Harusuke's Pure Heart Crystal was glowing as bright as a star as everyone stared at it in bewilderment and shock. Even Michiru couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"This intense light!" Michiru thought. "It's just like that time with Usagi back then! Only this time, Harusuke's Pure Heart Crystal is a different color! And I can sense something inside of it! Does this mean that Harusuke's Pure Heart contains a talisman?!"

Eudial snapped out of her shock and pounced straight towards the crystal. "That talisman is mine!" she shrieked as she reached for it.

"No! Stay away from that crystal!" yelled Sailor Moon as she took off her tiara, turning it into a white disc of energy. "MOON TIARA ACTION!"

The white disc zipped straight towards Eudial cutting her off, forcing her to avoid it. The other guardians rushed in, trying to back up their comrade, but Okurio prevented them by swinging her massive hammer, almost flattening them like pancakes.

Eudial clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Get out of my way, Girl!" she ordered Sailor Moon. "You're not going to stop me from getting that Pure Heart Crystal!"

"That's not going to happen!" Sailor Moon objected. "That Pure Heart Crystal is going back into its rightful owner!"

"We'll see about that!" Eudial smirked. "Okurio! Make sure you keep those other girls busy. I can handle this one."

Eudial went on the attack, unleashing a torrent of flames from her hand at Sailor Moon, forcing the guardian of the moon to dodge by jumping out of the way. Sailor Moon desperately tried to reach Harusuke and Michiru, wanting nothing more than to save her brother, but Eudial wouldn't give her a chance as she continued to attack her with flames.

As Eudial and her droid fought the Sailor Guardians, Michiru was now holding Harusuke in her arms, his pure heart crystal still hovering just above them. It was the perfect opportunity for her to check if Harusuke's Pure Heart did indeed have a talisman. But for some reason, she was indecisive on whether or not to do it, especially since Sailor Moon and the others were within eyeshot. To make things worse, Harusuke grew paler as he struggled to breathe.

"If Harusuke does have a talisman, I have to take it before Eudial or Sailor Moon do," Michiru thought. "But if I do, and if it does contain a talisman, Harusuke will die." She then shook her head, swallowing her emotions. "No. I have to do this. To obtain the holy grail and stop the silence, I must ensure that Harusuke's Pure Heart has a talisman. If it does, then I have to take it, no matter what the cost."

Michiru began to reach out towards the gold Pure Heart crystal. At that moment, Eudial saw Michiru and fired another blast of fire at Sailor Moon, her stream of fire blasting the guardian away for a few feet and knocking her to the ground.

"Sailor Moon!" the other guardians cried.

Eudial then teleported, appearing in front of Michiru and Harusuke. "If you know what's good for you, human, you'll back away right now," she threatened. "Hand over the crystal, or you'll regret it."

But Michiru bravely shielded Harusuke and the crystal, determined to protect both of them. Eudial, in response, raised her hand, getting ready to incinerate the girl for disobeying her, but then, a rose came shooting down from above, knicking the woman on her wrist.

"Who did that?!" demanded Eudial as she retracted her hand.

An answer came above the treetops, a shadow of a person whose cape was flapping in the wind.

"The amusement park is a place where people come to enjoy themselves for fun. However, you have disturbed and ruined that by disturbing the peace along with your Daimon! Begone, evildoer, and leave that Pure Heart Crystal be!"

Sailor Moon recognized that voice along with the other Guardians. It was Tuxedo Mask. The masked caped crusader leaped into the air from his tree and threw an array of roses, but Eudial counterattacked, using her flames to burn them up. Seeing that Eudial was distracted, Sailor Moon recovered and quickly charged straight at Eudial, giving her a mighty tackle, knocking Eudial to the ground. She then promptly turned to Harusuke and Michiru.

"Are you two OK?" Sailor Moon asked.

Michiru knew that she missed her chance to check his pure heart, but she didn't show it. "I'm OK, but please help Harusuke," she begged. "Whatever she did to him, he's not looking too good."

"Don't worry. I know what to do," said Sailor Moon. "Just leave it to me."

Sailor Moon reached out and grabbed the Pure Heart and then gently placed it in the center of Harusuke's chest.

"No!" Eudial cried. "Okurio! Stop her!"

Okurio looked towards them and jumped into the air twirling her mighty hammer, preparing to swing it. But as she did, Sailor Venus quickly took action.

"VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN!"

She made a heart-linked chain made of energy shoot out and wrap around the Daimon's body, pinning her arms at their sides. Sailor Jupiter then followed up next.

"JUPITER SUPREME THUNDER!"

A powerful blast of thunder erupted from her as it made contact with the Daimon, shocking her entire body with incredible damage. The Daimon, now numb with electricity, fell to the ground, twitching and sparking with a thud. As that happened, Harusuke's Pure Heart melted back into his chest, his skin regaining its color and his breathing growing calmer. Sailor Moon then faced the Daimon on the ground, taking out her Spiral Heart Moon Rod, and used her finishing move.

"MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!"

A powerful blast of hearts erupted from her rod just as Okurio got up. She was immediately blasted by Sailor Moon's attack, destroying her in seconds, reverting her to the gift shop building. The Daimon Egg separated itself from it and crumbled into pieces in a puff of smoke.

