Under a bridge close to the river in Juuban, a young girl stood before a young man, preparing herself to fight, her wooden sword ready. She was around Chibiusa's age, if not a year or two older, had royal blue hair tied up in a long ponytail with a white ribbon and headband, and wore a white hakama with blue pants.
"Listen well, little girl!" the young man called out as he brandished a wooden sword. "Today, our duel will be your last! So, let's see if your skills are as good as they say!"
The girl stood her ground. "I am the Tenka Itto-ryu's, Miharu Akiyama!" she proclaimed. "Attack at will!"
"You impertinent brat!" the young man snarled crossly. "I'll show you!"
He then charged at Miharu, leaping into the air with his sword raised high. But as he swung his blade, Miharu proved she was faster by rapidly dashing past him while landing a powerful yet shift strike. A brief moment passed as the wind blew gently. Then, the young man groaned as he collapsed, unconscious and defeated.
Not too far away, Usagi, Harusuke, Rei, and Makoto were watching from afar, the four of them most impressive.
"Wow, she's not too bad," complimented Makoto.
"No kidding," agreed Harusuke. "It's no wonder people have been calling her a master swordsman."
"This is just like watching a samurai drama!" gushed Usagi. "So cool!"
"She willingly takes on all challengers as her training partners," added Rei. "And she's been camping under that bridge for three days. Since then, she's dueled nearly ten supposed masters of the sword and has beaten all of them, including this one."
The young man limped away in disgrace, and Miharu walked back to her tent. Then, Chibiusa came rushing up to her wearing a headband, much to the surprise of the teens.
"What's Chibiusa doing here?" they wondered.
"Miharu! I want to be strong like you!" said Chibiusa. "So, please, take me in as your student!"
"I am afraid I am still in training," Miharu spoke respectfully. "Until I become the top swordsman in Japan, I cannot afford to take a student."
She then walked past Chibiusa until the pink ordango called out to her again.
"I'll throw in three square meals and nap time!"
And just like that, Miharu stopped.
A little later, at the Tsukino house, Usagi was surprised to find her room completely remodeled and different. All her stuff had been pushed to one side of the room, leaving it almost bare, and the carpet was replaced with a wooden floor. The only new addition was a large scroll that hung in the middle of the wall with kanji characters and a strange painting of a daruma doll.
"What the heck is going on here?!" she demanded.
"Well, I couldn't let Miharu keep living under that bridge forever," said Chibiusa. "I mean, what if it rained?"
"She does bring up a good point, Usagi," said Harusuke. "Not to mention, a girl her age shouldn't be alone. Although... I wonder how Mom and Dad could have pulled this off."
"I understand, but why does my room have to look like this?!" Usagi complained while gesturing her hands.
Miharu, who had been meditating, then stood up. "Your mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino, made it this way so I could practice indoors," she explained. "However, if I'm causing you trouble in any way, Usagi, I can move back to my tent."
"Oh, don't worry. You don't have to do that," Usagi relented. "If using my room can help you fulfill your dream of becoming the top swordsman in Japan, then, by all means, use it."
Miharu smiled in gratitude. "I am grateful."
The Tsukino family later watched as Miharu helped Ikuko prepare dinner by cutting the vegetables using her swordsmanship skills. They couldn't help but be impressed as the little girl cut a daikon radish in seconds with only a few quick slices.
"Amazing!" remarked Kenji
"That was incredible!" agreed Shingo.
"Thank you so much for helping me, Miharu," thanked Ikuko. "You're a natural in the kitchen."
"You're most welcome. It's the least I can do after providing such hospitality," smiled Miharu. "But I can't help but feel like I've been showing off."
"Not at all," reassured Ikuko. "You've been a big help."
"I still can't believe you're a samurai undergoing a training journey at this age," said Shingo. "How cool is that!"
"I'd say it's plenty cool!" agreed Kenji. "Your dedication to the sword is something to be admired."
"Although, I can't help but wonder about your parents," Ikuko spoke with a hint of worry. "Aren't they worried about you?"
"There's no cause for worry," reassured Miharu. "My father passed away from an illness about five years ago, and my mother..." The little girl seemed to pause for a brief moment looking sad but quickly smiled again. "Oh, right. The onions. I better get started chopping them."
As she started doing so, Usagi and Harusuke were to notice the sudden pause in Miharu's behavior, and the two couldn't help but worry.
"Isn't Miharu awesome, you guys?" Chibiusa spoke with admiration. "She truly is a master swordsman!"
Neither Usagi nor Harusuke could answer.
At the bar inside the tent, Tiger's Eye, Hawk's Eye, and Fish's Eye were going through photos of more possible targets picked from Zircon, and Tiger's Eye happened to have a picture of Miharu.
"Take a look at this one, boys," Tiger's Eye purred with interest. "That sharp nose. That petite mouth. So adorable. Strong girls like that are worth the effort it takes to torment them."
"Goodness, you're sick, Tiger's Eye," said Hawk's Eye. "You say that now, but based on what I see, she looks like the kind of girl your charms won't work on."
