Usagi and the group were walking around downtown. They were talking to each other and enjoying themselves, but one among them didn't seem keen.

As he walked while keeping quiet, Harusuke was busy thinking about what had transpired in the previous battle. He could remember most of what happened, but, much to his confusion, he couldn't remember transforming, no matter how much he tried.

"At the time, I felt so weak and in pain," he thought. "I was desperate to protect Mom and terrified that she would get hurt. Then, when Hawk's Eye told me what happens when a dream mirror's destroyed, my entire body was swallowed by fear and anger. The next thing I knew, Hawk's Eye had run away, and the Lemures was destroyed. But what I don't get is why can't I remember?"

"Harusuke? Harusuke! Harusuke!"

Makoto's voice suddenly snapped Harusuke back to reality as he realized the girls were staring at him.

"Wait, what? I wasn't paying attention."

Usagi and the girls could see that Harusuke appeared worried and knew of the reason.

"Harusuke, are you doing OK?" asked Rei. "Are you still thinking about... you know."

"You don't need to beat around the bush, Rei," sighed Harusuke. "Yes, I'm still thinking about my sudden transformation, and I can't stop myself from doing so. Not to mention, I'm still wondering why I can't remember anything after I transformed, and given what you told me afterward, I can't help but wonder if I was that terrifying."

There was a brief and uncomfortable pause as everyone kept silent, unsure what to say. Then, Minako went over to Harusuke and gave him a gentle flick to his forehead, making him flinch.

"H-Hey! What that for, Minako?!" demanded Harusuke.

"Come on, Harusuke. I get you're worried, but let's turn that frown upside down," the red-bowed blonde cheerily spoke while winking. "Besides, if you keep worrying, you're just going to stress yourself out that way."

"But I-."

"I agree with Minako," said Usagi. "All this worrying is going to stress you out, Bro. Besides, I'm sure what happened back there was a one-time thing."

"But what if it wasn't?" Harusuke asked worriedly. "What if I end up transforming like that again? I can't help but worry about that. And I know I shouldn't be moping around, but - it's hard, y'know?"

Yet again, there was silence. Then, Makoto made a suggestion.

"Here's an idea. Why don't you do something to get your mind off of things? Like going on a trip?"

"That's a great idea, Makoto," said Ami. "Studies show that taking a trip is a good way of refocusing and distracting your mind."

"But don't I already go out when I'm with you guys?" wondered Harusuke. "I mean, we're always hanging out together. Plus, I don't have cash on me to go on one."

"Then, how about you do something different?" suggested Luna. "Something that you don't normally would do."

"Like trying a new hobby, maybe going somewhere different," added Artemis. "Maybe even staying at a friend's house for the first time."

Rei then gasped excitedly. "Hey! I got an idea! Why don't you stay over at my place for a bit?"

Everyone looked across to Rei, bewildered.

"What?!"

"Why not? We have rooms open, and it's quiet and peaceful over there," said Rei. "Plus, it'll save you a lot of money, you'll be close to home, and maybe you can do a bit of training."

Usagi was quick to object. "No, no, no, no, no, absolutely not! A boy and a girl sleeping in one house practically spells trouble!"

But Harusuke rolled his eyes. "Come on, Sis. No need to be overprotective. That's my job," he said. "Besides, spending the night at the Hikawa Shrine will be a nice change of pace." He looked at Rei. "I think I'll take you up on your offer, Rei."

Rei smiled. "Great! I'll go tell my grandfather you're coming!"

"And I'll pack some things and meet you at your place," Harusuke smiled back. "Although, I better make sure to talk to my parents first. Got to let them know that I won't be getting up "funny business" if you catch my drift."

Minako, Makoto, and Ami's cheeks went pink. "F-Funny business?" they repeated nervously.

Harusuke dashed away in one direction, and Rei ran in the other, leaving Usagi fuming while Chibiusa tried to calm her down.

In the Dead Moon Circus Tent, Zirconia was again impatiently berating the Amazon Trio.

"Amazon Trio! You must hurry! How many times do I have to tell you that finding Pegasus is the key to our goal of world domination?! And yet you three are having trouble locating him!"

"But Madam Zirconia, we already possess abilities far superior to those humans," said Tiger's Eye. "Wouldn't it make sense to focus on that rather than searching like this?"

"That would make sense," said Fish's Eye. "It would make things a whole lot easier. Although, I have to wonder what Pegasus truly is. You never really told us about that."

The only one who didn't say anything was Hawk's Eye, who was still a bit shaken up from the previous battle before.

Zirconia then gave a sharp tap of her staff. "All you need to do is follow my orders!" she barked. "Now, instead of asking pointless questions and idle comments, go find Pegasus's host!"

The Amazon Trio bowed. "Yes, Madam!"

A little bit after, at the bar, while deciding their next target, Fish's Eye was rather annoyed.

"Who does she think we are, her henchmen running errands?!" he huffed. "The least she could do was tell us! I'm starting to wonder if she's more interested in capturing Pegasus instead of world domination, am I right?"