"Damn it all!" cursed Eudial. "They took out Okurio!"

"Give it up, Eudial! Your Daimon's gone, and more of us than you!" said Sailor Mercury. "Leave now, and you won't get hurt!"

Eudial seethed in anger as Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, and the other Guardians stood against her. "Fine then. Consider this a draw, Sailor Guardians," she said. "But remember this, that boy's pure heart will be mine as well as whatever it has contained within it. When you least expect it, it will belong to the Death Busters! Count on it!"

And with that, Eudial teleported away.

After a while, Harusuke regained consciousness, finding himself lying on Mihciru's lap.

"Welcome back, Harusuke," smiled Michiru. "Are you OK?"

Harusuke sat up in surprise, suddenly remembering. "What happened?! Where am I?! Where's the-!"

"Don't worry. Everything's all right now," said Michiru. "You were knocked unconscious by that woman who attacked us. But Sailor Moon and the guardians saved us."

"So Usagi and the others took care of it along with Eudial," Harusuke thought. "That's a relief."

"Say, Michiru? What happened to me when I got knocked out?" Harusuke asked. "I remember running away, and then that woman was trying to shoot you."

"Yes, but you saved my life," Michiru spoke gratefully. "You risked your life to protect mine, and for that, I'm truly grateful. Thank you."

"Well, it's honestly no big deal," said Harusuke humbly. "My body just acted out on its own, that's all. Besides, Sailor Moon and the Guardians were the ones that did the saving. So I'm just glad you're OK."

After a while, Michiru gave Harusuke a ride home in her limo and soon arrived at the Tsukino Household. Harusuke thanked Michiru for the ride and said goodbye, and the limo drove away. Harusuke then entered the house.

"I'm home!" Harusuke called out.

Ikuko was in the kitchen making dinner. "Welcome back, Harusuke," she greeted. "How was your day?"

"It was great, Mom," replied Harusuke. He then took notice that a certain ordango blonde wasn't anywhere around. "Say, have you seen Usagi anywhere?"

"I think she's up in her room along with her friends," said Ikuko.

Harusuke then went up the stairs and went over to Usagi's door. After knocking a couple of times, he entered, only to find Usagi, the girls, and Artemis and Luna, waiting for him. When he entered, Usagi immediately dashed over to Harusuke.

"Harusuke!" Usagi cried as she hugged him. "I was so worried about you!"

Harusuke was surprised, but he returned the hug in earnest. "Whoa, easy with the hug attack, Sis," he said. "I'm OK, thanks to you and the girls saving Michiru and me."

The other girls and the cats remained silent, all of which were staring at Harusuke.

"Is... something the matter, guys?" asked Harusuke. "You all look so serious. Did something happen while I was knocked unconscious?"

Luna then spoke. "You could say that it has, Harusuke," the black cat said grimly. "We may have a problem, and it has to do with you and your pure heart crystal."

Michiru was now walking towards the apartment where she and Haruka lived. But as she came up to the door, she found Haruka waiting for her, leaning against the wall. When she saw Michiru, Haruka let out a sigh of relief as she walked over to her.

"Glad to see you're OK," spoke Haruka. "What happened over there?"

Michiru looked up at Haruka with a solemn frown. "It's as we feared Haruka," said Michiru. "Eudial just might have found a person with a pure heart containing a talisman. And I'm afraid it's Harusuke."

Haruka's eyes widened. "Is he still alive? Did Eudial..."

"No. Sailor Moon and the other Guardians were able to drive Eudial off and put his crystal back inside him," said Michiru. "I didn't get a good look at it, but even I could see that his pure heart crystal was different than the others. It not only possessed a strong light, but it also was a different color. I would have transformed given a chance, but I couldn't expose myself to Eudial or Sailor Moon. I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologize. I would have done the same thing," said Haruka. "But this does pose a problem. If Harusuke does have a talisman inside of him, we have to make sure that we get our hands on it before Eudial or Sailor Moon do."

Michiru couldn't help but frown as she squeezed her hands fretfully.

"Is something wrong?" asked Haruka. "If it's about Harusuke, I can understand if you're not-"

"There's nothing for you to be concerned about, Haruka," interrupted Michiru. "Besides, you and I both know that there's no room for emotion for what we're doing. The silence is almost upon us, and there's no time left to waste. We must find and gather the three talismans to stop the silence, no matter the cost, even if we have to kill those we hold dear. It's a pity that we have to take a heart as pure as that boy. Especially because he saved my life."

Haruka could only stay silent, but then she wrapped her arms around her in a hug to comfort her.

Meanwhile, back in the spacial room, Eudial was fuming as she paced around the lab, trying to develop a plan. As she did, the other members of the Witches 5 came over to see her.

"What's wrong with you, Eudial?" asked Cyprine. "You look like someone stole your favorite sweets, and you're plotting to get payback."

"I am!" Eudial snarled. "I'm trying to come up with a plan to get back at those lousy Guardians while Tomoe makes me another Daimon. And after I was so close to getting my hands on a talisman, too!"

"You mean you finally managed to find one, and you let it slip through your fingers?" asked the woman with green hair. "I don't know if I should call that appalling or just disappointing."

"Shut up, Tellu! You try being in my place!" snapped Eudial. "You're not the one that had those lousy Guardians constantly getting your way!"