"Not to mention, it's quite strange for a girl like her to dream of becoming Japan's number one samurai in this day and age," added Fish's Eye. "You sure it'll be that easy?"
Tiger's Eye chuckled with confidence. "Can you two be any more clueless?" he said coolly as it returned his eyes to Miharu's photo. "It's no wonder your plans never succeed. Different things make women happy due to not being all the same."
"Well, then, Mr. Expert. If you're so confident, show us what you can do despite your failures," Fish's Eye sneered. "But just so you know, your little boy toy, Solaris, won't be as easy to defeat this time around."
But Tiger's Eye was still brimming with sureness. "Just you watch," he said as he got up and walked away. "I'll be seeing you soon, my sweet little Miharu."
The following day, Miharu was back by the bridge practicing her swings with a wooden post and straw. At that moment, she sensed someone approaching her causing her to turn around.
Coming towards her was a girl who was as a girl about Usagi's age, wore a black hakama with red pants, and had short brown hair. She also wore a confident and malicious smile as she brandished her sword.
"Well, lookie what we got here," the girl said. "I finally managed to find you. Still practicing as hard as ever, I see."
Miharu glared. "It's you again," she snarled.
She quickly took a stance and prepared herself to fight while the teen did the same. At that time, Usagi, Harusuke, and Chibiusa came by.
"Hey, check it out!" pointed out Harusuke. "Looks like Miharu's got herself another opponent."
"Good luck, Miharu!" Chibiusa cheered. "I know you can do it!"
"Yeah, that girl doesn't stand a chance against you!" Usagi also cheered. "Give her the old one-two!"
The two samurai stared each other down, waiting for the slightest bit of movement. Then, the teen made the first move by charging, raising her sword, and diagonally slashing, and Miharu countered with a slash of her own. The two locked blades while trying to push each other off balance, but due to her size and strength, the teen overpowered Miharu, forcing her back and causing her to stagger. Not wanting to back down, Miharu lunged forward and diagonally slashed, only to slice nothing but grass.
At first, she thought her opponent had disappeared, only to realize too late that her opponent had jumped up and she was wide open. Miharu looked up just in time for the black hakama girl to divebomb straight at her and nail her square in the face with a mighty downward swipe of her sword, knocking her to the ground.
As Miharu struggled to get back up, the girl snidely smirked in triumph approaching her.
"How pathetic. You left yourself wide open," she scoffed. "Is this all the daughter of the great Tenka Itto-ryu's Akiyama family has to offer? What a joke!"
She then raised her sword and, to the surprise of Usagi's group, gave Miharu another slice of her sword, smacking her right on the side. After that, she continued relentlessly attacking her while Miharu desperately tried to defend herself but to no avail.
"Come on! Did you honestly think that someone like you could ever become Japan's number one samurai?!" mocked the girl as she swung. "You don't have what it takes!"
At that moment, Usagi and the others stepped in, the ordango blonde and her brother barring the girl's way, while Chibiusa helped Miharu to her feet.
"That's enough!" Usagi barked firmly. "You've already won the fight!"
"And you're taking this too far!" Harusuke added. "Give the girl a chance to breathe!"
"Are you all right, Miharu?" asked Chibiusa. "You're not hurt too badly, are you?"
The girl clicked her tongue while resting her sword on her shoulder. "How pathetic," she spat snidely. "You can't even beat me, yet you're still clinging to your feeble dreams? Why don't you give it up already? At least you'll spare your mother the disappointment for failing her and your father."
She then walked away laughing, leaving Usagi, Harusuke, and Chibiusa dumbfounded while Miharu kept silent.
After a while, while sitting beside the river, Miharu then explained.
"That girl's Chisato. She's from another school that teaches swordsmanship, the Tendo Ryu, and is considered a top swordsman. But, she's a bit of a bully."
"But what did she mean when she said you were failing your parents?" asked Usagi. "If you don't mind telling us."
Miharu frowned as she stared into the water. "Well, let me start from the beginning," she said. "Throughout my childhood, my mother and father raised me in bushido and swordsmanship. While the training was hard, they both believed in me and supported me. My father even made me his successor to carry on the school; it was his dying wish to become stronger than anyone else, and it became my dream too. But then, not long after that, Chisato came and demanded a challenge for our school."
"And what happened?" asked Chibiusa.
Miharu bit her lip in vexation while clenching her hands on her lap. "I lost," she said quietly.
The three Tsukinos couldn't help but stare in silence.
"Because of that, Chisato took our dojo's sign as well as our honor, and right in front of my mother, no less," continued Miharu. "Feeling ashamed of such a performance, I decided right then and there that I was too weak to carry on my school. So, I..."
"Left home to train so you could get strong enough to get revenge and restore your honor?" finished Harusuke.
Miharu nodded. "And during my training, I've challenged her quite a few times," she went on. "But I've lost in every single one."
"But what about your mom?" asked Usagi. "I'm sure she's worried sick about you being on your own."
Miharu's eyes filled with tears. "There's no way I could face her, not after what happened," she spoke with a cracking voice. "I tried my best to fulfill my father's wish and make my mom proud, but all I've done is bring shame to the school by losing. I let her down. And my father too. I'm sure my mother doesn't want anything to do with me because I'm a disgrace."