Neither Hawk's Eye nor Tiger's Eye didn't answer, Hawk's Eye staring at his drink while Tiger's Eye had his eyes closed, his fingers dancing around the many pictures that lay spread out.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?!" Fish's Eye snapped.

Hawk's Eye jumped a bit. "What? What were you saying?" he asked.

"What's the matter with you, Hawk's Eye? It's not like you to be distracted," said Fish's Eye. "You've been acting weird ever since you failed your first target. Did something happen to you?"

Hawk's Eye frowned. "You could say that," he spoke tentatively. "I witnessed something - rather unnerving."

Fish's Eye then grinned cheekily. "You mean experiencing your first defeat?"

Hawk's Eye glared. "I'm serious!" he snapped as he explained. "When I fought those guardians earlier, Solaris transformed, but it wasn't anything like what Tiger's Eye was saying. Instead, he turned all black and was filled with an overwhelming maliciousness that would give Madam Zirconia a run for her money and became very powerful."

"Are you sure you weren't just imagining things?" wondered Fish's Eye. "Maybe you were caving in under the pressure or something."

"If I did, I wouldn't be here right now," Hawk's Eye huffed as he took a swig of his drink.

Then, he took notice of Tiger's Eye.

"And what are you doing?" he wondered.

"Be quiet!" shushed Tiger's Eye. "I'm using clairvoyance to pick our next target."

"And since when have you been a psychic?" sneered Fish's Eye.

"I don't need to explain myself to you," Tiger's Eye sniffed haughtily. "Now, shush so that I can concentrate!"

He continued to let his hand hover over the pictures until he stopped letting his finger drop on a photo of Rei sweeping outside the Hikawa Shrine. Hawk's Eye and Fish's Eye couldn't help but be amazed.

"You see that? Not too shabby, huh?" Tiger's Eye smirked smugly. "It's a sign telling me to change my tactics. I think it's time for me to go with a more traditional Japanese approach."

He got up and was about to leave when Hawk's Eye called out to him.

"Hey, Tiger's Eye, this is a bit out of character for me, and I don't normally say this, but be careful."

But the blonde, brimming with confidence, continued to walk away without saying a word.

At the Hikawa Shrine, Harusuke soon arrived with a bag of essentials and talked to Grandpa Hino and Rei while Usagi and the gang, along with Yuichiro, spied on them from behind a statue.

"So, you want to stay a bit to help ease your stress? Well, you're more than welcome to stay here, Harusuke," said Grandpa Hino as he formally bowed. "Why, it would be my honor to have you here."

Harusuke couldn't help but feel awkward. "There's no need to be so formal, Gramps," he spoke shyly. "The pleasure's all mine, so please raise your head."

"Yeah, Grandpa. You're going a bit overboard," agreed Rei.

Grandpa Hino then looked over at the shrine. "You know, this shrine is quite venerable with a long history," he said to no one in particular. "However, I don't have an heir yet, so I'm hoping that one day, Rei will find a boy and take him as her husband and as my successor." He then cheekily grinned. "And I can see Rei's found herself quite a keeper~."

Both Rei and Harusuke's cheeks grew pink.

"G-Grandpa! Stop joking around!" Rei squeaked. "Harusuke's just a friend, so stop teasing us!"

Grandpa Hino could only chuckle.

Usagi was scowling from behind the statue. "Now, I'm suspicious!" she growled.

"Usagi! Calm down!" urged Makoto. "You heard Rei! Her grandpa was teasing!"

"Besides, it'll be fine," soothed Yuichiro. "I mean, I've been staying here for quite a bit, and not once has Master ever asked me to be Rei's husband."

"Yuchiro, I hate to be honest with you," Usagi spoke flatly. "But mostly, it's because you're you."

The male felt those words cut him like a knife gutting a fish as he froze in shock.

"Hey, now, Usagi! That wasn't very nice!" scolded Ami. "Even if Rei and Harusuke went on a date before-!"

"Ami, be quiet!" shushed Makoto.

But the damage had been done as Yuchiro screamed in surprise, stepping backward and bumping hard into the torii with the back of his head, eliciting a cry of pain.

"Yeah - you may have said too much, Ami," sighed Minako.

"But did Uncle Sunny and Rei truly go on a date?" wondered Chibiusa. "I've never heard about that."

"Well, yeah. But that was only a pretend date," explained Makoto. "It was an act to get Rei's father to call off an engagement he was forcing on her."

"And besides, there's no way Rei would ever have feelings for Harusuke," added Makoto.

"Th-That's right," agreed Ami. "After all, Rei's been saying she's still looking for a boyfriend and wants to find the right person."

Yuichiro happened to overhear this as he recovered. "S-Still is looking for a boyfriend?!" he exclaimed.

Yuichiro was so shocked that he felt like he was struck by lightning and so much so that he staggered over to a tree, clumsily bumped into it, and collapsed flat on the ground.

"That didn't help much," Minako and Makoto spoke.