"Now, now. Let's not get angry, Eudial," said the woman with white hair. "I'm sure that you're trying your best. Perhaps next time, one of us could come with you so that you could at least have a chance."

"No way, this is a matter of pride!" Eudial snapped. "I'm going to get that talisman and crush those Sailor Guardians!"

"There's no need to be so hasty, Eudial," warned the woman with blonde hair. "Magus Kaolinite even had trouble with them, so it would be wise not to underestimate them, no matter how impertinent they seem. If you plan to go at it alone, then you'd better come up with a plan."

"You don't think I know that, Mimete?" Eudial snarled. "I'm just so annoyed with how close I was to getting that pure heart crystal! It was glowing with a light I'd never seen before! It was even a different color! So that proves it has a talisman inside of it! And make no mistake, I'm not going to stop until I get my hands on it and stick it to those Sailor Guardians! And once I do, I'll hand-deliver it to Kaolinite, and she'll make me a Magus for sure!"

"Just make sure not to get too overconfident, Eudial," warned the blue-haired woman. "You know what they say: the bigger they talk, the harder they fall."

Eudial didn't say anything more as she continued fuming and planning her next move.

Harusuke was now sitting in his room, lying on his bed with the lights off, deep in thought. Not too long ago, Usagi and the others had told him what they had seen when it came to his pure heart crystal, and needless to say, he was a bit surprised.

"So let me get this straight," said Harusuke. "You're telling me that my pure heart crystal was different from the others?"

"That's right," said Rei. "When Eudial shot you making it emerge, it had a powerful aura."

"And it was in a different color as well," added Minako. "A gold color not like the other ones."

Harusuke couldn't help but instinctively touch his chest with his hand. "So, does that mean... that I have a talisman inside of me?" he asked tentatively.

"We don't know for sure," said Ami. "But given the circumstances, we have to keep you safe no matter what it takes. If Eudial makes good on her threat, and if you do have a talisman inside of you, she'll most likely come after you."

"Don't forget about Sailor Uranus and Neptune," pointed out Minako. "Once they find out, they'll come looking for Harusuke, too."

"I agree, which is why we need to have constant supervision of Harusuke," said Artemis. "There's no telling when he'll get targeted again."

"But, don't you think that it's a bit unnecessary?" asked Harusuke. "I can take care of myself, you know, and if Eudial wants to pick a fight with me, I'll just transform, and-"

"Harusuke!" Usagi burst out. "If you know what's good for you, you'll end that sentence right now!"

Everyone jumped as Usagi glared at Harusuke.

"You listen here. You can talk tough all you want, but there's no way we're going to leave you alone, understand?" Usagi continued firmly. "Eudial's going to stop at nothing to try and take your pure heart crystal, and if she does, you'll die, and there's no way none of us will let that happen! So, this is the part where you say, thank you for letting us protect you, got that, mister?"

Harusuke was taken aback, completely speechless.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Usagi's right," said Rei. "It's too dangerous to engage the enemy alone, Harusuke, especially since Eudial's seen you and could attack you at any moment."

"And if you recall, things didn't go well for you the last time you tried to do things on your own," pointed out Luna. "Or did you forget?"

Harusuke knew what Luna meant. He could well remember when he tried to take on the Four Kings of Heaven by himself, which didn't go well for him.

"Look, it's not like we're overprotective or anything," said Makoto. "We just can't take any chances."

"We told you that we would help you come what may, and we'll keep you safe, too," said Minako. "So, please don't try and play the hero again. Let us protect you."

"I know that the girls want to protect me, but I don't know if this whole buddy system is such a good idea," Harusuke thought. "I still can't believe that there's a possibility that a talisman is inside of me. It's almost frightening." He held his hand over his chest again, squeezing his hand into a fist. "And it won't be just Eudial who's going to be gunning for me. If Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune find out about this, then they'll stop at nothing to take my Pure Heart Crystal. And if there is a talisman inside of me, does that mean that I might..."

Harusuke shuddered at the thought as he felt his blood grow cold with fright. At that moment, there was a knock on the door, which made him jump. Then, he heard a familiar voice coming from the other side.

"Harusuke? Are you awake? If so, can I come in? It's me."

Knowing who the voice was, Harusuke sat up. "Come on in," he said.

The door opened, and Usagi entered, shutting the door behind her.

"What's up, Sis?" asked Usagi. "It's pretty late in the night, you know."

"I couldn't sleep," replied Usagi. "And from the looks of things, you can't either."

"Yeah. I guess I can't," said Harusuke as he looked down at the floor.

Usagi then sat on the bed next to her brother. "Are you feeling OK?" she asked.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," replied Harusuke quietly. "To be honest, I'm a bit scared right now. I mean, I have a strange magical item that everyone wants, and it's connected to my heart. And, if it gets taken from me, not only will I die, but whatever's inside me will end up in the wrong hands, and the whole world might be doomed."

"There's no need for you to worry, Harusuke," Usagi spoke gently. "Everything's going to be fine."

"But, Usagi, I don't see how it's going to be," said Harusuke. "I know I said that I'd let you and the girls help me whenever I needed it, but I still can't help but feel the need to keep you and the others a distance away, especially in this situation. I don't want to cause trouble for anyone, and yet it seems that I've been constantly nothing but trouble. I don't know what I should do."