The little samurai began to weep, her tears dripping into the river.
Usagi, Harusuke, and Chibiusa now felt sorry for Miharu. The three Tsukinos looked at each other for a brief moment before making a unanimous decision together. They were going to help Miharu.
A few moments later, Harusuke called Makoto and Rei and had them come over to the bridge. He had made a plan to teach Miharu a lesson as a way to help her. Harusuke and Makoto now wore gis while Rei and Miharu sat on the side spectating.
"So, what's the point of all of this?" wondered Miharu.
"Just watch," said Rei. "If you do, you might learn something."
"Thanks for doing this, Makoto," said Harusuke. "I appreciate this more than you know."
"It's no big deal," smiled Makoto. "Anything to help out a bud. And besides, I was wondering how your training's been holding up lately, so there's no way I'm passing this up."
"In that case, then I better make sure not to disappoint you," smirked Harusuke as he took a stance.
Makoto also stanced up, and Rei and Miharu waited with bated breath.
After a few tense seconds, Harusuke and Makoto shot toward each other and started throwing punches and kicking at each other while blocking and avoiding them simultaneously. Miharu couldn't help but watch in amazement with wide eyes. The two then got into a brawler's lock, locking hands while trying to overpower each other.
The two appeared evenly matched for a brief moment until Makoto started overpowering Harusuke, causing him to falter and lose ground, causing Miharu to worry. But then, Harusuke suddenly rocked backward while throwing Makoto, sending her into the air, but she landed perfectly on her feet without any injury. But before she could straighten up, she looked up only for her eyes to meet Harusuke's fist, causing her to stop.
Makoto then conceded. "Not too shabby, Harusuke," she complimented. "You've gotten better since last time."
Harusuke smiled as he helped Makoto to her feet. "Only because I had a great teacher," he replied.
Miharu then came up to the two. "But Harusuke, why didn't you use your strength?" she wondered. "You were strong enough to beat Makoto, weren't you?"
Harusuke laughed. "No way. Makoto's way too strong for me. If anything, she's one of the strongest people I know, so I had to learn to get a little tricky with her."
"That's right," concurred Makoto. "Believe me, when I first started training him, I would beat him constantly. That was until he started improving while I taught him a few moves."
"But isn't that kind of cowardly?" wondered Miharu. "I've always been told that strength means everything, and you should use it to beat your opponent."
"Not at all," said Makoto. "True, some fights could be won with strength, but other times, you got to use your head in a fight. Especially if it's power versus power."
"That's right," agreed Harusuke. "In battles like those, the weaker side always loses, which is part of why you lost against Chisato."
"Now, don't get me wrong, you got the guts to stand up to her," Harusuke continued. "But there's also nothing wrong with strategizing during a fight. No sense in being single-minded."
Miharu then remembered when she was practicing with her father when he was still alive. She could well recall him saying the exact words to her.
"I see," was all she could say.
A few moments later, Usagi and Chibiusa went to the Tenka Itto-Ryu Akiyama Dojo, hoping to speak to Miharu's mother. But as they stood in front of the large doors, they didn't see or hear any sign of anyone around.
"Anyone home?!" Usagi called out. "Hello?!"
But there was nothing but silence.
Chibiusa then tried yelling, taking a deep breath. "Anyone home?!"
Still, there was silence.
The two ordangos took the deepest breaths they could muster, then screamed at the top of their lungs as much as they could.
"ANYONE HOOOOOOOOME? ! ? ! ? ! ?"
Then, finally, a woman's voice came from behind them. "What in the world are you two doing screaming like that? You'll destroy your throats that way."
Usagi and Chibiusa, gasping for breath, turned around and saw a young woman holding a bag of groceries at the top of the stairs. She was a bit tall, had short blue hair in a pixie cut, and wore a pink shirt and a pair of blue jeans with sneakers.
Usagi and Chibiusa blushed with embarrassment.
"Um, sorry to bother you," Usagi spoke sheepishly. "But you wouldn't happen to live in this residence, would you?"
"Yes, I do," replied the woman. "I'm Homura Akiyama. May I help you?"
"Yes, we came to speak to you about your daughter, Miharu," explained Usagi. "You see, we're friends of hers, and-."
Homura then gasped. "Hold on, you know Miharu?!" she then frowned. "I take it you've heard about our situation?"
Both girls nodded and then told Homura about Miharu.
"I see, so that's what my daughter's been up to," Homura spoke quietly when they finished. "That sounds like her."
"She's been training hard, and I believe she has potential," said Usagi. "But she's putting herself down too harshly, and with how she lost today, her confidence is pretty low."
"Can't you do something to help her?" asked Chibiusa. "I mean, you are her mom, and you look like you fully support her dream. Maybe you can teach her some new techniques or spar with her."
"Unfortunately, I can't," Homura spoke solemnly.
"But why not?!" demanded Usagi and Chibiusa in surprise.
