Author's Notes: Good lord peoples, I'm sorry I haven't had time to reply to all your replies to my fics. I've just been swamped at uni. Anyway, a friend told me today that he really enjoyed reading my fics, and suddenly I realised that people weren't just 'saying' they they liked them, they really did. So this next bit and the next chapter are dedicated to anyone who sent me a comment for anything at all, because suddenly realising that you do care and enjoy reading my little scibbles makes it all worthwhile. *group hugs*
Now, all warm and fuzzy feelings aside, this here is a joining piece, inserted between Chapters 3 and 4, to help provide a little bit of character insight, and also to make the change between settings a little smoother. I hate to admit that the idea behind my seguing isn't mine, it originaly came from Isobelle Carmody's Legendsong, but I've mutated the idea for my own purposes here.
Segue...
"Finally, do you believe what Sailor Moon did was the right thing?"
"Yes."
Thus ended my conversation with Molly, the daughter of Lana Osaku who runs the Osa*P jewellery store. She had not only been a witness to the monster's attack, she had been one of the victims, and as we talked she described in horrific detail the feeling of her vital energy being sapped from her body, of being choked and held as a hostage, of knowing that unless someone acted she would die.
Being faced with death has changed Molly, she admits that without rancour or regret, but some things have become more clear to her. She believes in her soul that it was only the actions of the strange sailor-suited girl that prevented her from dying that night, and was not afraid to say, quite candidly, that Superman had in truth done nothing to save her other than distract the monster for a time.
This seems foreign to me, who had come to believe that Superman would always help those in danger. But the more I thought about it, the more I came to realise – Superman would always do all he could to help those in danger. What happens though, when Superman is faced with something he cannot stop? A speeding bullet is one thing, an "energy-sucking demon from another dimension another". Could it really be true that the man of steel was indeed powerless against such a thing?
And if so, what does this say about Sailor Moon, a schoolgirl, fighting for justice alone, without even Superman's help? Is she brave or foolish? A champion of justice or the only one willing to fight? A vigilante or hero?
Superman's indecision was one of the common threads of the few reports that were gathered afterwards. As was his condescension at Sailor Moon's actions. But what the media in general seems to be failing to report is that Molly, and those who were conscious at the second battle scene, all believe that without Sailor Moon's intervention they would have died.
Sailor Moon's powers seem too fantastical to believe, and her motives are obscured by mystery. I personally believe that she is on our side, that in the future she will continue to fight beside Superman against all that is wrong in our world.
I could be wrong; Sailor Moon could indeed just be a renegade gang member out to strike a few blows against evil in the most unlawful ways possible, wanting to destroy human monsters as easily as the two demons she has already faced. But, maybe for the moment we should give her the benefit of our doubt.
She is, after all, innocent until proven guilty.
"Drawing Conclusions About A Hero"
An editorial piece following a series of interviews
by Serena Tsukino
Appeared in "Branching Paths", the Crossroads High School Newspaper.