Harusuke clutched his hands together as they began to tremble with fright and uncertainty as he stared down at the floor, trying to calm his nerves. At that moment, he felt the warm touch of Usagi's hand overlap his.

"Harusuke, everything's going to be fine," the ordango blonde said. "No one's going to take your pure heart crystal; the girls and I will make sure of that. We will protect you."

"I know, but I still hate to have you guys do this," said Harusuke. "I'm a guy, and I have to have a group of girls to protect me. I feel like this is making me a wimp or something."

Usagi smiled. "That's what we're supposed to do," she said. "After all, we're your friends and family, so you should accept our help. After all, you've always been the one protecting us when things got tough, so now it's our turn."

Harusuke looked across to Usagi, and seeing her smile with confidence, made him feel a lot less scared as a smile tugged at his cheeks.

"You know, it never ceases to amaze me how confident and upbeat you can be at times, Sis," Harusuke spoke. "But, I'm glad. You may drive me crazy at times, but other times, you can be the only person that keeps me sane."

"I'm just doing what you've always been doing for me," Usagi said. "Besides, I'm your little sister. It's my job, so don't you forget it."

Harusuke chuckled. "I won't. Now, I suppose I should get to sleep now. I think I should be able to now that I've gotten a pep talk."

"Good," said Usagi, as she got up from the bed. She had taken a few steps away about to leave the room, but then she stopped. "By the way, Harusuke, mind if I tell you one more thing?"

"Sure," said Harusuke. "What is it?"

"I just wanted to say that even if the world ends, no matter what happens, we will make it through," said Usagi. "And, I'll always love you and protect you."

Harusuke smiled. "I love you, too, and thanks, Sis."

The next day, Usagi, Harusuke, and Luna were getting ready to head to the Game Center Crown.

"So, why are we heading for the arcade?" Harusuke asked. "You sure we shouldn't have me hide out in someone else's house or something?"

"No wat," said Usagi. "I know that you're not interested in anyone, but I can't trust you at another girl's house, even our friends, so for the time being, we're all going to hang out together like always."

"Believe it or not, it's the only thing we can come up with without Usagi throwing a fit," said Luna. "This way, we can keep an eye out for you in case Eudial shows up."

"Well, it's better than having no plan at all," said Harusuke. "And since we don't have school today, it works out for us. Hopefully, this will settle down soon. It's starting to make me feel like I'm a wanted criminal."

"More like a president from an unknown country," grinned Usagi. "Thankfully, you've got six powerful bodyguards protecting you."

Harusuke chuckled. "Well, at least someone's optimistic enough to crack jokes."

Then, as they approached the arcade, they didn't notice that a white car had pulled up just around the corner. And in that car, a certain redhead kept a close eye on the three as they left the house. She was also wearing a disguise of a white lab coat like Kaiolinite and wore glasses.

"All I need to do is keep a close eye on the target," Eudial told herself. "And when he has his guard down, that's when I'll strike."

Soon enough, the three then came to the Game Center Crown and entered inside, finding the other girls and Artemis waiting for them.

"Hey, you guys. We're here," greeted Usagi. "And we're not late this time."

"Nice of you two to join us," said Rei.

"Well, now that we're all here, what do you suggest we do?" asked Makoto. "I mean, I know that we're supposed to be protecting Harusuke, but we can't hang around the arcade all day. Even I would start getting sick of playing Battle Lap all day."

"Well, we could always go looking around the mall," suggested Minako. "I've meant to check out some new clothes."

"And maybe we can hang out at a cafe for some lattes," Rei also suggested. "I mean, we've got plenty of time to hang out, and since we've got Harusuke here, maybe we can have him try out some clothes and model for us."

"Now, hold on a minute. There's no way I'm doing that," Harusuke objected. "Besides, I'm not exactly the kind of guy that's good with fashion."

At that moment, the doors opened, and Haruka and Michiru walked in.

"Hey there, Bun-Head," greeted Haruka. "I figured you and the rest of your group would be here."

"Haruka. Michiru. Hey," Usagi greeted back. "What brings you two here? Here for another round of Battle Lap?"

"You could say that," smiled Haruka. "I've been busy over at the track, and I need to take a break, and figured I needed to come here."

"Oh, heck, yes! I've been waiting for you to come back, Haruka!" Minako spoke eagerly. "You still owe me a rematch, and I've been training hard since then!"

"Oh? Is that so? In that case, how about you be my first match, Minako?" asked Haruka. "I won't go easy on you."

"I call dibs on next game!" said Makoto.

As the three went over to Battle Lap to play, with the other girls spectating, Michiru came up to Harusuke. "Hello there. Nice to see you again," she said. "How are you?"

Harusuke instinctively blushed. "I-I'm doing fine. Thanks," he said, averting his eyes. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. Thank you," said Michiru. "Thanks for asking."

"You know, I've wanted to see you today," went on Michiru. "With everything that happened yesterday, I couldn't help but feel worried about you."

Harusuke remembered. "Oh, yeah. Well, I'll admit things got a bit hairy, but as you can see, I'm alive and well," he said. "So there's no reason for you to feel worried."