"It's because Miharu won't let me," said Homura. "Believe me, I've tried my best to get her to come home, and I was willing to teach her, but ever since she lost to that Chisato girl, she's refused my help. Honestly, she's too single-minded and stubborn, which is likely why she lost. Once that girl sets her mind on something, she won't stop and will see it through till the end. That's just how she is, exactly like her father. I want to help, but I don't want to disrespect her wishes."
Usagi and Chibiusa didn't know what to say after that.
"When you put it that way, Miharu is a bit headstrong," said Chibiusa. "But even though she doesn't want to admit it, she needs you right now!"
"Yeah! She feels like she's a disgrace to your school, and you don't want anything to do with her," said Chibiusa.
"I understand that, but again, there's nothing more I can do," said Homura. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."
She then went through the door on the side of the gates and left the ordangos, shutting it behind her.
It was evening by the time the group met up again. They exchanged the news from their split operation.
"Man, just when I thought things couldn't be more complicated," sighed Harusuke.
"If you ask me, that Homura is just stubborn!" huffed Chibiusa. "I mean, what kind of mom refuses to help their child when they need it?!"
"Well, to be fair, Chibiusa, you can't blame her," said Harusuke. "Miharu made a mistake, and she wants to fix it herself. Although I feel bad that she believes that her mom thinks she's a disgrace."
"No kidding," agreed Rei. "In a way, I can relate to her. The poor girl's already under so much pressure, and now she's got it in her head that her mom hates her. That can't be healthy."
"At this point, the only way this can be resolved is that Miharu beats Chisato," said Usagi. "But she won't be able to do that if she keeps being stubborn and simple-minded."
"Well, hopefully, by watching our spar, she'll understand that power isn't everything," said Makoto. "Until then, all we can do is keep an eye on her and hope for the best."
"I hope you're right," Chibiusa sighed worriedly.
The next afternoon, Miharu was still training by the bridge, practicing her sword swings. She was still thinking about what Harusuke and the others had said. However, she had no idea how to beat Chisato.
Then, just as she paused to take a break, a small pink petal fluttered past her nose. At that moment, she sensed someone nearby.
"Who's there?!" she demanded as she turned to her right.
A young man then stepped forth from under the bridge. It was Tiger's Eye, who was now wearing a sky-blue kimono with green bottoms and sandals. He also wore a red samurai straw hat on top of his head.
"Spring has come and gone. The birds cry a parting song. The fish are teary-eyed," he spoke elegantly while tipping his hat up. "I am Torazu Miyamoto of the Tsukishi Ryu."
"I am the Tenka Itto-ryu's, Miharu Akiyama!" the girl spoke bravely.
"My, my. Quite the impatient one, are you?" Tiger's Eye said as he snapped his fingers, making a teacup and plate appear in his hand. "Won't you join me for tea?"
"I am in training and don't have time," Miharu replied. "So please don't bother."
Tiger's Eye then made the teacup disappear with a wave of his hand while taking off his hat and tossing it into the air. "What a shame. However, I do admire your due diligence. It makes you prettier. That being said, shall we get started?"
Miharu took a stance and braced herself while Tiger's Eye prepared to spring his trap.
"One!"
But just as he snapped his fingers and the slab started to come up, Miharu, thanks to her sixth sense, quickly turned around, forcing Tiger's Eye to snap his fingers and making the slab disappear into the ground.
"What was that?" wondered Miharu. "For a second, I sensed danger. Was it just my imagination?"
"Oh, she's good," thought Tiger's Eye. "I should've expected as much from a master swordsman." He then unsheathed his sword and took a stance. "Come! Let us duel!"
Miharu refocused her attention on Tiger's Eye and got ready as their showdown began.
Tiger's Eye stanced up, and his blade began to spin rapidly enough to become a windmill of afterimages making Miharu believe this to be The Full Moon Technique. The blonde then jumped into the air and dashed at Miharu, intending to strike, but with a powerful slice of her sword, Miharu knocked it right out of his hand.
Then, as it fell to the ground, Miharu saw something that surprised her a bit. As the sword landed on the ground, spinning to a stop, it mysteriously changed shape, making it look like three blades merged into a strange multi-bladed star. Then, the object suddenly disappeared.
Miharu wondered what it was, but Tiger's Eye reappeared behind her with his blade and attacked again. Their blades clashed and banged as they sliced at each other. Tiger's Eye then thrust his sword aiming for Miharu's midsection, and seeing it coming, Miharu jumped back to avoid it. However, Tiger's Eye anticipated this, and while pressing a button on the hilt of his sword, its blade extended, nailing Miharu square in the stomach, defeating her in seconds.
As Miharu lay on the ground stunned, Tiger's Eye started walking away while secretly taking out a script book with Musashi Miyamoto on its cover, using it as a reference for his plan.
"Now, as I'm about to leave..." he thought. "She should be..."
Miharu then shot to her feet while calling out to him. "Please! Wait a moment!"
Tiger's Eye stopped while internally squealing excitedly. "Yes! Just like in those samurai drama films!"
"Your sword technique is astonishing!" praised Miharu. "With the way you wield your sword, you truly must be a samurai of high repute!"
