Notes: Episode 139, "Try for the Best of Japan! The Worries of a Beautiful Girl Swordman". Or, "The one with Miharu, the little girl samurai."
Episode 139
Sailor Moon bit back a shriek as the monster swung a boulder-sized fist at her head. Her hair ruffled in its wake as she dodged, then she DID shriek as a blade longer than her arm jutted out of nowhere and nearly impaled her.
Ohh and this was only the THIRD. Usagi didn't want to think about how many there still were between Super Ugly here and the target. Did not want to think about that at all.
Dammit, now that was all she could think about!
Sailor Moon leapt to the side as the monster's fist hammered the space where she'd been standing just moments before. She tried not to pay too much attention to the giant crater that she'd nearly become.
This wasn't good enough.
Her fingers itched for her ultimate attack, but Ami had warned them about expending too much power too fast. They each had to get to their nexus point and hold it long enough for Rei to seal the energy flow. This was their best shot at weakening the enemy enough to defeat her. If this didn't work—
It'll work. It HAS to.
Sailor Moon threw herself backward, narrowly avoiding the monster's blade arm. As it passed far too close to her eyes, she could see the edge glint in the few drops of sunshine that managed to penetrate the thick forest canopy. Then her butt hit the ground and she bounced, yelping in pain. All these years as Sailor Moon and Usagi was still as clumsy as her first day. She readied a retort for the inevitable laughs or chastising. None came, and it was a sharp reminder that she was all alone here.
The Sailor Senshi were spread across all of Japan right now, each fighting a battle to reach their assigned target. Usagi was nearest to Mamo-chan, but he was in Sapporo while she was in Kushiro, and that may as well have been a world away. There'd be no cute, well-dressed husband to sweep in with a rose and speech today.
That just made Usagi grouchier.
Okay, no main attack, gotta save up my power. What else do I have, what else, what else?
Uhhh.
The thing's rock arm was winding up for another attempt to smash her into thick Senshi paste, and Sailor Moon tumbled to the left. As she rolled, she grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at the glowing yellow spots she thought were most likely the monster's eyes. Its bellow of pain was deeply satisfying.
See, Mako-chan? I WAS paying attention!
At the thought of Makoto, Usagi felt the familiar rush of anxiety and aggravation. Tokyo was where Usagi wanted to be right now. Their enemy was there, as was her living battery. It was currently the most dangerous place in the entire world.
Usagi had wanted them all out. Rei had insisted she stay. Her best chance for success was to be as close to the source as possible, and since she'd be defenseless while performing the ritual, Mako insisted on being the one to guard her. Not Usagi. Oh no.
"The fighting's going to be hardest here! How the hell am I supposed to concentrate when I'm worried about you tripping on me every three seconds?"
"So what, so I just go?"
"Yes! Go! Goodbye!"
They were bickering literally up to the second she and Haruka had teleported with Mamoru. They'd arrived in Sapporo with Usagi STILL yelling at Rei, now hundreds of miles away.
Sailor Moon ground her teeth and glared at the monster. The sooner she was done with this thing, the sooner she could get back and finish telling Rei what an idiot she was.
"Hey!" Sailor Moon yelled. The monster had been in the process of ripping a tree out of the ground, but at the sound of her voice it stopped and turned.
Huh, that actually worked.
She struck a pose and gave her most disapproving look. "Nature should be enjoyed for countless generations! I can't forgive anyone who destroys the roots of love!"
The monster's response was to rip off a tree limb and throw it at her. Sailor Moon flung herself out of the way, barely, but realized far too late that she didn't have enough time to avoid its blade.
Usagi hoped desperately that they'd be able to do this without her.
Everyone … I'm sorry.
The sound of metal on metal caused her to wince even harder. Usagi's heart pounded in her ears, but the pain she was expecting never came.
Cautiously cracking open an eye, Sailor Moon's jaw dropped. Standing before her, sword held high and proud as she blocked the monster at least twice her own height was:
"Miharu-chan!"
The young woman didn't look around, but Usagi heard the smile in her strained voice. "Good to see you again, Sailor Moon."
Usagi still couldn't believe it. It'd been years since she'd seen Miharu! "What are you doing here?"
Miharu thrust the monster's blade aside, effortlessly parried its next attack and then countered with a strike of her own. It didn't connect, but the monster quickly backed away, uncertain of this new threat. Miharu stood her ground between it and Sailor Moon. She hadn't yielded even an inch.
"Perhaps we should do this first?" Miharu suggested.
"You have a point," agreed Sailor Moon. "Can you keep it distracted? I have an idea."
Miharu raised her sword and narrowed her eyes at her opponent. "I can do distracted."
With a guttural cry, she launched herself at the monster. It stepped back, surprised at this sudden aggression, and then they were locked in battle. Miharu never hesitated, and she never stopped moving. She was a blue blur, bright even in the dim light of the forest, and Usagi wondered if Miharu even needed help in defeating it.
But she'd get help anyway.
Sailor Moon circled around the monster until she was on its rock-arm side. She'd never have Mako's natural instinct for battle or Minako's strategic mind, but you didn't fight years alongside the world's greatest warriors without picking up a few things, not even if you're Usagi Tsukino. She'd noticed the monster's tendency to keep one of its many glowing spots far more protected than the others.
Now she had a bit of breathing room, Sailor Moon could test a theory. "Moon Tiara Action!" she cried. Although she hadn't actually worn a tiara for years, the crescent moon mark on her forehead blazed in response, and a bright disc of pure energy formed above her outstretched palm. She'd discovered this trick in a desperate moment not too long ago. When she asked about it later, Ami had simply shrugged and said, "Magic." Good enough for Usagi, she wasn't gonna question it!
She cocked her arm back and let the disc fly in a sure, practiced motion. Her aim was true and when it connected with the monster's side it managed one final defiant roar before crumbling into dust.
"Yipee!" Sailor Moon cheered, then flung her arms around Miharu's neck. In one long breath she squealed, "I haven't seen you since your 18th birthday it's been too long you look so good why are you here?"
Miharu allowed herself a moment of indulgence in the embrace, and then pulled away. "I'm training not far from here. Michiru-mama called and told me where to find you."
Suddenly, everyone's insistence that Usagi be the one to go to Kushiro made a lot more sense. Her joy at their reunion drained from Sailor Moon's face and she studied Miharu intently. "This is dangerous, Miharu-chan, really really dangerous. Are you sure?"
Miharu's grin was a mix of pure joy and confidence, and it warmed Usagi's heart to see it. "Haven't you heard? I'm the best swordsman in Japan."
Sailor Moon nodded her head. "Yeah," she agreed in a proud voice, "you sure are."
She checked the tracking device, turned toward the awaiting nexus, and together they pushed deeper into the forest.
Please enjoy being thrust into a BtL that's not only between the lines of an episode, but also a post-Stars story of mine that you probably won't get to see for forever. You're welcome!