"Ami, you do talk too much," sighed Usagi. "But even with what you guys say, mark my words! When a man and a woman are alone for one night, it only takes that single night for them to fall madly in love, no matter how innocent or friendly they are!"

The other girls could only sigh exasperatedly.

"And she tells me not to parrot stuff from magazines," sighed Chibiusa.

Later that evening, Harusuke sat outside his arranged room, listening to the nighttime outside. Everything was quiet and peaceful, but as he sat there, he couldn't help but start thinking about his dark transformation, which made him start worrying again.

Then, he felt a few taps on his shoulder, causing him to look up. It was Grandpa Hino.

"Is something the matter, Harusuke?" he asked. "You seem unduly troubled, my boy."

"Oh, it's nothing, Gramps," replied Harusuke. "I was just - thinking about stuff."

Grandpa Hino then sat down next to him. "Come on now. I may be an old man, and I may not understand what you teenagers are up to these days, but if you want to talk or need advice, I'm a good listener."

Harusuke looked across to Grandpa Hino, contemplating. Then, after taking a deep breath, he started talking.

"All right, Gramps. Here's the thing. Have you ever thought there was a side of you that you didn't expect?" Harusuke asked. "A side of you that made you a different person?"

Grandpa Hino kept silent.

"I'm sorry. I know it's a weird question to ask, but recently, I did something that I didn't expect to do, and it's got me worried like there's something wrong with me."

Silence fell again. Until, at last, while glancing up at the night sky, Grandpa Hino spoke.

"Say, Harusuke. Do you remember back when I came up with Protect Aestethticstics?"

Harusuke looked across the elderly male.

"I'll be honest, I came up with such a silly thing because I wanted to gawk and flirt with women while having some fun," Grandpa Hino continued softly. "But because of being blinded by pretty women along with my instincts as a man, I acted rashly and made everyone angry with me, and things only got worse when I found out the woman's true nature as a monster. I truly thought I was a goner, but Rei came and saved me even after everything that had happened. That was when I realized the true error of my ways. Since then, I've been more respectful to women."

"Gramps."

Harusuke stared at Grandpa Hino in amazement as he smiled at him.

"We all have our inner demons within ourselves, Harusuke. It's what makes us human. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's also important that you don't let them consume you or make you do something you regret. But I wouldn't be too worried about it. No matter what happens, you'll always be you; a strong and kind boy. And even if you succumb to that side, you've got friends and family who love you very much and will support you and help set you on the right path. Just like Rei did for me."

Harusuke then smiled. "You know, Gramps. You surprise me. I never thought that you'd ever give me such sound advice. Thank you."

Grandpa Hino chuckled. "Anytime, my boy. Now, why don't you go ahead and take a bath? It'll help you ease your worries."

"I think I will."

Harusuke then stood up and walked down the hall to take his bath.

Rei was walking down the hall carrying a bucket, a towel, and some bath supplies. She also had something on her mind, particularly what her grandfather had said.

"Honestly, I wish he wasn't in such a hurry to marry me off," Rei sighed. "I mean, come on. I'm still young and have a lot to experience. Like a career, living life to the fullest, and finding love. But, then again, maybe having a future with Harusuke wouldn't be so bad."

She then felt her cheeks grow hot.

"Wait, what am I saying?! I don't see Harusuke that way!" she scolded herself. "I mean, he's a loyal comrade and one of my best friends. And besides, even if I did, I'd have to get past Usagi first. She would never let me hear the end of it if I did."

She soon entered the bathroom, about to enter the tub, when it happened.

When Rei opened the door, she found Harusuke standing there in full view in nothing but his birthday suit. Immediately as they made eye contact, Rei and Harusuke screamed, their faces going completely red.

Harusuke quickly grabbed his towel and jumped into the tub with a mighty splash while Rei dashed out of the bathroom, dropping her things and covering her face in her hands.

Yuichiro then came running down the hall. "Hey, Rei! What's wrong?! Are you OK?!"

Rei didn't answer. Then, Yuichiro looked towards the tub to see Harusuke pop his head out of the water.

The male still felt confused about what was going on, but Rei finally uncovered her eyes, and when she saw Yuichiro, she gave him a hard shove, knocking him down to the floor.

"H-Hey, Rei! What did I do?!" exclaimed Yuichiro.

"You idiot! Why didn't you tell me that Harusuke was using the bath?!" Rei snapped flusteredly. "You should have told me when we passed in the hall earlier!"

And before Yuichiro could even speak, Rei ran off down the hall.

Then, based on Rei's reaction, Yuichiro put two and two together and shot Harusuke a jealous glare.

"You enjoying your bath, Harusuke?" he asked hotly.

Harusuke didn't answer as he sank sheepishly into the water up his nose, making bubbles.

Rei didn't stop running until she entered her room and slammed the door shut.

"Geez! They're all so stupid! All of them!" she cried out. "I can't believe how stupid they all are!"

"And just who are you calling stupid?" asked a familiar voice.

Rei jumped a little as she looked around. "Wh-who's there?!" she asked.