"Not at all," Tiger's Eye spoke mysteriously. "I'm only a follower of the sword style of Takezo Miyamoto."
"Takezo Miyamoto?" puzzled Miharu. "Who is that?"
"You don't know?" Tiger's Eye feigned surprise. "He's the man who dueled against Kojiro Sasaki on Ganryu Island."
Miharu was now even more puzzled. "But hold on a minute. Do you mean Musashi Miyamoto?"
Tiger's Eye mentally cursed at himself. "It's read as Musashi? You'd think someone would leave a note on how to read it!" But he maintained his cool. "Yes, you would think that, but this legendary swordsman whose name was left out of our history books due to being similar to Musashi is Takezo Miyamoto, the founder of the unbeatable sword style I'm proud to use!"
Miharu was filled with admiration, and she bowed respectfully before Tiger's Eye. "Please! Let me be your student! With your fighting style, I'll be able to defeat Chisato for sure!"
"Ordinarily, I would never take on a student," said Tiger's Eye. "However, I'm willing to make an exemption in your case because of having such beautiful dreams. Please, follow me."
Miharu happily complied as she and Tiger's Eye left the bridge.
Meanwhile, Usagi, Harusuke, and Chibiusa were out and about planning to visit Miharu to check up on her.
But as they passed by a street leading, Chibiusa happened to notice something. A great distance away, she saw Tiger's Eye and Miharu walking up the road that led up a hill.
"Hey, Usagi. Uncle Sunny. Look up there," she observed. "Isn't that Miharu?"
Usagi and Harusuke then saw them as well.
"Hey, you're right. It is her," said Usagi. "But... who's that weird guy that's with her?"
"I don't know, but look where they're walking," said Harusuke. "Isn't that direction where the abandoned mansion's supposed to be?"
Usagi then frowned. "Yeah. You're right. But why would they be going up there? Seems a bit suspicious."
Tiger's Eye and Miharu soon arrived in the area of the abandoned mansion after a long trek. Tall trees lined the path making the place easy enough to hide from prying eyes, and an eerie wind gently blew through the trees making the area ominous.
"Excuse me, sir," said Miharu. "But how far are we going, and why are we here of all places?"
"A true swordsman must train without being seen by the public," replied Tiger's Eye. "It helps eliminate distractions which are perfect for focusing on your training." He then stopped walking and turned around. "This spot will do. Now, I want you to understand that my technique can't be easily mastered. Are you sure you wish to continue?"
"There's no need for you to be concerned," said Miharu. "I'm ready to face whatever risks await me, so please, teach me."
"Then, close your eyes," said Tiger's Eye. "And don't open them or move until I say to."
"But why?" wondered Miharu.
"You want to be strong enough to beat Chisato, don't you?" said Tiger's Eye. "Or is it that you doubt me?"
"No, I would never, sir!" said Miharu hastily. "I'll do it."
Miharu then closed her eyes and remained still, and seeing that his target was ripe for the taking, Tiger's Eye shed his disguise and snapped his fingers.
"One!"
The slab sprang up from behind Miharu.
"Two!"
Metal clamps closed around her wrists and ankles, causing the girl to snap open her eyes in surprise.
"Hey! What is this?!" Miharu demanded as she struggled from her trap. "Let me go!"
"Sorry, but I can't do that," replied Tiger's Eye. "You see, you have something that I'm looking for, and now that I've got you trapped, I'm going to get it. So now, let me take a look at your beautiful dreams. And three!"
Miharu screamed in agony as her dream mirror sprung out from her chest, and she fell unconscious. At that time, Usagi and the group arrived, and when they saw Miharu and Tiger's Eye, they quickly transformed.
"MOON CRISIS MAKE UP!"
"SOLAR QUASAR POWER SUIT UP!"
"MARS PLANET POWER MAKE UP!"
"JUPITER PLANET POWER MAKE UP!"
Transformation Sequence: Usagi and Chibiusa.
Both Usagi's Crisis Moon Compact and Chibiusa's Chibi Moon Compact open and their crystals inside of them. They both begin to flash until they erupt with pink light. While enveloped in light with their compacts affixed to the middle of their chests, Usagi and Chibiusa stand side by side as pink ribbons made of light burst from their brooches, trailing and flapping in the wind-like capes. First, as she turns around, they wrap around Usagi, forming her leotard, and the same happens to Chibiusa. Next, the two stood back-to-back, bending backward elegantly as their skirt, boots, and ribbons materialized. Then, as they move around face-to-face, Chibiusa kisses Usagi's cheek, and as she pulls away, her tiara and other accessories appear along with Usagi's. The two then open their eyes, their transformations completed; they turn one and strike their signature poses while a yellow moon with pink roses on the side appears in the background.
