It was a bright and sunny day at the beach.
The shore was packed to the brim with people who enjoyed themselves either swimming in the ocean, sunbathing or playing with beachballs.
Usagi and the other girls were also over at the beach, clad in swimsuits and eager for fun, but they were doing something a bit different than the usual beach activities.
Boy scouting.
They were all sharing a pair of binoculars and checking out all sorts of different guys that they happened to come across.
"Eeee! Found one!" gushed Minako as she eyed a male talking to his buddy while wearing a green speedo. "Super cute and good-looking!"
Usagi then snatched the binoculars away to take a look. "Ooh! Not bad!" she agreed. "But that guy's got nothing on my Mamo."
Makoto then took her turn, and her eyes fell upon a boy that made her blush. "Whoa! He's a cute one! He looks like the guy that broke my heart!"
"Where? Where? Let me see!" said Rei as she looked around with the binoculars next.
Luna and Artemis could only sigh as they watched the girls while sitting with Diana.
"Why even bother going to the beach to ogle at boys when they could do it at home?" vexed Artemis.
"You said it," agreed Luna.
Then, three guys came up to the four, one fat, one skinny, and the third about average in looks and the group leader.
"Hey there, ladies," greeted the leader. "You want to join us for a little swim?"
"We can show you around and take you to all the hot spots," said the skinny one.
The girls took one look at one another, not interested in the slightest. Then, Usagi called out.
"Hey, Shingo! Time to get to work! Do your thing!"
And from a large pile of sand, Usagi's little brother came out, wearing a straw hat, a painted scar on his left cheek, chewing a toothpick, and a pair of black sunglasses. He strolled to the three boys trying to be as intimidating as possible.
"All right, you lousy punks," he scowled. "What are you three doing with my girls? Beat it!"
The three boys weren't intimidated by this but were slightly put off.
"What's this kid's deal?" wondered the leader.
"The sun must have fried his brain," whispered the second.
"Let's get something to eat," said the third.
And the three boys walked away.
As soon as they were gone, Shingo spat out his toothpick, wiped the scar off, and took off his hat and sunglasses, very much irritated.
"Why the heck do I have to do this anyway?!" he snapped at Usagi. "This is so stupid!"
"Well, we didn't have anyone else right now," explained Usagi. "Mamo's busy with college research and not feeling too good, and Harusuke's putting on his swimsuit. So you're the only bodyguard we got right now, and pretty, delicate girls like us need a bodyguard to protect them."
"You could have just waited for Harusuke to come back," huffed Shingo. "Besides, what's delicate about you?"
Before Usagi could respond, Ami and Chibiusa approached wearing their swimsuits. Upon seeing Ami, Shingo couldn't help but stare while his heart skipped a beat and his cheeks reddened.
"Looks like you've been handling quite the responsibility, haven't you, Shingo?" smiled Ami. "You don't have to worry about us, so why don't you go for a swim? The water will help refresh your mind."
Shingo couldn't answer as he stared blankly at Ami.
"Hey, Shingo, I can go with you," said Chibiusa. "Let's go!"
But as she was about to reach for his hand, Shingo finally snapped out of his daze and yanked his hand away.
"Th-That's OK! I'll go by myself!" he flusteredly squeaked as he dashed away.
As he did, Minako, Rei, and Makoto couldn't help but grin from his reaction while Usagi was puzzled.
"What's the matter with Shingo?" she asked. "He sure was acting weird."
"Come, Usagi. You never noticed how Shingo lights up wherever Ami's nice to him?" said Minako. "I mean, Ami's always nice to him."
"Your brother's got a crush on an older woman," smirked Rei cheekily.
"I know what you mean," nodded Makoto.
Even Chibiusa couldn't help but agree as she sighed wistfully. "So that's how it is. Good for you, Shingo."
Usagi then understood and couldn't help but grin. "Awww! Shingo! My baby brother's walking up the steps of adulthood."
Ami couldn't help but blink in befuddlement.
"Looks like you girls are having fun being romantics and boy crazy as usual," said a familiar voice.
Then, Harusuke came up, wearing a pair of orange swimming trunks with black designs. As he did, Rei, Minako, and Makoto couldn't help but stare the same way Shingo did at Ami, their cheeks going pink.