Then from underneath the table, Usagi crawled out, wearing a strange red ninja outfit with a sword on her back. And she wasn't alone. The other girls were there, too, wearing the same ninja outfits.

Minako rolled out from under the bed, Makoto came out from behind a dresser, and Ami stepped out from the closet.

Rei was surprised. "Usagi?! Girls?! Wh-what in the heck are all of you doing here this hour of the night?!" she cried. "And why are you wearing those outfits?!"

"Time doesn't matter for the ninjas of the Tsukino Alliance!" replied Usagi in a mysterious accent.

"Speak for yourself!" huffed Minako. "You weren't the one who was stuck hiding under the bed for four hours! Do you have any idea how hot it is under there?!

"Guys, we shouldn't even be here," Ami scolded. "Spying on them like this doesn't feel right, and we should leave them alone."

"Oh, yeah, Ami?" Makoto spoke slyly. "Then, why did you decide to come with us, and for that matter, why are you still hanging around?"

The bluenette's face went pink unable to respond.

"Enough! Focus, girls!" snapped Usagi. "Now, Rei, be a good girl and tell us where Harusuke went."

Rei walked over to her bed, sitting down while undoing her hair. "He's taking a bath right now, if you must know," she replied with a huff. "You're free to go see him if you want."

"Wh-Whoa. Watch the phrasing there," squeaked Minako.

Then, Usagi saw Rei was acting strange. She was not making eye contact with her or the girls, her cheeks were still flushed pink, and she was playing with the ribbon in her hair even after she undid it. It was then that she had an idea about the reason. "Hey, wait a minute. You didn't peek, did you?" she asked suspiciously.

Rei's entire face quickly went from pink to red enough to almost explode with embarrassment.

Usagi and the girls gasped in shock, their faces flushing as well.

"Whoa! Her face turned red as a cherry!" squeaked Ami. "Does that mean..."

"No way. Rei, you didn't," Makoto murmured with wide eyes. "Don't tell me... That you actually..."

"You saw, didn't you?!" growled Usagi while trembling. "Admit it!"

Knowing that she couldn't hide the truth anymore, Rei burst out. "I didn't do it on purpose! It was an accident! Yuichiro didn't tell me he was in there; it just happened! It was just a glance! Besides, it was Yuichiro's fault for not telling me he was in there!"

Ami, Minako, and Makoto's faces were bright red, too, and Usagi was livid as she lunged for the girl and started shaking her by the shoulders wildly.

"HOW COULD YOU, REI?!" the blonde ordango roared.

"I TOLD YOU IT WAS YUICHIRO'S FAULT!" Rei shrieked back.

"BUT YOU WERE THE ONE WHO LOOKED!"

"I COULDN'T LOOK AWAY!

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES?!"

Makoto and Minako also jumped in with questions.

"How much did you see?!" demanded Makoto. "And did you see everything?!"

"Did you see from the back or behind?!" interrogated Minako. "And was he rocking a six pack?!"

"Just what kind of questions are you two asking?!" cried Ami.

"WOULD ALL OF YOU JUST GO HOME ALREADY?!" Rei shouted out. "YOU'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY!"

Meanwhile, Harusuke was still in the tub processing what had just happened, his face still flushed from embarrassment.

"Did that seriously just happen?! Did that truly happen just now?!" he mentally screamed. "I've seen situations like that happen on TV and mostly to girls, but how in the heck did it end up happening to me?!"

He made more bubbles in the water.

"Did she see? I mean, did she see everything?! Wait! There was a lot of steam, so there's no way she could have, right?! I mean, it was hard to see even if someone could see. So yeah, she saw nothing! She had to have seen nothing and was embarrassed because she saw me!"

Harusuke then submerged himself into the water, trying to calm himself down. But when he did, the water suddenly grew hotter, making him quickly come back up. Also, steam billowed everyone, making the air grow hotter and causing him to sweat. He then opened the window and saw Yuichiro stoking the fire.

"So... I take it you're stoking the fire for the bath, right, Yuichiro?" Harusuke spoke. "Sorry for making you do this for me."

Yuichiro looked up at smiled. "Don't worry about it," he replied. "This is an old and venerable shrine, so the bath is also retro."

"I see," gasped Harusuke while wiping his brow. "I'll say this much; it sure gets hot pretty quick. It's almost like a sauna in here. But it's getting a bit too hot, so could you ease up on the fire a bit, please?"

Harusuke then shut the window and tried to sit back into the tub, but suddenly the water grew to a scalding temperature, which was too hot for the boy to handle.

"HOT!" Harusuke shouted as he shot out of the water like a rocket.

At the Tsukino's house, Chibiusa was getting ready for bed and was heading up to her room. As she walked down the hall, she happened to walk past Usagi's room which, of course, was empty. Then, she went to her room, took out her communicator, and made a call. After a few seconds, Mamoru's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey there, Chibiusa. What's up?" asked Mamoru.

"Sorry to bother you, Mamo, but I need to ask you something," said Chibiusa. "Why is Usagi so overprotective with Harusuke? I get that she's just looking out for him because of what Zoisite did back then, but I think she cares a bit too much."