Michiru smiled, but that smile changed into a frown.

"Tell me. I'm curious about something," said Michiru. "Mind if I ask you a question?"

Harusuke looked at Michiru and answered with a nod.

"Usagi's your sister, and the rest of those girls are your friends, right?" said Michiru. "Do... they mean a lot to you?"

"Of course they do," said Harusuke. "They mean more to me than anything."

"Then, answer me this: Would you be willing to do whatever it took to protect them?" asked Michiru. "Would you sacrifice anything if it meant that they would be safe from harm? Even giving up everything you own or your own life?"

Harusuke was silent, not expecting this question as he looked back towards the others as they played Battle Lap. He also began to remember when he tried to take on the Four Kings of Heaven by himself and the group hug he shared with the girls.

After a few seconds of thinking, Harusuke turned to Michiru. "Well, yeah. I mean, it's only natural. Who wouldn't want to do that? But if it's one thing I've learned, sacrificing your life to protect someone is noble, but it's something a bit too risky in my book. I love Usagi and my friends more than anything in the world and would do anything to keep them safe. But recently, I learned that while sacrificing oneself is noble, it's not without its shortcomings and pain. If I went and died for a sacrifice, imagine how Usagi and the others would feel if that happened to me. Trust me; they'd be devastated. Heartbroken. In a sense, I would make that sacrifice to save my friends, but I would also try to live for them. After all, they're my friends and family, and I don't want to make them sad."

Michiru stared. Harusuke then awkwardly scratched his cheek.

"S-Sorry. I don't know if that's the answer you're looking for, and I'm not good with words, but that's what I think," Harusuke said. "Sorry if it makes me naive or childish."

"No. Not at all," said Michiru. "Your wisdom surprises me again. Usagi and the others are lucky to have someone like you."

Harusuke could only smile.

"This boy truly possesses a pure heart," Michiru thought to herself. "Almost as pure as Usagi's. A pure heart that most likely will contain a talisman. But, is this the fate for this boy? Do we have to sacrifice his life to save the world? Or is there another way as Harusuke described?"

Then, outside of the arcade, Eudial pulled up in her car. Then, she saw the Game Center Crown and Harusuke inside it.

"There he is," Eudial said to herself. "And he's with that girl as well. As they say, I can kill two birds with one stone." She then made three Daimon Eggs materialize from her hand. "Now, go, my Daimons!

As soon as she let them go, they went shooting off in different directions. Each one found an innocent bystander happening to walk by and shot straight into them, disappearing into their bodies. The three victims then morphed into huge grotesque Daimons. They all looked like giant blobs with multiple tentacles and terrifying faces.

All three of the Daimons roared, their cries making buildings tremble all over the area. Usagi and the others immediately rushed outside to see what was going on. Michiru was about to run out with them when Haruka grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Hold on a minute," whispered Haruka. "We have to wait this out. Remember?"

Michiru frowned fretfully before nodding. "I know," she said quietly. "You don't have to tell me."

Back outside, Usagi and the others saw the creatures and were shocked.

"Those are Daimons! They look like the one we saw back in the mountains! I'll bet Eudial sent them!" cried Makoto.

"But where is she? If she's here, then shouldn't she be here controlling them or something?" wondered Minako.

"It doesn't matter," said Ami. "We'll have to assume that she is, and she's come for Harusuke!"

"Well, what are we doing standing around here?" said Harusuke. "Let's transform and take this thing down!"

"You sure you want in, Harusuke?" asked Rei. "Eudial is after you, and your pure heart crystal!"

"Of course I do!" said Harusuke. "Target or not, I still intend to fight. I am a Guardian. So let's hurry and take them down."

"Then you all better find a place to transform," said Luna. "You're all too exposed out here."

But before they could find a place to transform, they all heard a voice.

"Well, Well. Look like I found you. And you've got quite the menagerie with you."

Everyone looked up to find that Eudial now stood before them, a predatory gleam shining in her eyes.

"You may have gotten away from me before," smirked Eudial. "But this time, you won't be so lucky."

Eudial snapped her fingers, and at that moment, a dome-like barrier erected all around Usagi and the girls trapping them inside.

"Usagi! Everyone!" Harusuke cried as he tried to punch at the dome. Then, he turned back to Eudial, glaring. "Let them go, right now!"

"I'm more than willing to, but I'm afraid I can't do that," Eudial spoke coolly. "You see, you have something that I want. Give yourself up now, and I won't harm a hair on their pretty little heads. But if you won't, then I'll just introduce them to my Daimons. They are hungry for some pure hearts from young maidens."

Usagi's face paled inside of the dome. "No! Please, don't do that! I'm not even sure if I taste good!" she wailed.

"Leave them alone!" Harusuke yelled. "I'm the one you want! They have nothing to do with this!"

"Then, surrender peacefully, and give up your pure heart," ordered Eudial. "And I'll give you my word that I'll let these girls go."

"Don't do it, Harusuke!" Rei cried. "Get out of here!"

"There's no way you can trust her word!" said Ami. "Save yourself!"

"There's no way I'm leaving you guys!" Harusuke snapped. "I'll get you guys out of there somehow!"

"You have to go, Harusuke!" urged Makoto. "Don't let Eudial use us against you!"