Transformation Sequence: Solaris (Post Super S)
Harusuke's crystal begins to shine, each of the ten points glowing in different colors of the rainbow until the center explodes in golden light. Harusuke, enveloped in silver light, holds his hands to his chest. His crystal lets out a burst of light as he throws his hands out, the symbol of the Sun appearing on his chest. Multiple streams of rainbow-colored light shine forth from it and spread throughout his body, enveloping him. Then, chrome golden and silver armor forms on his body, starting from his chest, arms, and legs. The symbol of the Sun appears in the middle of his forehead, and as it shines, enveloping his head forming his helmet. His transformation completed, his eyes snap open, brightly flashing silver once and while spinning once, strikes his signature pose as the symbol of the Sun, now having ten different colored points, shines behind him in a starry blue background.
Transformation Sequence: Rei
The planet Mars appears as Rei puts her hand up; her fingernails sparkle in bright red, and her transformation wand comes to her hand spinning, now having a different design, as she takes hold of it. Her body becomes silhouetted in red as a giant pillar of fire erupts from her wand. While spinning around, the fire swirled around her body, concealing her in a cocoon, and burst, revealing several tongues of flame surrounding Rei's body. The flames disperse, revealing Rei in her red Sailor Uniform, wearing red heels, a pair of earrings, a purple bow in front, a red ribbon in the back, gloves with red trims, and a red skirt, choker, and collar. Rei then turns around, her symbol appears in the middle of her forehead, and her tiara materializes. Her transformation finished, she assumes her final pose, her sign and planet appearing in the background against a starry sky.
Transformation Seuence: Makoto
The planet Jupiter appears as Makoto puts her hand up, her fingernails 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, her symbol appears in the middle of her forehead, and her tiara materializes. Her transformation finished, she assumes her final pose, her sign and planet appearing in the background against a starry sky.
Tiger's Eye was now head deep inside Miharu's Dream Mirror, searching for Pegasus while the girl struggled in agony while screaming. Eventually, he pulled his head out, now wearing a face of disappointment again.
"Darn it. He's not here. After all the effort I put into this one," huffed Tiger's Eye. "Oh, well. There'll be other targets. Until then, time to die, little miss samurai."
While smirking maliciously, he summoned his whip and cracked it, preparing to destroy Miharu's Dream Mirror, when...
"SOLARIS METEOR BARRAGE!"
"JUPITER SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!"
A shower of spheres made of sunlight while a giant disc of lightning shot towards Tiger's Eye, forcing him to jump back to avoid them. The blonde amazon looked up, and much to his displeasure, he saw Super Sailor Moon and Chibi Moon, Sailor Mars, Jupiter, and Solaris standing before him.
"You got a lot of nerve toying with a swordman's spirit!" admonished Sailor Jupiter.
"And you also have the gall to trample on a girl's dreams!" said Sailor Mars.
"The sun might overlook your evil deeds, but we won't be as forgiving!" scowled Solaris.
"We're the Guardians...!" said Super Sailor Moon.
"...who fight for love and justice!" chimed in Super Sailor Chibi Moon.
"I'm Sailor Moon!"
"And I'm Sailor Chibi Moon!"
"Sailor Mars!"
"Sailor Jupiter!"
"And Solaris!"
"And in the name of the Moon, we'll punish you!" the five finished.
"Seriously, this is starting to get old," huffed Tiger's Eye. He looked over at Solaris. "But it seems that one of you has gotten an upgrade. You look even tackier than before."
"Hey, Mr. Pot. Have you met kettle?" countered Solaris. "I don't care what you think about my fashion, but I think the freak show circus called, and even they don't want that look back."
Tiger's Eye glared at the insult. "As sharp-tongued as ever," he huffed. "But since there's no dream mirror here, I have no reason to stay." He snapped his fingers. "Now, arise, my Lemures, Ayatoriko the String Expert!"
From his shadow, a female lemures leaped forth.
She had pale blue skin, long hair in white and green gradient colors, eyes with red scleras with yellow irises, and two pink dots in the middle of her forehead. Her clothes were composed of a pink kimono with a green band and black tights with a puffy bottom and two sets of legs coming out from the sides like the abdominal part of a spider. She also had red strings entangled in her hands as she playfully started playing cat's cradle with them.
"Who wants to play cat's cradle with me?" the lemures spoke jubilantly. "I'm quite good at it, you know!"
"Oh, great, another weirdo monster," sighed Super Sailor Moon.
"They just keep getting stranger by the day," agreed Solaris.
"Ayatoriko, please clean this mess up for me?" Tiger's Eye sweetly called. "I'm counting on you."
And with a summon of his wormhole, he leaped into it and was gone.
"Sailor Moon. Chibi Moon. See to Miharu," said Sailor Mars. "We'll hold her off."
Super Sailor Moon and Chibi Moon rushed to Miharu while Solaris, Sailor Mars, and Jupiter fought Ayatoriko. Luckily, Miharu wasn't hurt as she quickly came around.
"Miharu? Are you all right?" asked Super Sailor Moon.
The little samurai gasped upon recognizing her. "Oh, wow! You're Sailor Moon!" she cried. "Thanks for freeing me!" Then, her eyes fell upon Ayatoriko and the rest of the guardians. Immediately, she picked up her sword. "Curse you, monster!" she yelled out bravely. "I'll make you pay!"
Before Super Sailor Moon or Chibi Moon could stop her, Miharu was already charging into the fray.