Mamoru hummed thoughtfully. "Well, you know that Usako cares, loves, and looks up to Harusuke very much," he said. "After all, he's her big brother. So, it's only natural for siblings to want to protect one another. And Usako wants to protect Harusuke too. Especially after Zoisite's betrayal. I wasn't there myself, but Usako told me that when it happened, she was devastated to see him so heartbroken and never wanted him to see him that way again. So, it's safe to assume that Usagi doesn't trust any girl with Harusuke. Not even the other girls."

"I guess that's understandable, but she doesn't need to worry about him so much," said Chibiusa. "Besides, if it were me, I'd believe he can let go of what happened in the past and give him a chance to love again."

Mamoru chuckled. "I feel the same way, Chibiusa. No matter what we think or how much we want him to, it's up to Harusuke if he wants to open his heart again. If only Usako knew that. Now, you'd better get some sleep. I don't want you staying up too late."

"All then. Good night, Mamo," said Chibiusa. "I'll see you later."

The pink ordango then turned off her communicator and went to sleep.

The next morning, Harusuke felt exhausted as he got out of bed.

"Good grief. I didn't sleep a wink," the boy sighed while yawning. "No thanks to Yuichiro; I almost got heat exhaustion along with second-degree burns. The lousy jerk did it on purpose, all because of an accident!"

But despite feeling a bit annoyed, Harusuke couldn't help but feel a little bad.

"Then again, I can't blame him for being jealous and acting as he did. Maybe I should try and apologize."

Harusuke wasn't the only one who was a bit tired. Rei was, too, as she stepped out outside.

"Geez. I hardly slept the other night," she complained as she stretched.

"That's because you haven't done enough training, Rei," said a voice from above.

Rei looked up, and much to her annoyance, she saw Usagi standing on a tree branch, struggling not to fall.

"My squad and I may have left quietly last night, but today, I've come to make sure you don't try any funny business with my brother!" Usagi proclaimed.

"Usagi, you're being ridiculous!" Rei snapped crossly. "Why on earth would you think that I would have any interest in your brother?!"

"That's what girls always say! It's the oldest excuse in the book!" countered Usagi. "You say you're not interested, but inside you're head over heels for Harusuke, and you can't stop thinking about him! Especially after what you saw the other night! Admit it!"

Rei's face went pink. "Would you knock it off and get out of here?!" she snapped.

At that moment, Harusuke came walking down the hall. "Hey, Rei. What's going on over there? Are you yelling at Yuichiro again?"

Usagi then decided to retreat. "Curses! I'll leave for now, but after I eat breakfast, I shall return! Farewell!"

And while having trouble keeping herself steady at first, the ordango blonde ninja jumped off the branch and disappeared into the bushes just as Harusuke appeared next to Rei.

"What the-. Was that Usagi wearing a ninja outfit?" he wondered.

"Yes, it was!" growled Rei. "I swear, she can be so annoying sometimes!"

Then Rei told Harusuke about what had happened the other night.

"Good grief," sighed Harusuke while pinching his nose. "So, now the rest of the girls know? I can tell this will be a pain in the butt to explain." He then bowed politely. "Please forgive my sister," he apologized. "For some reason, she's being a bit more overprotective than usual."

"Don't apologize for your sister, Harusuke. It's her fault for acting so crazy," said Rei. "I'm sorry about the other night. It was supposed to be a night to help you relax, and then that had to happen. I'm the one who should be saying sorry."

"I-It's no big deal," Harusuke said a bit shyly. "It was an accident, and it could've happened to anyone. Besides, I did the same thing to you way back when, so I guess we're pretty much even."

Rei was puzzled. "Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"Don't you remember? Back when your grandpa turned into a monster and when Yuichiro first came here," explained Harusuke. "We kinda walked in on you in a similar fashion."

"O-Oh. I almost forgot about that," Rei sighed. "That was pretty embarrassing." Then, she shot Harusuke a glare. "Wait, you didn't see anything back then, did you?!"

Harusuke instinctively glanced away. "W-Well, not really. I couldn't see well because of the steam. Plus, your hair covered you up mostly. D-Did you the other night?"

Rei also looked away. "I-I didn't see anything either because of the steam!" she squeaked. "It was... too steamy."

There was an awkward and tense pause.

Then, Rei started off heading to the front of the shrine. "I-I'm going to start my morning chores," she stuttered.

"Do you need any help?" wondered Harusuke.

"N-no! I can do them!" squeaked Rei. "Just - go back to relaxing and stuff!"

"S-Sure. I'll leave you to it then,"

And Rei continued on her way, her movements appearing robotic while Harusuke watched her go.

Meanwhile, Tiger's Eye was making his way through town wearing a new disguise. He had his hair colored black and wore a traditional Japanese yukata with wooden sandals. As he walked along, he happened to walk past a couple of men that were trying to pick up some girls that were walking past, only for them to turn their heads away and huff.