"Hey, Bro! About time you got here!" said Usagi.
"Sorry, I'm late," apologized Harusuke. "I had a bit of trouble getting this thing on. Anyway, what's this I hear about Shingo climbing the stairs to adulthood?"
"Shingo has a small crush on Ami," said Chibiusa. "Don't you think that's adorable?"
"Well, I guess so," said Harusuke. "Then again, Shingo's always acted a bit different when Ami came over to our place, so I kinda already knew. Then again, whenever a person is around the person they like, they tend to act weird even when they try to hide it."
Then, he looked over at Rei, Minako, and Makoto, the three of which were still staring at him.
"Say, what's the matter with you three?" he wondered. "You ain't getting heat stroke, are you?"
"O-Oh, no!" stammered Rei. "We were just, uh, admiring the scenery around here! Right, girls?"
"Y-Yeah! The scenery!" concurred Makoto.
"But I think we've had enough of that!" squeaked Minako. "What do you say we go swim, girls?"
"Yeah! Let's!"
And almost before anyone could react, all three of them got up and sprinted away, leaving Harusuke confused.
Ami also trotted after them. "Hey, girls, wait for me! I'll come with you!"
"What the? What's the matter with them?" wondered Harusuke. "Something I said?"
Chibiusa, Luna, Artemis, and Usagi couldn't help but shrug with wry smiles.
Inside the Dead Moon Circus Tent, the Amazon Trio once again found themselves before a very angry Zirconia who was berating them about their lack of luck on their mission.
"Amazon Trio, you still haven't found Pegasus yet?"
"Well, we've found plenty of people with beautiful dreams, Madame Zirconia," said Hawk's Eye. "But we still haven't-."
"I don't want to hear any excuses!" barked Zirconia. "And don't expect the Amazon Quartet to bail you out either!"
The mere sound of her yelling made the Amazon Trio tremble from startlement. Zircon then conjured a picture into Zirconia's hand as she threw it over to them.
"Go after this one next," Zirconia ordered. "She'll be your next target."
Tiger's Eye caught the photo as he, Hawk's Eye, and Fish's Eye inspected it. It was a picture of Ami reading a book in Juuban Park. It was then that three couldn't help but be doubtful.
"Well, it's certainly somewhat cute," critiqued Hawk's Eye. "But..."
"She seems to be one of those brainy types," said Tiger's Eye. "A tough nut to crack who's very particular."
"Yeah, and from the looks of it, a prude, and a wary one, too," added Fish's Eye. "The kind who won't drop her guard so easily."
"And what does that mean?!" demanded Zirconia. "I think it sounds like you're making more excuses!"
"N-Not at all, Madame!" stammered Tiger's Eye. "W-We were just strategizing!"
"Then, for heaven's sake, stop complaining!" snapped Zirconia. "If you people can't woo any humans, then what good are you, you good-for-nothing incompetents?!"
The other members of the circus started speaking mockingly.
"Good-for-nothing incompetents! Good-for-nothing incompetents!"
"You talk the talk!"
"All spandex and hair gel and no brains!"
"And afraid of a little girl!"
The Amazon Quartet, watching from afar, stayed silent, not daring to interfere.
Tiger's Eye growled as the taunts made him remember Solaris's words from their previous encounter, and that alone made him snap.
"You all shut up!" he yelled loud enough for everyone to hear. " No matter how tough this girl is or what anyone says, I'll show you I can win her over! You can count on that, Madame Zirconia! I can assure you I won't fail this time!"
Zirconia raised a brow. "And you'll make good on your word, I hope, Tiger's Eye?" she asked.
"Yes! On the pride of the Amazon Trio!" confirmed Tiger's Eye.
Hawk's Eye and Fish's Eye were worried but said nothing as they bowed before leaving.
Later, the Amazon Trio, now under human disguises, were all having lunch at a yakisoba bar at the same beach.
"You know, that wasn't very smart of you, guaranteeing a victory like that," said Hawk's Eye. "It's one thing when I do it, but when you do it, it worries me."
"I'll say," concurred Fish's Eye. "If you fail again, you're going to make us all look bad, and how will you take responsibility for that?"