"The last thing we want is to have your pure heart taken!" said Minako. "You can't give yourself up, not even for us!"

Harusuke was at a loss for words, unsure of what to do. But then, he saw Usagi, her blue eyes staring at his own.

"Please, Harusuke. Run. We'll be OK," the ordango blonde begged. "Just go. We'll figure out a way out somehow. You at least have a chance to escape! Just get out of here!"

Harusuke's eyes went wide at this, his hands clenching into fists and his feet staying rooted to the spot. He wracked his brain, trying to think of a way to get the girls out without any risks, but then, one of the Daimons let out a roar and shot out its tentacles at Harusuke, slamming it directly into his stomach, sending him flying a few feet and tumbling to the ground. Feeling the wind knocked out of him, Harusuke coughed as he struggled to his feet, trying to get up. But as soon as he got to his knees, he felt something poke against his back and heard Eudial's voice.

"Now, it's time to die and take your pure heart."

Time seemed to come to a crawl as Harusuke looked to Usagi and the others, all now desperately trying to break through the barrier to save him. Eudial then pulled the trigger, and with a resounding boom and a burst of light, Harusuke's Pure Heart Crystal came shooting out of his chest, and just like before, his crystal was shining brightly and gold in color.

"HARUSUKE!" Usagi and her group cried.

Eudial cackled with triumph as Harusuke flopped to the ground, unconscious, taking the gold crystal into her hand. "That was way too easy. I knew by taking his little harem hostage; he'd let his guard down. Now, let's see if this pure heart contains a talisman."

"You put that back!" cried Usagi, her eyes filling up with tears. "Put that pure heart back into him, right now!"

But Eudial didn't listen. "Sorry. It's nothing personal, but this crystal has something I want," she said with a smirk. "And since I can't have any witnesses, you'll all be joining him."

The three Daemons let out a growl as it glared straight at Usagi's group, preparing to obey their master's wishes when a pair of voices shouted out.

"URANUS WORLD SHAKING!"

"NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!"

A giant ball of earthen energy came shooting out and struck one of the Daimons, destroying it. The other attack, a sphere made of the sea's waters, hit the barrier trapping the guardians, breaking it, and setting them free. Then, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune appeared.

"Answering the call from a new era, Sailor Uranus, here to fight with brilliance!" she proclaimed.

"Also answering the call from a new era, Sailor Neptune, here to fight with elegance," she said.

"Not you two again!" snarled Eudial.

Usagi and the others, now free from their prison, quickly rushed over to Harusuke, his skin turning pale and clammy again and gasping for breath.

"Harusuke! Please, hang on!" begged Usagi. "You're going to be OK!"

"You all should get out of here while you still can," ordered Sailor Uranus. "We can take care of them."

Usagi was about to object, but Rei stopped her but squeezing her shoulder.

"She's right. It won't do any good staying out here," Rei whispered. "Let's move Harusuke away from here, and then we can transform."

Usagi knew that Rei was right and had no choice but to concede. Makoto and Minako then lifted Harusuke over their shoulders, and they, along with the others, evacuated the area. When they got to safe a distance, they left Harusuke with Luna and Artemis, propping him against the wall.

"We'll stay here with Harusuke and keep him safe," said Artemis. "You girls try and get his Pure Heart Crystal back."

"Just hang in there, Harusuke," thought Usagi. "We'll save you no matter what! I promise!"

"Let's go, girls!" said Usagi. "We have to save Harusuke!"

Usagi and the girls took out their transformation items and sprang into action.

"MOON COSMIC POWER MAKE UP!"

"MERCURY STAR POWER MAKE UP!"

"MARS STAR POWER MAKE UP!"

"JUPITER STAR POWER MAKE UP!"

"VENUS STAR POWER MAKE UP!"

Transformation Sequence: Usagi

Usagi's Cosmic Heart Compact opens, revealing the pink heart-shaped crystal inside, waving her hand over it. It flashes twice and erupts in pink light. Usagi is now standing in the middle of a light blue heart that's spinning to the right. She stands one leg while holding up her arms and begins pirouetting in the opposite direction, going faster until, in a burst of light, pink ribbons envelop her torso and midsection, transforming into her leotard. She elegantly stretches out her arms, and pink ribbons cover them, forming into her gloves. She then raised her right foot high with incredible flexibility, and pink ribbons cloak it changing into her boots. The heart made of blue light then turns into a circle of sparkles swirling around her waist, forming her skirt and bow. Now no longer in light, Usagi spins around a couple of times like a ballerina and takes a slight bow. As she comes out from her bow, a crescent moon mark glows in the middle of her forehead. Then, a tiara appears bearing a gold symbol of the moon, along with her earrings, choker, and her ordango covers. Finally, Usagi opens her eyes, her transformation now complete, and strikes her signature pose.

Transformation Sequence: Ami

Ami holds up her hand as blue sparkles swirled around it, alighting her fingernails turning them into a shade of bright blue. Her transformation stick appears spinning, and she takes hold of it, the star on end and the symbol glowing. It begins to turn as Ami is enveloped in blue light. Then she sweeps the pen over her head as a stream of sparkling blue water begins to emit from it, forming her leotard, boots, and gloves. A sparkling ripple and a flurry of bubbles expand over her body, creating a tiny mist of water that forms the rest of her uniform, the same as Sailor Moon's, but the center bow, boots, and rims on the gloves were blue and bright blue. Finally, she turns around and then strikes her signature pose.