Back in the fight, the three guardians tried their best to get a hit on Ayatoriko, but she was making things tricky for them due to her strings.
Sailor Mars clasped her hands with her index fingers pointed as she unleashed a powerful ball of fire.
"MARS FIRE SOUL!"
Ayatoriko saw the attack coming, and with a few flicks of her hands, she made a unique knot using her strings that looked just like a tunnel you'd see in the streets.
"Here's a trick known as: "The Tunnel!"
The fireball was sucked into the knot while another appeared just above Mars's blind spot and redirected the attack back at her. Thankfully, Mars avoided the flames by jumping out of the way.
Ayatoriko then made another knot in her hands that now had a star-like pattern, and she threw it into the air.
"Now, this trick is known as the star!"
The star-like formation of string suddenly expanded and fell to the ground with a thunderous thud forming a cage around the guardians. Then, the cage made of yarn began to melt, dripping its strange substance close to the guardians.
"Ewww! What is this stuff?!" Super Sailor Moon cried in disgust.
"I don't know, but don't let it touch you!" Solaris yelled out.
Then, Miharu charged at Ayatoriko, her sword bravely raised to strike, much to the surprise of the guardians.
"Miharu?! What are you doing?! Get back here!" yelled Sailor Jupiter.
"You need to get to safety!" Solaris also yelled. "This isn't an enemy you can beat!"
"No way!" objected Miharu. "There's no such thing as running away when it comes to me! Bushido is about dying in battle!"
The brave little girl swung her blade, only for Ayatoriko to jump up while making another large formation of string in the shape of a broom, and swatted her out of the way, much to the charging of the Guardians.
"Well, I'll give her points for bravery," sighed Solaris. "Jupiter, let's get rid of this gunk! Jupiter!"
"Right with you!" said Sailor Jupiter.
Solaris's armor changed to green at his command, and he and Jupiter both unleashed the same move simultaneously.
"JUPITER SUPREME THUNDER!"
Both Guardians released powerful shockwaves of thunder, incinerating the gooey strings instantly and blowing Ayatoriko back. However, the lemures countered by throwing several ladder figures, a one-step, two-step, three-step, four-step, and five-step ladder strings, consecutively forcing the guardians to fall back and regroup. While they dodged, Sailor Jupiter quickly scooped up Miharu and carried her to safety before the ladders hit them.
"Geez, this one's pretty annoying," complained Solaris. "Now what?"
Sailor Mars then got an idea. "Leave this one to me, guys," she said with a grin. "Hey, Ayatoriko! From what I've seen, you can do up to five steps regarding ladders." She then jabbed a finger at her. "But can you do six?!"
Ayatoriko gasped in shock before scowling angrily, not wanting to take this insult. She then desperately tried her best to make a six-step ladder, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't, leaving her sorry for herself.
Sailor Mars then seized her chance by attacking her.
"MARS SNAKE FIRE!"
She pointed her fingertips and fired a snake-like fire blast at the forlorn lemures, attempting to go for the finish. However, Ayatoriko, in her frustration, threw a large tendril of string at her enemies. Reacting quickly, Sailor Mars threw Miharu out of the way just as the line entangled around them and knocked them into a tangled heap.
"Miharu! Run away!" yelled Super Sailor Moon.
But Miharu didn't, as she bravely faced the lemures in anger. "Curse you, monster!" she snapped. "I'll make you pay for that!"
She again charged at Ayatoriko, but while she was not intimidated, the lemures created another three-step ladder, but this time, held it like a sword and swung it down at the little girl. Miharu raised her sword to block the strike, but while her sword held it up, she could feel herself getting overpowered, causing her to get pushed back.
"Miharu! Get out of there!" Solaris cried. "There's no way you can beat her!"
"A samurai doesn't back down or abandon those in need!" grunted Miharu. "I won't run away!"
"But she's way too strong for you!" shouted Super Sailor Chibi Moon. "You have to run away, or else you'll get hurt or worse!"
But the little girls still refused to move as Ayatoriko continued to overpower her.
Then, Solaris realized, remembering back from the other day. "Miharu! Divert the ladder now!" he shouted. "Don't fight power with power when you're weaker than it! Use your head!"
Miharu flinched briefly as she remembered Harusuke telling her the exact words the other day. She also remembered when she was training; her mother told her the same thing.
Then, with great effort, she used her sword to side-step the ladder and ward it to the side, much to the lemures' surprise. Miharu also shot toward Ayatoriko and sliced her sword right at her hip, finally inflicting damage and causing her to stagger. In retaliation, Ayatoriko wrapped her threads around the little girl's wooden sword and pulled on them, trying to yank it away from her.
"Let's see how you do without this little toy!" she snarled.
At first, Miharu struggled while standing her ground, but then a mischievous smirk tugged her cheeks.
"You want my sword so bad?" she spoke teasingly. "All right then. You asked for it."
She then purposefully let go causing her sword to fly at her until it bopped the lemures right on the forehead, causing her to lose balance and fall flat on her back, stunned and dazed. Miharu rushed to the Guardians and untied their strings, setting them free.