"Stop worrying! I know what I'm doing!" huffed Tiger's Eye as he finished his bowl. "She can't be that hard to seduce, no matter how wary she is. All I need to do is find her weak spot; once I do, she'll crumble like a cookie. Besides, I've got a score to settle with a particular enemy, and once he shows up to rescue the target, that'll be my chance to get even! Then, I'll show everyone what happens when I get serious!"
He then began to cackle darkly, his eyes gleaming with a vengeance.
"Geez, the guy can hold a grudge," Hawk's Eye whispered to Fish's Eye.
"Well, I'd be mad too if I received a tongue-lashing like he did the other day," sniggered Fish's Eye. "Then again, it was pretty funny."
"You two say something?" snarled Tiger's Eye, who heard Fish's Eye laughing.
"Nothing," the two innocently said as they looked away while eating their noodles.
Meanwhile, Usagi and the gang were ordering shaved ice at a stand. Ami and Shingo had just ordered theirs and were walking away together, chatting and enjoying each other's company.
Tiger's Eye, in human disguise, saw them and quickly devised a plan to seduce Ami. With a snap of his finger, he changed his hair color from blonde to green, and when they were close enough, he came dashing out from around the corner and bumped straight into Ami, causing her to drop and spill her shaved ice.
"I'm so sorry!" Tiger's Eye apologized, feigning remorse. "I ended up ruining your shaved ice. Could it be possible for me to make it up to you by inviting you to my private beach?"
Upon seeing him, Usagi, Rei, Makoto, and Minako couldn't help but swoon while Harusuke rolled their eyes. Shingo, being a bit overprotective, put his sunglasses and hat back on and stomped over to Tiger's Eye, pretending to be intimidating again, intending to play bodyguard. But before he could, the girls pushed him out of the way while making their presence known.
"Did you say private beach?!" Minako gushed giddily. "That's awesome!"
"That sounds wonderful!" Makoto chimed in dreamily.
"Do you mind if we come too?" asked Rei. "We'd love to go!"
Usagi was about to ask to come too but was quickly stopped by Chibiusa.
"Usagi, you better watch it!" warned Chibiusa. "Otherwise, I'll tell Mamo!"
The ordango blonde was quick to relent as she poked her fingers while pouting.
"What's the matter with them?!" complained Shingo as he got up. "I thought you said you needed protection?!"
"I guess a cute-looking guy gave them some courage," observed Harusuke. "Shouldn't come as no surprise."
But as soon as he saw them, Tiger's Eye recognized them and couldn't help but be shocked.
"I've targeted all of these girls before!" he cried in his thoughts. "What in the world are they doing here?! And why are they so obnoxious and pushy?!" However, he quickly recollected himself and made himself firm. "Look, I'm sorry, but the one I'm interested in is-.
But before he could finish, Ami promptly cut in. "No, I'm sorry for bumping into you. I was also not paying attention," she said politely. "Besides, I wouldn't want a stranger to do all that just for me."
Everyone looked at Ami in surprise.
"It's no trouble at all," insisted Tiger's Eye. "It's the least I can do after slamming into you."
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to say no," said Ami as she gave a slight bow before walking away. Then, she turned to Shingo and Chibiusa. "Come on. Let's go."
The two kids followed her, as did Usagi and the others, leaving Tiger's Eye alone, baffled and bewildered.
Tiger's Eye returned to the yakisoba stand, huffily eating melon ice cream.
"That girl isn't cute at all!" he grumbled. "I didn't want to believe it, but she is an uptight prude!"
Fish's Eye and Hawk's Eye couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh, come on, Tiger's Eye. Don't tell me you're giving up already," teased Fish's Eye.
"After all, you did guarantee that you would succeed in seducing her. No matter what anyone said," added Hawk's Eye cheekily.
"Oh, I haven't given up yet," Tiger's Eye grumped between spoonfuls. "The tougher her defenses, the greater the satisfaction of wooing her! You watch! I'll make her crack like a nut!"
Over at their area under their umbrella, Usagi and the others were still surprised by Ami's decision.
"So, why did you say no, Ami?" asked Rei. "That was such a waste."
"Yeah, it's not like he was bad looking," said Makoto. "It was a great opportunity."
"If it were me, I definitely would have gone with him!" said Minako. "That guy was a major cutie!"
"Yeah, we all know you would, Mina," Artemis spoke cheekily. "You'd probably go for any guy who had a pulse."
