. "What about you guys?" She asks them excitedly.

"I have cram school!" Mulan protests quickly.

"And I want to research Sailor V."

"Yeah." Jasmine says. "I like Aurora, but I'm not interested in stuffed animals and that kind of thing."

"Well then….Please! Help me!" Ariel cries, clasping her hands together.

"Huh?"

The others cock their heads. Ariel takes a workbook out of schoolbag. "See…I actually did my homework, but I messed up and threw the notes out. And the test is the day after tomorrow, and the contest is the same day! If I do this, I won't be able to get ready in time for the contest! Please help me out!" She begs.

"What are you doing?" Belle asks.

"I guess we've got no choice…" Jasmine takes the workbook. "Well, if we split the pages between the four of us…"

"Not me." Belle says. Belle turns to Ariel. "Ariel, you've got to take responsibility for your mistakes. It's not good to always rely on others."

"Ariel knows that!" Jasmine says sharply. "But friends help friends when they're in trouble!"

"Looking after her too much is a minus for everyone involved!" Belle yells back. Mulan watches them with wide eyes. "If you do that you won't become strong." Belle says.

"People become strong by helping each other!" Jasmine cries.

"Everyone has to become strong on their own!" Belle yells back. They glare at each other.

"Wait! Wait!" Ariel pulls them a part. "I'm sorry! It's ok! I'll do it myself! So just forget about it! Okay?" She looks at them with big, distressed eyes. They continue to glare at each other.

"You're so cold…" Jasmine says to Belle. Belle just glares at her.

In the Dark Kingdom, Philip is playing the piano. Beast comes in. "I've got a favor to ask." He says.

"I'm busy aligning my soul with Sailor V." Philip tells him.

Beast slams his hands on the piano almost breaking it with his claws. "I want to beat the Sailor Senshi!" He yells gruffly. Philip plays a riff on the piano, and smiles.

Queen Ursula's throne room. "Beast said that…" She murmurs.

"He boasts like that when he continuously fails to collect energy!" Shang cries. "Shouldn't you be rid of him by now?"

Queen Ursula turns on him sharply. "Shang! Don't you think that it's most lovable for those who want to be loved by me to try as hard as than can, rather simply talk?"

Shang winces, and bows. "Just as you say, your Majesty." Under his breath he mutters. "Damn you Beast!"

Jasmine walks through the forest, holding a wish plaque that says 'I want to get Nako-nako!'. Ariel's voice echoes in her head. 'I'm going to finish the workbook today, so I won't have time to do it myself, would you please hang this for me?' Jasmine remembers Ariel asking that, and her replying, 'I know what you're trying to do…' Ariel had run after her clasped her arm. 'Please! Talk to Belle-chan! Ok?' As she walks through the forest, Jasmine looks at the plaque and sighs. Jasmine walks through the entrance to Hino Shrine. When she reaches the temple, she hears Belle on the phone. "I don't want to go! Will you please tell him that I'm sick of pretending to be a family!" She scrunches up her face, as if she's going to cry. "That's fine! I don't want to see him!" Belle closes her cell phone. Jasmine walks up to her. "Is there something wrong?" She asks. "You were spying on me!?" Belle cries.

"I didn't mean to." Jasmine protests.

"Well, leave me alone then! I don't think that friends have to tell each other everything!" Belle yells.

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm not asking for you to tell me!" Jasmine yells back, walking away. She pauses, looking at the plaque in her hand, and back at Belle for a moment, before leaving. The wind blows through the trees.

In the Tsukino house, Ariel is at her desk studying. The pen falls from her hand. "I wonder if Belle-chan and Jasmine-chan made up?" She wonders. Then she picks up the pen, smiling. "Ok! I've got to do my best!" She says to herself, continuing to study.

Shingo peeks through the door, eyes wide. He goes back into the kitchen where Ikuko-mama is sitting. "So, how was she? Was your sister studying?"

"Yep." He replies. "Hard to believe. And she was really concentrating!"

"I wonder what's up? She's been like this since yesterday…." Ikuko-mama wonders. "But hey, this may be a good thing!"

"I don't know." Shingo says. "Sometimes when people study too much, they go crazy."

Ikuko-mama looks at him. "Crazy?"

"Alright! I'm done!" Ariel yawns. "Now I just have to get ready for the contest!" Ariel has put on her costume, which mostly consists of a red cowboy hat and a blue shawl with a horn affixed to it, and is standing in front of the mirror, practicing the poses and the sound (Kupi) that Nako-nako makes. Ikuko-mama, who has come in to bring her tea, is staring at her in horror. Ariel turns to look at her. "Kupi?" She asks, cocking her head.

Ikuko-mama drops the tray and runs over to Ariel. "Ariel what is this!" She rips the hat off her, and hugs her. "You don't have to study anymore, ok!?" she wails.

"Mama, really?" Ariel asks.

"Yeah." Ikuko-mama nods.

"Kupi!" Ariel cries, punching the air.

"No! No Kupi!" Ikuko-mama cries frantically. "No Kupi Ariel!"

