I'm sorry if it's been a while since I updated this story. But I finally got around to it!

I'm hoping to give this series a bit of context with the Pledge of the Sun side story!

So please check that out when you can!

Until then, enjoy the read!

One afternoon, at the Tsukino household, Chibiusa was busy sketching Usagi while the girl in question sat on the couch, and Luna and Harusuke watched her draw.

While she stayed still, Usagi began to grow tired and a bit impatient. "Chibiusa, are you done yet? How long do I have to keep sitting here?" she complained. "I'm getting tired."

"Just wait a bit longer, Usagi," said Chibiusa. "I'm almost finished, so don't move, OK?"

"But how far along are you?" Usagi whined. "I've been stuck sitting still here for hours!"

"Come on, Sis. You're exaggerating. It's only been an hour at most," said Harusuke. "Besides, Chibiusa's got to finish this for her summer homework, and you're the one who offered to be her subject. And we said that you'd be getting pork buns as a reward. Unless you don't want any?"

Usagi flinched at the mention of food. "Curse you using my weakness against me," she seethed in frustration.

Then, Chibiusa set down her pencil and held up her notepad, showing her drawing. "All right. I'm finished," she said thankfully.

The others then came over to inspect the drawing. It was a little messy, and some things were uneven, but it wasn't half bad.

"Nice job, Chibiusa," complemented Luna. "It looks just like Usagi."

"I agree," nodded Harusuke. "You got quite the artistic talent. In fact, I think we should show Mom and Dad. I'm sure they'll love it, too. They'll more than likely want to frame it."

Usagi was pleased with the drawing, too, but Chibiusa, on the other hand, stayed silent as she stared at the drawing.

"Is something wrong, Chibiusa?" asked Usagi.

"Well, not really," replied Chibiusa. "It's just… I feel like I could have done so much better with this drawing."

"Why would you say that, kiddo?" asked Harusuke. "We all think you did a good job on it."

"Well, the thing is, I was watching something the other day on TV," replied Chibusa. "It was about some famous influencer who was critiquing a portrait an artist drew. Supposedly, the critic is one of the biggest and most popular and judges your art based on presentation, color, and skill. If your art doesn't have any of those things, then your art isn't good. So, I got a little inspired to draw for my summer homework. I'm good at drawing scenery and inanimate objects and stuff, but I don't feel like I can draw people right because I'm worried about getting them all wrong. What if… Mommy Ikuko and Daddy Kenji think it's bad?"

"Well, I think your drawing is cute, and you did a good job," Usagi said kindly. "You shouldn't be selling yourself short. And I'm sure Mom and Dad will like it."

"I agree," said Luna. "As the saying goes, you're your own worst critic. You're a great artist, Chibiusa. You just have your own strengths and weaknesses with drawings. It takes practice. And what's more, it's not like Ikuko and Kenji are the critics you see on television. Besides, who's a critic to tell you if what you drew is good or isn't good? What matters is what you think."

Chibiusa looked at her drawing, and she couldn't help but smile. "In that case, I think this drawing is good," she said more confidently. "One of my best yet."

Usagi, Harusuke, and Luna smiled back, nodding in approval.

Then, Usagi's stomach let out a loud growl, causing everyone to look in her direction as she went bright red in embarrassment.

"I think it's about time we go for those pork buns now," chuckled Harusuke. "How about we all head outside for fresh air while checking out Juuban Park?"

Everyone eagerly agreed.

The group soon arrived at Juuban Park, bought two bags of pork buns, and walked around enjoying the scenery as they snacked.

"Man, this is the best," Usagi spoke between bites. "There's nothing like eating pork buns while walking around the park."

"I have to agree with you on that one, Sis," concurred Harusuke. "There's something about eating pork buns while walking through Juuban Park that makes it all the more satisfying."

Then, as she munched on her pork bun, Chibiusa noticed something. Sitting on the bench a few feet away was a young man sitting on a bench in front of three women.