Transformation Sequence: Rei

Rei's hand is held up as red sparkles swirl around it, alighting her fingernails, turning them into a shade of bright red. Her transformation stick appears spinning, and she takes hold of it, the star on end as well as the symbol glowing. It begins to turn as Rei is enveloped in red light. As she held up her pen while spinning around, long bright tongues of flame erupted from it, forming several rings around her body. They tighten around her body, and in a brilliant flash of light, her outfit forms having to look just like Sailor Moon's, but she is wearing red pumps along with a pair of red star-shaped earrings, the center bow is purple, and the rims of her gloves, her skirt, her choker, and collar are red. After that, Mars finishes with her signature pose.

Transformation Sequence: Makoto

Makoto's hand is held up as green sparkles swirl around it, alighting her fingernails, turning them into a shade of bright green. Her transformation stick appears spinning, and she takes hold of it, the star on end as well as the symbol glowing. It starts to turn around rapidly as green light envelops Makoto. As she holds up her pen while spinning around, long streams of lightning erupt from it, encircling her body, forming an atom of sorts before exploding in a brilliant flash of light. Her outfit forms, having to look just like Sailor Moon's, wearing green boots along with her pair of roses earrings, the bow is pink, and the rims of her gloves green, as is her skirt, her choker, and collar. After that, Jupiter finishes with her signature pose.

Transformation sequence: Minako.

Minako's hand is held up as golden stars swirl around it, alighting her fingernails, turning them into a shade of bright orange. Her transformation stick appears spinning, and she takes hold of it, the star on end as well as the symbol glowing. It begins to turn as Minako is enveloped in yellow light. Then she sweeps the pen over her head as banners of golden stars emit from it. Minako then holds up the pen above her head as the banners of stars form a spiral around her body. They disappear into the ground, forming a circle of stars and burst into more stars going upwards, enveloping Minako's body. Then Minako emerges wearing the same outfit as Sailor Moon's, the center bow, boots, and rims on the gloves colored orange, her back bow, yellow, and her center bow, blue. She then opens her eyes as she assumes her signature pose.

Sailor Uranus and Neptune squared off against Eudial and the Daimons, ready to fight.

"If you know what's good for you, Eudial, you'll hand over that Pure Heart Crystal," said Sailor Uranus.

"Not on your life!" Eudial snarled. "Daimons! Attack!"

The two remaining Daimons went on the attack, gunning straight towards the two Guardians. Then, a powerful bolt of lighting, an array of fire rings, a chain made of light and heart links, a torrent of water, and a white disc of energy, came shooting out and blasted the Daimons, destroying them in seconds, reverting into people. Then, Sailor Moon and the others arrived on the scene.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Eudial growled with annoyance. "You brats are here, too?!"

"Eudial, you took something that doesn't belong to you, and I will never forgive you for that!" scowled Sailor Moon. "That Pure Heart Crystal contains the heart of a boy who loves and cares about his friends and family, and you're going to put it back where it belongs! Otherwise, in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

"What are you girls doing here?" demanded Sailor Uranus. "Last time I checked, we didn't need your help."

"That's fine with us," said Sailor Mars. "We're not here to help you two anyway."

"Everyone! Do whatever it takes to get that pure heart crystal!" said Sailor Venus. "Don't let Eudial or Sailor Uranus and Neptune escape with it!"

"Right!" the others answered.

"Not so fast! The Talisman is ours!" barked Sailor Uranus as she and Neptune leaped into the fray. "And if anyone's leaving with that crystal, it's us!"

Everyone made a mad dash towards Eudial while Eudial braced herself to fight between the seven Guardians. But then, a beam of light came shooting out, and two powerful blasts shot out. One cut off the Guardians, stopping them in their tracks, and the other shot Eudial right onto her shoulder, making her cry out in pain and dropping the pure heart crystal. Seeing Eudial drop the crystal, Sailor Moon and Sailor Uranus ran towards it, each determined to get their hands on it. Eudial seeing the two made for the crystal herself and prepared to unleash her flames. But, at that moment, something shot by like a jackrabbit, snatching the pure heart crystal away before anyone could take it. The girls looked around. Then, they heard a voice that none of them had heard before.

"No! It's gone!" cried Sailor Uranus.

"Where did it go?!" Sailor Moon cried out. "Where'd the crystal go?!"

"Sorry, but the only place this pure heart crystal is going is back to its rightful owner." said a voice.

"Who said that?!" demanded Eudial. "Show yourself!"

At that moment, someone stepped out from behind a tree having the pure heart crystal hovering in their hand. It was the mysterious person in the coat and the hat.

"Who the heck is that?" wondered Sailor Jupiter.

"I don't know," said Sailor Mars. "Whoever they were, they got the pure heart crystal."

"Hey! You give that pure heart crystal back, right now!" snarled Eudial. "I stole it fair and square, and I want the talisman that's sealed inside it!"

The mysterious stranger turned around, holding the crystal up. "Then, I'm afraid that you're fussing over a fruitless effort," they said. "This Pure Heart Crystal is nothing more than what it is, and nothing more. It doesn't contain anything other than the bravery and courage of a young man willing to protect his sister and friends."