Juuban Junior High. Ariel and Naru are dressed in their Nako-nako costumes, practicing in the hall. Ariel yawns, and Naru scolds her. Jasmine and Mulan watch from the classroom door. "Wow, Ariel really did it…" Jasmine says.

Mulan nods. "Yeah, and she's really looking forward to the contest too. I can't go, but…you're going to support her, right?"

"Oh…yeah…" Jasmine touches the wish plaque still in her pocket.

In the Dark Kingdom, Philip opens his sheet music. "Let your soul fly to Sailor Moon." He tells Beast.

"Where is she?" Beast asks.

"I don't know. All you have to do is let your thoughts fly to her." Beast closes his eyes and Philip begins to play.

Jasmine walks through the Hino Shrine grounds, holding the plague. Suddenly she sees Belle being forced into a fancy black car by men in dark suits. "It couldn't be…a kidnapping?" The car drives off and Jasmine takes off running after it.

The car arrives in the parking lot of a tall building. Belle looks out the window with a dark expression. "Well, get out." Says a woman next to her.

Meanwhile, the Aurora Nako-Nako contest is underway. Ariel and her friends stands in a line waiting with many other people, all in their Nako-nako costumes. "There's so many people!" Naru says. "I wonder if Aurora's here yet…" One of her friends muses.

Jasmine follows the woman through the hall of the fancy building, until she disappears into a room. Jasmine puts her ear to the door to listen in. But suddenly the men in suits surround her, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "What are you doing?" They ask.

"Why don't you just come with us?"

But Jasmine yells "Let go of me!" and shoves one of them away, throwing the other down on top of him. "Don't mess around with me!" She cries.

The door opens. The woman looks at the men on the floor and looks back at Jasmine. "Who are you?" She asks.

"I'm…" Begins Jasmine, but the woman doesn't let her finish,

"Someone!"

She starts to call out, but Belle's voice says, "It's alright, Kurata-san. She's my friend." Jasmine pushes her way into the room, glaring at the woman. She stops short when she sees Belle. Bell has her hair up, and make-up on, and is wearing a filmy white sweater over a pink shirt and long white skirt. Jasmine stares at her. "Leave us alone." Belle says to the woman.

"But…" She protests.

"Please." Belle said.

The woman looks at Jasmine, and finally says. "Your father will be arriving soon, so keep it short." She leaves the room.

"Your father?" Jasmine asks, surprised.

"That's right. He's a politician and he's really busy, so we meet for lunch once a month." Belle explains.

"Oh…" Jasmine looks down. "Just to tell you, I didn't come because I was spying on your private life. I just happened to pass by and see you, and…I thought…it might be a kidnapping…"

Belle watches her, surprised. "So…you came to rescue me?"

Jasmine smiles sheepishly and looks away. "How stupid am I?"

Belle smiles a faint smile. "You were right." She says, walking across the room. "Because I didn't want to come here."

Philip is still playing the piano. Suddenly Beast's head snaps up, his eyes open. In the room the contest is being held, the BGM changes suddenly from 'C'est la vie' to the Philip's piano music. Ariel looks around. "What's this sound?"

Jasmine watches as Belle sits alone in a chair, staring off into the distance. The woman comes back in, and tells her to her hurry because her father has arrived at the restaurant. "This is for an article, so remember that."

"An article?" Belle asks.

"About the 'Ideal Family'". The woman explains. Pulling Belle by the hand.

Belle rips her arm away. "Ideal!?" She cries, half in tears. "He didn't even come home when my mother was dying! How about I tell the reporters that!?" Jasmine stares at her.

"Belle-san…" The woman says, but Belle continues.

"What does he mean, 'ideal'!? He's just doing all of this because he's worried about his image as a politician!" She presses her lips together tearfully.

"Belle-san, your father doesn't mean…."

But Belle cuts her off. "Get out!" She cries, pushing the woman towards the door.

"Belle-san, calm down!" The woman struggles with her, but Jasmine comes to help her push. "Who do you think you are?" The woman asks Jasmine. Jasmine simply looks at her, opens the door, and shoves her out, while Belle watches in amazement. Jasmine ignores the woman's protests, and close the door on her, standing in front of it. Jasmine looks at Belle, who looks back at her. The woman goes to tell Belle's father that she will be a little late, after knocking on the door in van for Jasmine to let her back in.

Belle sits on the bed. Jasmine sees a present on the table, with a card saying, 'To Belle, from Papa'. She picks the card up. "It's just for show." Belle tells her. "You see, Papa hates the powers I have, that's why he gave me to the temple to take care of me."

"Really?" Jasmine asks.

Belle nods. "But I don't need a father. I can live just fine on my own. I'm actually grateful because it's made me strong. But…I'm sick of putting on a show." She removes her white heels.

"Run away then." Jasmine says.

"What?" Belle looks up at her, startled.

"Let's run away." Jasmine looks at the card, and then throws it behind her. "I mean, enough already, right?"