He was young, had short brown hair, wore an artist's beret on his head, and a jacket with pants all colored indigo. Next to him were several drawings of different people and a sign that read: PORTRAITS, 1500 YEN. He was also holding an easel with one hand and a paintbrush in the other.

"Hey, you guys. Look! A street artist!" the pink ordango girl pointed out.

"So it is," murmured Harusuke. "Never seen him around here before."

Feeling curious, Usagi and her party came over to inspect, looking over the artist's shoulder, wondering what he was painting. Much to their surprise and amazement, the artist was painting an image of a woman with beautiful flowing brown hair, fair skin, and green eyes, which turned out to be one of the three women before him. It was almost like someone had taken a high-quality photo from a camera.

"Wow! That looks amazing!" marveled Chibiusa.

"It looks just like her, too!" concurred Usagi.

"And it looks like he's done plenty of others, too," said Harusuke. "He's pretty good."

The artist then put down his paintbrush. "OK. It's all done now," he said as he showed the women the portrait. "What do you think?"

When she saw the finished product, the woman with brown hair and green eyes gasped in amazement. "My goodness!" she said. It looks just like me!"

However, the two women with her, one with orange hair and glasses and the other with medium-length black hair, couldn't help but be skeptical.

"I don't know, I think it doesn't look like her," the black-haired woman sneered. "I feel like her eyes are much bigger."

"And the nose should have been much sharper," added the redhead with glasses snidely.

The brown-haired woman frowned at them, as did Usagi and her party.

"Really? Because I think I tried to pay close attention to those things," said the artist.

Before the two girls could answer any further, Usagi promptly cut in.

"Now, hold on! Why are you two complaining?! This painting looks exactly like her!"

"Well, no one asked for your opinion!" snapped the redhead with glasses. "So why don't you shut up and get lost?!"

"Yeah! A naive little girl like you wouldn't know what good art was if it came and bit you in the butt!" snarked the woman with black hair. "His painting is ugly, and she's much prettier than that! And besides, it hasn't even been critiqued by a reviewer; therefore, it's worthless!"

Now, Usagi was cross. "What'd you say?!" she growled.

The woman with brown hair, the artist, Harusuke, Chibiusa, and Luna could only stare at the three as they glared daggers at each other.

"Good grief," sighed Harusuke.

"Anyone else got a sense of deja vu?" Chibiusa asked wryly.

"Well, I believe I've captured her likeness perfectly," the artist spoke politely. "But if you're unsatisfied, you don't have to pay."

The two women snidely smirked, but then the brunette stepped in.

"Now, now. Let's not get too heated," the woman soothed. "I just so happen to like the painting; just as the artist said, he captured my likeness perfectly. Therefore, I'd like to keep it." She then handed the artist some yen. "Here. This should cover it."

The artist was briefly surprised before he smiled. "Thank you very much, ma'am," he said.

After taking the money, he handed her the painting, and while giving one more smile, the woman went away, taking her two friends with her.

"Well, she seemed very kind," said Harusuke. "Can't say the same about her two friends, though."

The artist sighed either from relief or exasperation, which made Usagi instinctively apologize.

"I-I'm sorry! I probably shouldn't have butted in the way I did. I didn't make things worse, did I?"

The artist then smiled. "Not at all. In fact, I appreciate you defending me," he said. "And to show my gratitude, how about I draw a portrait of you?"

"Oh, no! You don't have to do that!" Usagi spoke flusteredly. "Besides, I don't have any money on me!"

"Neither do I," said Harusuke.

"Don't worry. I won't charge you anything," said the artist. "Like I said, it's my way of saying thank you for your kindness and complimenting my artwork."

"Come on, Usagi! Go for it!" urged Chibiusa. "It'd love to see him draw you! Besides, it'd be a shame to turn away his offer."

Usagi was a bit hesitant, but she agreed.