In response, Minako glared at the white cat and grabbed his tail, giving it a sharp squeeze and making him yowl in pain.
"But I've only just met him," Ami pointed out. "I don't know who he is or even where he's from."
"Well, that's the whole point," winked Rei. "You'll never know what someone's like unless you go out with them."
"Well, I don't think that love's something you can just rush into," Ami said. "If fate has already chosen the one I'm destined to be with, then will come a time I'll meet them. And when it happens, I'll know and feel it when I meet the person destined to be my true love."
Everyone couldn't help but stare. Shingo significantly couldn't help but feel inspired and moved by Ami's words. Chibiusa also couldn't help but think about herself and Pegasus.
"Wow, Ami. That was so awe-inspiring!" said Harusuke in amazement. "I never thought I'd hear something like that come from you."
"My true destined to be!" gushed Usagi. "It makes me remember the moment I met Mamo in my previous life!"
"Yeah, yeah. We know," interrupted Minako curtly.
"So, basically, all your talk about destiny is just your way of saying he isn't your type," surmised Makoto.
"Oh, yeah. That makes sense," the others agreed.
"No! That's not it!" protested Ami.
"Come on, live a little," encouraged Rei. "How will you ever find your man of destiny if you're not willing to meet new people? You got to put yourself out there and be more proactive."
"Well, you could be right," conceded Ami.
Shingo was again filled with admiration for Ami as he looked up at the sky, remaining quiet.
"Well, I'm sure you find that special someone someday, Ami," said Harusuke. "Hearing you talk almost makes me hope to find that special someone. But I doubt that'll happen."
"Don't be so sure, Harusuke," said Chibiusa. "It looks like you already got some admirers."
Harusuke looked across to Chibiusa as she pointed at a group of women walking by them. They were talking to one another and giggling while stealing glances at him. However, Usagi, Rei, Minako, and Makoto noticed them, too, and gave the girls menacing death glares. The girls feeling a bit surprised as well as frightened, quickly left. Chibiusa, Shingo, the cats, and Ami were also scared but didn't say anything.
"What's the matter with them?" wondered Harusuke. "It looks like they saw a ghost."
"Who can say? Maybe they did," said Usagi innocently. "Right, girls?"
Rei, Minako, and Makoto nodded in agreement.
A little while later, Shingo and Ami, and Harusuke had taken out a raft to the sea. Shingo and Ami were enjoying the view while Harusuke rowed.
How did this happen, you may ask?
You see, Shingo had begged Harusuke to come with him to be a sort of wingman. At first, Harusuke tried to decline, but after a bit of persistent pleading from Shingo and not wanting them to be alone, he decided to come along.
However, Shingo's worries were somewhat justified because a very determined Tiger's Eye stealthily followed them via a dolphin a few feet away.
"Good. Those annoying friends of hers have all gone," he smirked. "All I need to do now is get rid of that boy and that annoying brat."
He then dipped under the water while the dolphin carried him along.
As Harusuke rowed along, Shingo spoke to Ami.
"You know, you're not what I expected to be, Ami," he told her.
"What do you mean?" wondered Ami.
"Well, Stupid Usa - I mean, my big sister told me that your only dream was to become a doctor," explained Shingo. "And that's the only thing you ever think about. You don't even care about boys and stuff like that."
"Well, that's always been my dream," said Ami. "But I've always had a yearning to have a family. A lively and loving family like you, Usagi, and Harusuke have. It might be because my mom raised me, and she's a single mother." She then looked up at the sky, smiling. "If someone wonderful appears, I might choose a family life over a career."
Shingo couldn't help but stare at Ami, his heart swelling with love and filled with even more admiration. Harusuke was also a bit surprised.
"Wow. I didn't think Ami would even consider such a thing," he thought. "Then again, I didn't even know she had a single mother. It just goes to show that while Ami is one of my best friends, there are still some things that I don't know about her."
Then, Ami looked back towards the shore. She could see that their raft was a great distance away.
"Say, guys. We've drifted quite a long way out," she said worriedly. "I think we should start heading back."
The boys looked up and noticed this, too. Shingo also started to worry, but Harusuke reassured him.
"No worries. Let's start heading back just in case," he said. "We can take turns rowing."