"How pathetic," Tiger's Eye scoffed while flipping his hair. "Sometimes, I wonder what this world is coming to."

In front of the shrine, Rei was sweeping up the leaves, trying to keep herself focused, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Particularly after what Usagi said.

"Geez, what the heck's the matter with her?" she complained. "It was just an accident, and there's no way I like Harusuke. At least, not in that sense. I don't think."

She then inadvertently started thinking about all her past interactions with Harusuke, the good times and the bad. She even remembered the other night, only this time, she started picturing him looking in her direction, sparkles surrounding his body, his eyes twinkling, and his hair glistening from the steam.

Rei's face went scarlet as she let out a scream of embarrassment while ruffling her hair.

"Why the heck am I imagining him like that?!" she shrieked. "Usagi's crazy talk is corrupting my head! I need to get my mind off of this right now!"

She then quickly went over to the bell in front, clapped her hands, and shut her eyes in prayer. While she prayed, Tiger's Eye came up to the top of the stairs and saw her.

"Target acquired," he smirked in his thoughts as he admired her. "She doesn't look too shabby. A lovely, pure, beautiful girl like her must have wonderful dreams. It'd be a pity to attack her out of the blue, so I think I'll try to win her heart first."

He then silently walked up to her and was just about to tap her shoulder when Rei's eyes suddenly snapped open and, while grabbing her broom, threw it into the bushes like a weapon, startling Tiger's Eye so much that he fell flat on his bottom. As the broom's handle pierced the bushes, a scared cat scrambled away in fright.

"Darn it! I thought it was Usagi!" she cursed. Then she noticed Tiger's Eye. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there."

She then walked past him and started searching in the bushes. While shaking off his startlement, Tiger's Eye pulled himself up and tried flirting with Rei again.

"You know, you're very beautiful," he spoke with suave. "Your mysterious eyes left me so smitten that my legs gave way."

But Rei took no notice as she swatted around with her broom. "Usagi, where are you?!" she snarled. "I know you're around here somewhere! You can't hide from me forever!"

Tiger's Eye was insulted. "Is she ignoring me?! Me, of all people?! I'll teach her to ignore me!"

He quickly summoned his whip, and with a quick flip of his wrist, he used it to snatch Rei's broom out of her hands. Then, as Rei looked back, Tiger's Eye discarded his disguise, much to her shock.

"It's Tiger's Eye!"

She was about to try and run away and transform, but it was already too late as Tiger's Eye snapped his fingers.

"One..."

A slab sprang up from behind Rei, pressing against her back.

"Two..."

Metal clamps clasped around her wrists and her ankles.

"And three...!"

Rei screamed as her dream mirror sprang out from her chest. Having captured his prey, Tiger's Eye approached her.

"Now, let's look at your beautiful dream and see what's in there."

He then stuck his head inside the mirror, causing Rei to scream even more as she writhed in agony.

Harusuke quickly came running, heard the commotion, and saw what was happening. He immediately exposed his bracelet and jumped into action.

"SOLAR CRYSTAL POWER, SHINE ON!"

Transformation Sequence: Harusuke (Post Crystal)

Harusuke's hand waves over the Sunstone Crystal and begins to pulse with light until it shines brightly. Harusuke, now shrouded in light, holds his hand with the Sunstone Crystal up high, throws his fist to the floor, and his symbol appears beneath him. Light encases his legs up to his hips, and his boots, belt, and additional armor on his thighs materialize in a burst of light. Then his right encompasses his right arm from hand to shoulder, and his gloves, along with some armor, appear, and the same happens to his left hand. Harusuke then punches his fists together, creating a spark of light, and crosses his arms as his chest gets wrapped in light. Harusuke then throws his arms out, and his chest plate appears, the symbol in the middle glowing brightly. Finally, his helmet appears on his head, covering up his entire head, leaving his face exposed. Harusuke opens his eyes smiling with confidence, his transformation now complete, and assumes his signature pose, with the Sun appearing in the background while his symbol overlaps it.

After a few seconds of rummaging through Rei's dream mirror, Tiger's Eye pulled his head out while Rei fell unconscious.

"Darn it! It's a wonderful dream about the future, but no Pegasus!" he huffed. "I can't have you become a host of Pegasus later, so you'll have to disappear!"

"The only one who has to disappear is you!" roared a voice.

Tiger's Eye looked back to see Solaris shoot out of the bushes and slugged him with a punch. Tiger's Eye elegantly jumped out of the way while flipping and landing on the ground.

"Well, well. If it isn't my usual pain in my neck," said Tiger's Eye. "As usual, your persistence is quite annoying, like a gnat that doesn't know when to shoo." He then smirked. "But I think I'll have some fun with you."

Solaris glared as he bravely stood before Rei to protect her while Tiger's Eye cracked his whip, his shadow extending to a tree.

"Come forth, my Lemures, Mizugeiko the Water Geisha!"

An umbrella shot from his shadow and into the air, opening up on its own. Then, as it flipped over upside down, the Lemures was revealed.