At the Dead Moon Circus Tent, the Amazon Quartet had Zircon cornered at the ring. The poor little eyeball with wings was trembling with fear as the four girls glared at it, visibly annoyed.

"Hey! Zircon! We've got a bone to pick with you!" snarled JunJun. "Ever since we came to this backwater planet, you've been giving us bad leads!"

"PallaPalla agrees!" she said as she grabbed Zircon by the wings. "And no thanks to that, we've lost the Amazon Trio, and she really liked those guys!"

"I know, right?!" VesVes chimed in crossly. "Not to mention you've been doing the same to us, too! So, we think it's time you stop screwing around and do your job properly! And if we get Granny Zirconia mad because of you, we'll pluck your wings and eat you for dinner!"

"And we mean it this time," added CereCere with a wink. "I'm told that eyeballs go great with some toast."

Zircon frantically failed at that threat, but luckily, Zirconia appeared right then and there.

"You're the ones that need to stop screwing around!" she snapped. "You girls are almost as bad as the Amazon Trio! And besides, it's because of their failures that they're dead and gone, so stop blaming Zircon! If you have time to play the blame game, you have time to search for Pegasus! Speaking of which, here's your next target!"

Zircon then flew over to Zirconia and, while resting staff, conjured a photograph that turned out to be of the artist that Usagi and her group met.

The old hag threw it over to the four, and CereCera caught it.

"It looks like he's a painter," observed VesVes. "And a pretty plain-looking one at that."

CereCere, on the other, was excited when she saw the picture. "Ooh! A painter!" she said eagerly. "I'll be taking this one, girls!"

Then, Tennebris stepped forth from the darkness.

"CereCere, shall I accompany you on your mission?" the dark soldier offered.

"Yes, you may, Tenebris," said CereCere. "After all, for what I had in mind to steal this artist's dreams, I will need a loyal servant such as you to help me."

"All right. What's gotten you so interested in that guy, CereCere?" JunJun asked suspiciously. "You into those kinds of guys or something?"

"Nothing like that," said CereCere. "I just thought it'd be nice for a young man like him to paint a beautiful portrait of me in all my lovely glory. Might as well reap the benefits of his talent."

Back at the park, Usagi once again found herself sitting while holding still and carrying a pork bun in her hand while the artist got to work painting on his notepad and easel. As he did, Chibiusa, Harusuke, and Luna watched.

"Wow, you're so good!" said Chibiusa. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone draw that well!" She gave Usagi a look. "But did you seriously have to pose while holding a pork bun?"

"Well, I figured I'd try something different," said Usagi. "I thought my face would look happier if I was about to eat something."

"Well, as long as she's not complaining about keeping still, I don't see any problems," said Harusuke.

"Yes, as long as she's comfortable, I don't mind either," the artist said. "She does make it seem like she's happy having that pork bun and makes eating it look tasty, too."

"See? Told you!" Usagi said proudly.

Then, a loud grumble from someone's stomach came, making everyone go silent. It didn't come from Usagi, Harusuke, or Chibiusa. As it turned out, it came from the artist, who now stared hungrily at Usagi with her pork bun.

"Looks like someone's getting hungry," smiled Harusuke. "Why don't you take a break, sir? We were actually going to have some pork buns. You can join us if you'd like."

The artist was a bit shy but happily accepted the invitation.

They all sat on the bench and enjoyed some pork buns. As they ate, the artist quickly finished one pork bun after the other, taking two bites each to finish before swallowing, much to the bewilderment of Usagi's group.

"Oh, man, you sure got a healthy appetite," commented Usagi. "You must have been starving."

The artist quickly recollected himself. "O-Oh! Sorry about that!" he apologized. "I guess I've been so busy with painting that I haven't eaten anything for hours."

"There's no need to apologize," soothed Chibiusa. "Eat as much as you want. We bought plenty."

"I appreciate that," smiled the male. "Oh, by the way, my name's Kamoi Tanaka. It's nice to meet all of you."