He was about to start rowing when the three noticed something that made them gasp. Something was streaking along them at top speed just above the water's surface, their dorsal fin sticking up. At first, they thought they believed it to be a shark, but then, the creature fully emerged, which turned out to be a dolphin along with Tiger's Eye, much to their relief.
"Well, well, we meet again," greeted Tiger's Eye.
"I guess we do," said Ami.
"So, are you some kind of dolphin trainer?" asked Shingo.
Tiger's Eye practically face-faulted into the water. "Of course not!" he huffed. "I simply asked this little guy to help me find you so I could apologize for earlier."
"But haven't you apologized enough already?" asked Harusuke. "If you're going this far, you're kinda coming off as persistent rather than apologetic."
"More like annoying," Shingo snarked huffily. "Either way, girls don't like a guy acting in those ways, so why don't you get lost?"
Tiger's Eye glared. "Zip it, kid!" he spoke with gritted teeth. "And stay out of this!"
Shingo glared back at him. "I'm not a kid!" he barked crossly.
"Now, now. Let's not get too heated," Harusuke warned.
But Tiger's Eye was already fed up, most notably with Shingo.
"I've had it with this kid! I'll show you not to get in my way!"
He secretly snapped his finger under the water and, using his powers, made a hole to rip under the raft, causing Shingo to fall right into the water.
"Shingo!" Harusuke and Ami yelled in alarm.
Tiger's Eye was pleased, believing that Ami would now start paying attention to him, but instead of that, Ami dove into the water, much to his surprise.
"Don't just float there!" Harusuke snapped at him. "Get your dolphin friend to help us!"
He then jumped into the water, too, while Tiger's Eye continued to float where he was in bewilderment.
Shingo was sinking slowly into the water and losing air by the second, but before he could sink any lower, Ami and Harusuke reached him in time and started swimming for safety.
It was already sunset back at the beach. Usagi and the others had noticed that their friends hadn't returned and were starting to worry. So they had split up into two search parties and looked all over the beach for them.
"Shingo!" called Usagi. "Harusuke!"
"Ami! Where are you?!" shouted Rei.
"Ami! Shingo! Harusuke!" Chibiusa called out.
Minako, Makoto, and Artemis then returned.
"Any sign of them?" Rei asked the three.
"No, and we've looked everywhere," panted Minako. "All up and down the beach."
"Where could they have gone?!" Usagi spoke with anxiety. "I knew I shouldn't have let Shingo go off alone!"
"Don't worry, Usagi," reassured Luna. "Ami and Harusuke are with him, so I'm sure they're OK."
Diana then trotted up to them. "Master Usagi! Everyone! Come quick!" she cried urgently. "I found something!"
The little white kitten led the party to a part of the shore, and what she showed them made everyone gasp.
It was the raft Shingo's party was using, but it had gone deflated while the hole had grown almost enough to tear it in half. Usagi couldn't help but be horrified, as were everyone else.
"Come on! Let's split up and look again!" urged Artemis. "They have to be around here somewhere! And keep your communicators open!"
"Right!" everyone acknowledged as they quickly spread out, resuming their search.
Meanwhile, Ami's party made it to shore while taking shelter in a nearby cave, but things had grown dire, for Shingo had fallen unconscious, and he wasn't breathing.
"Shingo! You've got to pull yourself together!" urged Ami. "Please wake up!"
"He's not breathing!" Harusuke spoke, his voice wavering to the point of being panicked. "What do we do?!"
Ami quickly and calmly moved over to Shingo and began giving him CPR.
Tiger's Eye couldn't help but be confused. "What is she doing to him?" he wondered. "Is she kissing him?"
"No, you idiot! She's giving him CPR!" Harusuke snapped.
"But it looks like she's kissing him!" protested Tiger's Eye. "Why is she even doing that for him? Is he her boyfriend or something?!"
Harusuke was so panicked and angered by what he said he was about to lash out, but Ami firmly spoke between intervals as she continued treating Shingo.
"He's a friend! A very dear one to me!"
This made Tiger's Eye blink as he stared curiously at Ami. "A... friend?" he repeated. "How... weird."
"What's so weird about it?" Ami panted as she breathed into Shingo's mouth again. "I'm sure you have friends, people who are so dear to you that you can't stand the thought of losing them. And I can't let a dear friend lose his life!"