She was feminine, wearing traditional Japanese clothes that you'd see lords wear, purple on the outside and green on the inside. Her skin was ghostly white, her black hair in a geisha cut with a gold crown on top, a long tail in the back, and a pair of fans in each of her hands.

"Oh, great. Another circus ripoff," Solaris huffed.

"Just brilliant," smiled Tiger's Eye. "Now, how about you help him cool down with your water, Mizugeiko?"

Mizugeiko flipped her fans to their points as they started squirting water. Then, while riding her umbrella, she shot straight toward Solaris, forcing him to jump to the side to dodge. But as he did, some of her water got onto his armor, and upon contact, his armor began to erode as it started to spread.

"What the heck?!" he exclaimed. "What kind of water is this?! Or is this stuff even water at all?!"

Mizugeisho let out an ay-yah and flipped her fans again, opening them and releasing several spouts of water from them as Solaris braced himself to avoid them.

Meanwhile, outside the Hikawa Shrine, Usagi and the other girls were coming up the stairs. Most of the other girls wore their normal attire, but Usagi was still wearing her ninja costume, intent on playing the role of protector. So much so that she started climbing up the stone wall, trying to be sneaky.

"Come on, Usagi! Knock it off already!" sighed Chibiusa.

"You're going to hurt yourself if you climb up that way!" added Makoto.

"No way!" Usagi spoke with gritted teeth as she continued to climb. "I have to protect my brother from Rei's evil hands!"

"She seems to be the evil one here," muttered Minako.

"I'm amazed that she's climbing up there without her powers," said Ami. "It's almost pretty impressive."

The girls reached the top of the stairs and came to the edge just as Usagi managed to make it herself. She was exhausted, but Makoto and Chibiusa helped her up.

"You know, Usagi. You really shouldn't be so overprotective with Harusuke," said Chibiusa. "If you care about him, you should at least let him decide whether or not to fall in love again. After all, it's up to him whether or not he's ready to open his heart to a girl."

Usagi and the others looked at the pink ordango girl, taken aback by her words.

"Wow, Chibiusa. That's pretty good advice," said Makoto.

"Once again, you're too mature beyond your age," smiled Minako.

"Where did you learn a line like that?" wondered Usagi. "Did you get it out of a book or something?"

Then, the girls heard a loud and familiar scream of a male in agony that came deeper inside the grounds.

Sensing there was trouble, they all rushed over to see what was happening.

Solaris's armor was littered with corrosion spots that continued to spread throughout his armor as he continued evading while Mizugeiko kept shooting water at him.

Tiger's Eye watched in amusement. "What's the matter, Solaris? Aren't you going to use your sword or even change colors?" he mocked.

"Oh, shut up!" snapped Solaris. "Don't you ever get tired of flapping your gums?!"

"You know, I heard from Hawk's Eye that you gave him quite a scare, but you're still the same weakling as always," Tiger's Eye continued. "Honestly, I'm not sure why he was so worried. I don't even need to step into this fight. It just goes to show how pathetic you are."

Solaris glared as he dashed toward Tiger's Eye direction, only for Mizugeiko to block his way and, in a split second, got off her umbrella and gave him a mighty whack. The blow sent Solaris flying until he slammed back first into a tree, making some leaves fall from the impact.

Tiger's Eye continued to laugh. "How pathetic. And here I was hoping you'd put up more of a fight," he continued to taunt. "Mizugeiko, why don't you finish him off while I destroy this girl's dream mirror?"

Mizugeiko let out another ay-yah as she prepared to fire her water again, but then the atmosphere in the area grew heavy, and Tiger's Eye felt a chill go through his body as dread coursed through his bloodstream. At the same time, like Hawk's Eye before, visions of himself lying on the ground, dead, while Solaris stood over him, flashed through his mind like photographs.

"Wh-What is this?!" Tiger's Eye thought as he started to break into a cold sweat. "This overwhelming feeling of bloodlust?!"

He then looked in Solaris's direction and saw something that made him cringe. An ominous dark aura shrouded the guardian's body as he managed to stand on a knee with a pair of red eyes right behind him, glaring straight at him. And as Solaris slowly looked up, his eyes were again glowing in bright yellow.

Tiger's Eye felt as if his body was frozen, and Mizugeiko was frightened too.

Solaris slowly got to his feet, his eyes never leaving his enemies. But, just as he was about to transform...

"Hold it right there!"

A voice shouted, snapping Tiger's Eye and Mizugeiko out of their states, and another voice followed afterward.

"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!"

A powerful blast of water shot out and doused Solaris completely, immediately snapping him out of his anger-fueled daze, the malicious intent vanishing in seconds.

Then, Super Sailor Moon, along with the other guardians, appeared in the clearing.

"How dare you attack an innocent maiden looking forward to finding her true love?!" scolded Sailor Chibi Moon. "You're nothing but an evil fashion disaster of a bully who ruins people's bright futures filled with hopes and dreams!"

"Seriously, where are you getting this stuff?" Super Sailor Moon spoke in amazement. She then refocused on the enemy. "We're the Guardians who fight for love and justice! In the name of the Moon...!"