Room Service enters Belle's hotel room. When it comes out again, it is Jasmine, disguised at the Room Service wheeling the cart. She knocks on the silver tray, and Belle pops her head out. "All clear." Jasmine says with a smile.

"I thought you were going to say that families should get along." Belle tells her.

"I was going to." Jasmine admits. "But then I thought about it, and I don't have a family, so…" She grips the handle of the cart tight, and begins to push it fast. "…I really don't know!" Belle shrieks as Jasmine begins to run with the car. They push the cover off Belle, who is sitting on the cart in her Miko clothes.

"Stop." Belle cries.

"No! I won't!" Jasmine cries back, as she pushes the cart through the hallways.

"We must look so stupid." Belle says.

"Who cares" Jasmine replies. "Here we go!" Jasmine yells.

"Go!" Belle yells. The girls laugh and laugh. The stop the cart inside the parking lot.

"If we don't go soon, the contest will have ended." Jasmine says. As she picks up her school bag, everything falls out, because it was unzipped.

Belle helps her pick up her things. She notices some little stuffed Nako-nakos on a keychain. "Ooh, you like cute things…" She teases.

"No, that's just…" Jasmine tries to protest.

"Wow, it's handmade, isn't it?" Belle asks, standing up and dangling the little keychain.

"I like them! You got a problem?" Jasmine asks defensively. Belle hands Jasmine back her cute things one by one, and finally the girls laugh together.

Suddenly their cell-phones ring. They take them out. "Big trouble!" Says Melody.

In the convention center, all the would-be Nako-nakos are passed out, except for Ariel, who tries to wake up her friends, as Philip music plays faster and faster. "Fly!" Philip yells to Beast, who closes his eyes and teleports onto the stage.

"I've found you…Sailor Moon!" He yells, walking threateningly towards her.

"He's…Beast!" Ariel recognizes him from last episode, dodging his blows and transforming. As she's still in her ending pose, Beast starts to strangle her. She manages to get away, but her kicks her in the chest and she falls to the ground.

A car drives up to the convention center and the window rolls down. Aurora looks out, a smile on her face. Suddenly the radio begins to play Philip's song.

Aurora looks around, and starts when she sees Philip in the rearview mirror. She looks around frantically only to see him this time at her window. She puts her hands over her ear. "Stop the music!" She yells. Her driver shuts off the radio. Philip is gone. Aurora looks down, breathing heavily.

The man besides her asks, "Aurora-chan, is something wrong?"

Beast throws an energy ball at Sailor Moon. She falls to the ground. "This is where it ends!" Beast tells her. Jupiter and Mars come cart wheeling onto the scene, kicking Beast and sending him flying against a wall.

"I'm the soldier of flame and passion!"

"I'm the soldier of strength and courage!"

"In the name of Mars…."

"In the name of Jupiter…"

"We'll punish you!" Beast tries to fight them with knives. They fight, and the two senshi wrestle his knives to the ground.

"Flower Hurricane!" Jupiter yells.

"Akuryo Taisan!" Mars yells. But Beast reflects their attacks with a huge ball of energy, which keeps growing larger.

"I'll send you to hell as well!" He yells. But no sooner has he said it is when he groans in pain, and something red glows in his stomach. He disappears.

Jupiter and Mars look around, bewildered. "What was that all about?"

"Dunno…"

On the floor, Sailor Moon wakes up. "You two made up…" Ariel says with a smile. Jupiter and Mars look bashful. "I did it all on my own." Sailor Moon tells them. "And I'm gonna enter the contests, and get the Nako-nako! I'm so tired…" She adds, and promptly falls asleep.

"Ariel?" Mars asks. "She's asleep?"

"Well, she did stay up all night for a couple nights in a row." Jupiter says. "I guess she won't be entering the contest."

"There'll be another chance." Mars says.

"Good work, Ariel." Jupiter strokes her hair.

At the Nako-nako contest, the announcer tells the contestants that because of scheduling problems, Aurora isn't coming anymore, but that she has signed the Nako-nako for the winner. Jasmine sneaks into a seat, wearing a Nako-nako costume. Her eyes widen as she catches sight of Belle, also in costume.

Belle leans over, "Such a pushover for Ariel…." She says.

"Which one of us?" Jasmine asks.

"We have to win." Belle says.

"If we don't win, there's no point." Jasmine agrees.

"That's right!" Belle says. The girls try their best to do good impressions of Nako-nako, with all the cute posing, and Kupi!ing, but…They walk dejectedly down the hallway, each holding 'consolation prizes'. "Ariel…" Jasmine begins.

"…will never hear about this…" Belle finishes.

"Right." Jasmine says.

In bed that night, Ariel mutters 'Kupi' in her sleep. From the floor, Melody muses, "I have a feeling the enemy is growing stronger. If Ariel and the others don't truly awaken as senshi, they might be in danger…"

In the Dark Kingdom, Philip kneels down, he hand on Beast's head, who lays unconscious on the floor. "This is what happens when people who aren't used to it try to fly." He says, laughing. "But…I felt her…" He continues, sitting back at his piano. "Sailor V…."