As Ami resumed CPR on Shingo while Harusuke watched anxiously, this continued for about a minute until Shingo started coughing while gasping for air.
"Shingo!" cried Harusuke. "You're all right!"
Shingo's eyes fluttered open as he slowly sat up a bit. "Ami? Harusuke?" he mumbled. "What happened?"
Ami and Harusuke could only hug the little boy, their eyes flowing with tears. Tiger's Eye couldn't help but start thinking all the more confused as they did.
"A friend? Is it someone you'd all of that for?" he thought. "Now that I think about it, do I have anyone I can call a friend?"
The more Tiger's Eye thought about this, the more irritated he became for having such thoughts until he decided he did not need such things.
"Ah, who cares about that nonsense! It has nothing to do with me!" he snapped. "As long as I capture Pegasus, I don't need friends!"
Harusuke, Ami, and Shingo looked up in time for Tiger's Eye to shed his disguise with a finger snap as he began the countdown.
"One!"
A slab sprang up while pressing against Ami's back as Harusuke and Shingo stumbled to the floor.
"Two!"
Metal clamps shut around Ami's limbs, pinning her.
"And three!"
Ami's dream mirror sprang from her chest as she screamed in pain.
Tiger's Eye chuckled maliciously as he brandished his whip. "Now then, you beautiful dreamer, how's about we see what's inside your dreams?"
He started walking up to Ami, but then Shingo cut him off, holding a leftover branch, still groggy after almost drowning but ready to fight for Ami. Unfortunately, Tiger's Eye easily avoided it by using his whip to snatch it away before throwing it back at Shingo. But before the branch could hit him, Harusuke jumped in the line of fire while shielding Shingo as it struck him square on the head.
"Harusuke! Shingo!" Ami cried as she helplessly tried to break free from her bindings but to no avail.
As they hit the ground, Shingo fell unconscious while Harusuke struggled to get back up. Tiger's Eye approached Ami, about to search through her dream mirror, when two familiar voices shouted.
"Stop right there!"
Tiger's Eye looked back, and standing at the cave's opening stood Super Sailor Moon and Super Sailor Chibi Moon.
"You dare kick sand into the face of love!" scolded Super Sailor Moon. "Well, you're about to learn that ruining a girl's summer vacation is no day at the beach! We're the Pretty Guardians...!"
"...who fight for love and justice!" chimed in Super Sailor Chibi Moon.
"I'm Sailor Moon!"
"And I'm Sailor Chibi Moon!"
"And now, in the name of the moon, we'll punish you!"
Sailors Mars, Jupiter, and Venus also appeared.
"And don't forget about us! We'll punish you too!"
Ami was overjoyed to see them while Tiger's Eye growled in frustration.
"Damn it! Why do you bumpkins always show up to ruin my fun every time?!" he complained. He then looked back at his shadow. "Come forth, my Lemures! Ponko, the Pandemonium Professional Regurgitator!"
A female lemures leaped forth from his shadow, hovering in the air before flying and stopping just in front of the cave entrance.
She wore a green kimono with pink diamonds on the sleeves, red tights with diamond openings on her hips, and red slippers. She also had pale blue skin with pink diamonds on her forehead and cheeks, azure blue hair, and a faucet-like object on top of her head. She made two balls appear in each of her hands, one red and one white, before swallowing them whole. She then gave her cheat a couple of beats before addressing the guardians.
"All right! Call it!" she told them. "Is the ball red or white?"
The Guardians were puzzled, but Super Sailor Chibi Moon tried to guess anyway.
"Um, white?"
Ponko made a buzzing noise as a ball traveled up her throat before popping out of the faucet on her head. "The answer is red!" she said as she threw it at the guardians.
The ball harmlessly landed on the ground in front of them before exploding in a massive kaboom, the guardians taking the attack point blank. Then, Ponko started spitting out more balls, firing one after the other while the guardians tried to avoid them.
Seeing that they were distracted, Tiger's Eye seized his opportunity and poked his head through Ami's dream mirror, searching for Pegasus, while the bluenette couldn't help but scream as she did her best to endure. But like with his other past targets, Tiger's Eye didn't find Pegasus in Ami's dreams either.