"We'll punish you!" all of the guardians shouted.

Tiger's Eye then summoned his wormhole and shouted at his Lemures. "Mizugeiko! I'll leave things up to you! Wash them away with your water powers!"

He briefly looked at Solaris and jumped, disappearing into the wormhole. Mizugeiko then twirled her umbrella and aimed it at the guardians.

"The Little Rainmakers Rainbow Bridge!" she called out. "My ultimate special trick!"

A spout of water erupted from the umbrella's tip, which then changed into a rainbow with numerous demonic Teru Teru Charms. The Guardians quickly scattered, avoiding the charms.

Sailor Venus then used one of her moves, summoning a chain of hearts.

"VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN!"

With a finger wave, she fired the chain at Mizugeiko, knocking her fans away, which she put in her person.

Sailor Jupiter attacked next, spinning while conjuring a sphere of blue lightning.

"JUPITER COCONUT CYCLONE!"

After stopping, she launched her move by punching it with her fist, but Mizugeiko quickly opened up her umbrella to shield herself. As the blast connected, it managed to protect her, but the Coconut Cyclone reduced it to a smoldering stick.

Now furious, strange red lines appeared on Mizugeiko's face as she took a stance, giving her the appearance of a Japanese Kabuki, and charged. But as she did, Solaris managed to recover enough to see the Lemures and quickly held up his hand.

"SOLAR BINDING!"

He fired a blast of light that wrapped around tightly around Mizugeiko, managing to stop her if only for a few seconds. Then, seizing their chance, Super Sailors Moon and Chibi Moon summoned their Moon Kaleidoscopes and promptly attacked together.

"MOON GORGEOUS MEDITATION!"

The two super guardians unleashed powerful streams of rainbow shards, and as Mizugeisho broke free from the Solar Binding, the attacks struck, blasting her right in the middle.

"STAGE OUT!"

With one more cry, Mizugeiko exploded into shards and became a shadow that eventually faded away with a puff of smoke. Rei was also set free as the slab disappeared, and Super Sailor Moon caught her in her arms as she fell.

"Rei, are you all right?" the ordango guardian asked worriedly.

Rei opened her eyes and smiled when she saw her friend. "I'm fine. Thank you, Sailor Moon."

The others also checked on Solaris.

"Solaris, you doing OK?" asked Sailor Venus. "You almost transformed there."

"And sorry for attacking you," said Sailor Mercury. "It was the only thing I can think of to snap you out of it."

"It's all right. It was necessary," said Solaris. "Thank you, Sailor Mercury."

As the group took a chance to recollect themselves, they didn't notice the shadow watching from behind a tree.

"So, it's already started happening, huh?" they murmured. "That's not good."

The shadow then turned on its heel and disappeared into the darkness.

A bit later in the evening, Harusuke sat outside, staring at the evening sky and enjoying the quiet. Then, Rei came up, sitting next to him with a tray of cookies and some tea.

"Here you go, Harusuke. I bought a snack for you."

"Oh, thank you, Rei," said Harusuke as he took a cup of tea, giving it a sip. "Wow, this is good tea."

"I'm glad you like it," smiled Rei. "So, how are you feeling now? You still feeling worried?"

Harusuke frowned a bit. "Well, to be honest, I am, given that I almost transformed again." He munched on a cookie a bit. "But despite that happening, I'm feeling better now."

Rei took her cup and had some tea as well. "Well, that's good. Hopefully, you'll be able to rest a bit easier without Usagi the ninja around."

"Yeah. But, despite being overprotective and putting on that whole act, it makes me happy that my sister cares about me that much," Harsuke went on as he smiled at Rei. "I know I still need to figure this out, but I think I'll be OK. Because I got you guys watching my back, and since I'm the guardian of the Sun, you better believe I'll do the same for you guys. No matter what happens."

Rei's cheeks started to heat up again at that moment while her heart skipped a beat in her chest, which alone confused her.

"Hold on, what's this feeling right now?" she wondered in her thoughts. "Why do I feel like that smile is so cute?"

"Hey, Rei? Are you OK? Your face is red," pointed out Harusuke. "Don't tell me you're still feeling embarrassed for walking in on me. Granted, I'm still a bit embarrassed, but I'm over it now."

"N-No! Of course not!" Rei squeaked shrilly. "I'm fine, too! Just... just ignore me, right now, OK?!"

Then, Grandpa Hino walked up. "Say, Harusuke. You've got something in the mail." He then handed the boy a white envelope.

Harusuke took the envelope and opened it up, and read it. When he finished reading, he couldn't help but let out a noise of confusion.

"What's wrong, Harusuke?" wondered Rei. "What does it say?"

Harusuke then showed her the letter, which read:

PLEASE HAVE YOU AND THE OTHERS MEET ME AT FRUITS PARLOR CROWN.

WE NEED TO HAVE A TALK.

Rei was surprised. "Well, that's an ominous message," she said. "I wonder who could have sent this."

Harusuke couldn't answer.