Everyone was surprised, including Eudial, Sailor Uranus, and Sailor Neptune.

"How could you possibly know about that?" Eudial demanded. "Besides, that boy's pure heart crystal is a different color than the others and is producing a strong aura! How could it possibly not have a talisman?! You have to be lying!"

"It's because I have the power to look inside pure crystals, as do Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune," said the mysterious stranger as they hovered their hand over the crystal. "And I can see that this one does not have any talisman whatsoever. However, if you still don't believe me, then how about some proof?"

The mysterious stranger looked across to Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune and then threw the crystal over to them, much to Sailor Moon and the others' shock. Sailor Neptune then caught it.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Sailor Moon yelled. "We need that crystal to save-!"

"This is the only way to show that I'm not lying to you, Sailor Moon," interrupted the mysterious stranger. "Besides, if I gave it to you, Uranus and Neptune would have pursued you otherwise." They looked across to the two. "Now, go ahead and check the crystal."

Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune were puzzled and confused, but Sailor Neptune went ahead and checked it. When she did, she was surprised.

"I-Impossible!" Sailor Neptune gasped. "It's true. This is nothing more than a pure heart crystal!"

Sailor Uranus checked as well, and she couldn't believe it either. "Y-You got to kidding! Another waste of time?"

Eudial was now beside herself with frustration and anger, seething and trembling with fury. "I don't believe this! All of this for a lousy ordinary pure heart crystal?! That's it! I'm outta here!"

And with that, Eudial got into her car, and with a squeal of her tires, sped away. As soon as she was gone, the mysterious stranger spoke to Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune.

"I trust that you two will return that crystal to Sailor Moon, correct?" the mysterious stranger asked. "After all, since there's no talisman, there's no reason for you to keep it."

Sailor Uranus scowled at the stranger, but she threw the crystal over to Sailor Moon anyway.

"You seem to know quite a bit about Pure Heart Crystals and Talismans," said Sailor Neptune. "Mind telling us where you got such knowledge?"

"Let's just say everything you know I know as well, Sailor Neptune," said the mysterious stranger tipping their hat. "But for now, I best be on my way."

The mysterious stranger started to walk away, but not before stopping briefly, looking back towards Sailor Moon and her group.

"Sailor Moon, make sure you return Harusuke's pure heart crystal," they went on. "And to keep growing stronger along with him and the other guardians."

"But wait a minute! Who are you?" called out Sailor Moon.

"My apologies, my queen, but I can't say," said the mysterious person. "But for now, you can call me by my alias." They paused impressively before walking away. "I'm known as the Guardian of Shades, Specter."

The mysterious stranger then disappeared.

After a while, Usagi and the others got back to Harusuke and managed to place his pure heart crystal back inside him. When he came around, Usagi and the others explained what had happened while unconscious. Needless to say, Harusuke was surprised.

"You've got to be kidding me," sighed Harusuke. " So not only did my pure heart crystal not have a talisman, but now this Specter person shows up from out of nowhere?"

"Believe me, we're as surprised as you," said Ami. "And not only that, but whoever they are, they seem to know about the talismans and who we are as well."

"So, does this mean that we have another enemy?" wondered Minako. "Or someone in the gray area like Uranus and Neptune?"

"Who can say?" said Artemis. "Let's just be grateful that Harusuke's safe and sound, and he's no longer Eudial's target."

"I agree," said Luna. "Until then, what do you say we all get some rest after the day we had?"

Everyone agreed. Then, Usagi wrapped her arms around Harusuke, embracing him in a hug, catching Harusuke by surprise.

"Um, is something wrong, Sis?" wondered Harusuke.

"I was so worried about you. I was scared that you were going to die," Usagi spoke quietly. "I'm just felt so relieved that I felt like hugging you."

Harusuke then smiled and patted Usagi's head. "All right then. Do as you like," he said.

Then, one by one, the other girls joined in, each one hugging Harusuke too.

Now, Harusuke was blushing. "W-Wait! Why are all of you guys hugging me too?!" he exclaimed.

"We feel the same as Usagi right now," replied Ami. "We were all scared."

"So, we figured that we'd get in on the hugging, too," winked Makoto.

"You don't have a problem with it, do you?" asked Rei.

"After all, you made five innocent maidens worry about you to death," said Minako. "The least you could do is compensate for making us worry."

"And all of you hugging me at once is the compensation?" Harusuke squeaked. "Look, can't we do this somewhere else? We're out in public!"

"Nope, ~!" Usagi grinned cheekily. "You'll have to sit there and take our five-way hug attack!"

And the girls continued to hug Harusuke while the cats watched on, surprised as well as confused.

In another part of town, the mysterious stranger stood above a building in Downtown Juuban, staring at the ground below.

"Harusuke Tsukino. You may not have had a talisman, but that doesn't mean that there's something contained within it," they said to themselves. "Inside of that crystal contains an incredible secret. However, it's not yet time for you to know what that secret is just yet. So for the time being, I think I'll keep my eye on you along with the rest of the Guardians."

The mysterious stranger chuckled to themselves while tilting up their hat, revealing one of their eyes being a bright shade of silver.