"Damn it! Her dreams didn't have Pegasus either!" he huffed as he turned to the ensuing fight. "To make things worse, Solaris isn't even here, so what's the point of exacting my vengeance?! How annoying!" He then called out to his Lemures. "Ponko! I'm leaving the rest to you! Make sure you get rid of them!"
He then summoned his wormhole and flipped into it in retreat.
The Guardians were now exhausted and battered after dodging and taking so many blasts from Ponko, who was getting ready to cough up another. Only this one was so large that as it went up her throat and to her mouth, her head became a giant ball. However, just as she was about to spit it out...
"SOLARIS METEOR BARRAGE!"
A shower of spheres made of sunlight shot from the darkness and pelted Ponko, forcing her to swallow her ball in surprise. Solaris then stepped forth, revealing himself as the attacker.
"The beach is filled with beautiful bikini-clad swimsuits, and your bombs have no place here!" Solaris proclaimed. "How about you use your explosives for the fireworks show tonight instead?!"
"Nice one, Solaris!" Super Sailor Moon said with a thumbs up.
Ponko snarled. "Oh, yeah?! Well, forget you because you've forced me to unleash my ultimate surprise weapon, a bomb I call the gold and jewels, also known as - !" She then stopped herself as her face turned bright red. "Never mind! Forget it! Even I can't say it out loud! Anyway, get ready!"
"Solaris!" yelled Ami. "Her mouth! Cover her mouth!"
Solaris then saw a big rock and picked it up, and just as Ponko opened her mouth to cough out a bomb, he chucked it, making it fly straight into it, clogging it. Ponko desperately tried to pull the rock out, but due to its size, she couldn't.
Solaris summoned his sword and drew his pentagram in the air while launching it at the Lemrues, preventing it from escaping. He then took a stance as a mirage of wings sprung from his back.
"SOLARIS DAWNING PENTAGRAM SWORD!"
With a swift slice of his sword, Solaris destroyed Ponko, her body shattering into pieces, reverting into a shadow, and disappearing in a puff of smoke, securing another victory for the Guardians.
A little while later, Usagi and the others took Shingo back to where they were staying at the beach, and it wasn't too long before Shingo regained consciousness.
"Shingo! You're all right!" Usagi said thankfully.
"Thank goodness!" said Ami.
Shingo then shot up with a start, suddenly remembering. "Hey! What happened?!" he gasped as he looked around him. "Where'd that weird guy go?!"
"Don't worry. It's all over," reassured Ami. "Sailor Moon and the others took care of him."
Shingo then frowned regretfully. "I'm so sorry, Ami. I wasn't able to protect you," he apologized. "Some bodyguard I turned out to be. When you guys needed me the most, I let you down. Harusuke even got hurt protecting me, too."
Ami kindly squeezed the boy's shoulders. "Don't be silly, Shingo," she spoke kindly. "You protected me long enough for Sailor Moon to come and save me. And if that didn't happen, I don't know what could have happened. And I appreciate that more than anything."
"And don't worry about your big bro," added Harusuke as he patted his shoulder. "I can take a beating. We're just happy that you're safe and well."
Shingo smiled, feeling much better.
Then, the gang watched the fireworks as they lit the sky with their beautiful light. As they watched, Harusuke spoke to Ami.
"Hey, Ami. There's something I want to say, too."
"What's up?" wondered Ami.
Harusuke then faced her and leaned forward in a bow. "I want to take the chance to say thank you for saving my little brother's life," he said humbly.
Ami was a bit caught off guard. "H-Harusuke, there's no need for you to bow like that," she said.
"But I have to," insisted Harusuke bitterly. "I completely panicked back when Shingo was unconscious. I was supposed to be calm and collected, but... I lost it. I didn't know what to do. If you hadn't saved him, I-."
"Harusuke, please raise your head," interrupted Ami. "You have nothing to apologize for. I would have reacted the same as you did."
"I suppose so," said Harusuke as he straightened up. "But this experience has shown me that I still need to learn some things, especially if I want to protect my family. So, if you don't mind, whenever you have time, I was hoping you could teach me some CPR."
Ami smiled. "I would love to teach you," she said.
Harusuke smiled back at her in thanks as they and the rest of their group watched the fireworks as they continued to light up the sky.