"Now's your chance!" urged Miharu.
Solaris then stood up and summoned forth his blade. Next, he rapidly sliced the air, making a magic circle appear, and launched it by thrusting his hand. The ring shot through Ayatoriko, and her body seized up, unmoving.
Solaris gripped his sword and took a stance as a mirage of wings sprang forth from his back while all the jewels on it shone, the blade shining in gold.
"SOLARIS DAWNING PENTAGRAM SWORD!"
With a slash of his sword, while the blade stretched in length, Ayatoriko was cut right down the middle, and her body cracked and crumbled.
"STAGE OUT!"
With her last cry, the lemures exploded into pieces reverting into a shadow that faded away in a puff of smoke.
"We did it!" cheered Super Sailor Moon and Chibi Moon.
"Nice job on that counter, Miharu!" congratulated Solaris. "That was amazing!"
"Thank you very much," Miharu smiled while bowing respectfully. "It was interesting to fight alongside you all in such a chaotic battle. And thanks to that, I finally understand what everyone was trying to tell me, and I now know how I can beat Chisato."
A little while later, Miharu rechallenged Chisato, calling her over to the bridge where she was camping. Usagi and the others were also there, wanting to watch the match and ensure fair play.
"I still can't believe you have the gall to challenge me after all the times you lost," scoffed Chisato. "Either you're a glutton for punishment or just plain stubborn."
"Don't think you'll be able to win this time," said Miharu. "This time, I will win and take back my family's sign and honor!"
"Then, let's get this over with!" snarled Chisato. "But don't come crying to me when you lose again!"
As they prepared to begin, another spectator watched but remained far away so no one would see her.
A long pause passed as the two swordsmen stared each other down, waiting for someone to make a move. Until, at last, Chisato lost patience.
"Fine then! If you're not going to attack, I will!" Chisato snapped. "Here I come!"
She charged forward with her sword raised and sliced downward, and Miharu jumped back, avoiding the attack. Chisato pursued her, swung and cut with her sword, and Miharu met her with the same moves. Then, like before, the two locked swords in a power struggle, Chisato quickly overpowering her. But this time, Miharu was ready. Instead of meeting her back with power, she shifted her sword's weight to the side, deflecting the blow, and quickly shot past while striking her, causing Chisato to stagger in surprise. Then, seizing her chance, Miharu promptly turned around and assumed a familiar stance, grasping her sword in front of her with two hands, similar to a particular Guardian.
"Hey! Isn't that...!" gasped Usagi.
"That's Solaris's stance!" cried Chibiusa.
Harusuke couldn't help but smile.
Miharu uttered a fierce cry as she dashed toward Chisato and swung her blade down, landing a powerful blow right on the right side of her opponent. Time briefly stood still, and then finally, Chisato fell flat on her back, unconscious.
"She did it! She did it!" Chibiusa cried out with joy. "Miharu won!"
The others also cheered.
Miharu stood there, oblivious as to what just happened, but then a wide grin spread her cheeks as her eyes brimmed with tears. "I did it! I did it! I won!"
Chisato finally managed to recover, managing to sit upright. "Well, damn. It looks like I lost, huh?" she sighed.
At first, Miharu thought she was upset and expected the worst, but Chisato smiled respectfully as she stood up.
"Hey, Miharu, right? That was an awesome attack. You caught me by surprise. I take back everything I said about you. You're a fine swordsman, and that was a good match."
Miharu was surprised. "You really think so?"
"Of course she does," said a familiar voice. "And I agree with her."
Miharu looked up, and much to her surprise, she saw her mother, Homura walking towards her. "M-Mother? What are you doing here?"
"I hope you don't mind, but we called her over," said Usagi.
"You did splendidly, Miharu," went on Homura. "I saw everything that happened, and I couldn't be more proud of you."
Miharu bit her lip. "Thank you, Mother, but I still want to apologize for what happened," she said quietly. "I lost and have caused you great shame, so please don't hate me."
But Homura smiled as she wrapped her arms around her daughter in a hug. "I could never hate my daughter or think she's a disgrace," she said. "No matter what you've done, and even with your stubbornness, I'll always be proud of you and love you."
Miharu smiled as she hugged her mother back. "And you were right," she went on. "I was so intent on becoming a strong swordsman that I lost sight of everything else, so from now on, I will work on my skills as a swordsman in body and mind."
Homura smiled. "I think that's a wonderful idea."
As the two embraced again, Usagi and the others couldn't help but smile.
"Looks like those two finally reconciled," said Rei. "Good for Miharu."
"And she was able to win back her honor and her sign," said Makoto. "All's well that ends well."
"Say, Usagi, Uncle Sunny, do you think Miharu will achieve her dream of becoming a samurai?" asked Chibiusa.
Both of the Tsukino siblings smiled.
"Of course, she will," said Usagi. "After all, she's got the full support of her mother."
"And the support of her father, who's watching from above," added Harusuke. "Not only that, but if she keeps following her path with an open mind, she might achieve it sooner than we think."
Everyone happily agreed.