"Nice to meet you," Usagi and the others greeted back.

"So, Kamoi, why were you willing to give that last customer your painting for free after how those other two ladies were so mean to you?" wondered Usagi. "If it was me, I would have given you the total price with how talented you are."

"Well, thank you, I appreciate that," said Kamoi. "But as much as I hate to say it, those girls were right. Even though the woman from before liked it, it wasn't good enough."

"What makes you say that?" wondered Harusuke.

"Well, as you may or may not be aware, most artists these days have their work critiqued by a critic," explained Kamoi. "Once they do, their reviews usually help you get revenue, royalties, and even get your art put on galleries. However, if you can't get it critiqued, not many people will even give your art a glance if it's not officially reviewed by a critic."

"So, why don't you get a critic to critique your work then?" asked Chibiusa.

"Believe me, I've tried," said Kamoi. "But as you would expect, most critics' words carry a lot of weight these days, and they have a standard they believe every artist should follow to be deemed art or good enough to be recognized by them. Sadly, those girls from before are two of the many who believe that standard. If you don't have your art critiqued, it's not worth looking at. Because of that, many artists are forced to conform to their standards and try to make their art the same as everyone else's just so they can get their approval."

He paused briefly, looking forlorn, before smiling, and then he looked up at the sky.

"But, you see, when I was little, I loved to paint and show what I did to my parents. It didn't matter if it was ugly-looking or strange. When they saw what I did, loving what I painted, even on their gloomiest days. That soon developed into my biggest dream, to someday be a famous artist who makes art to inspire people and make them smile just as they did. So, naturally, getting a critique would be a step to getting my art noticed, and I could be making more money than I do right now. However, I'm not about sacrificing my uniqueness to satisfy someone else's tastes. Or how can I call myself an artist?"

The Tsukinos stared at Kamoi in amazement, feeling touched by his words.

"He's an artist, all right," Usagi thought as she smiled.

Then Chibiusa realized something as she took out her sketchbook. "Say, Mr. Kamoi? Can you look at this?" she asked as she showed him her drawing of Usagi. "Is this any good? Be honest."

Kamoi took a look at the drawing. "Well, it could use a bit more work," he said thoughtfully. "But I also think that your picture looks great. From looking at it, I can tell it was drawn with lots of love. You must really love your big sister."

Usagi and Chibiusa's faces went pink with embarrassment.

But as they were busy with Kamoi, they didn't see that they were being watched by CereCere, who smiled interested before walking away.

A little while later, the Tsukinos met up with the other guardians at the Hikawa Shrine, wanting them to see the finished product of Kamoi's painting of Usagi. When they saw it, they were amazed as well.

"Amazing! This Kamoi person is very good!" remarked Rei. "He's captured all of your likeness, Usagi!"

"I know, right?" smiled Usagi. "I still can't believe that with all his talent, people won't even give him a chance!"

"Was he always at the park?" Ami questioned Harusuke.

"Not sure," said Chibusa. "But it's safe to assume he's been there for a while and making little money from the looks of it."

"And he seems less than confident about his work, too," said Harusuke. "All because his art hasn't been reviewed by a critic."

"Is that so?" said Minako. "In that case, maybe I'll have him paint me, too!"

"Me too!" Makoto also chimed in. "I have a lot of photos of me back at my place, but having a painting or a drawing of me would be really special."

"In that case, I've got an idea," said Harusuke. "How's about we all go to the park and have Kamoi draw all of us tomorrow? It'd be a great chance to show off his work to other people, and we'd be showing our support for him, too."

"Yeah!" the girls happily agreed.

Back with Kamoi, he was packing up for the day and getting ready to head home. But as he was packing up his paintings and supplies, a black and fancy-looking car pulled up. As Kamoi looked back in surprise, the driver, a young man wearing a violet tuxedo and a white back with a blue face painted on, went over to the back seat and opened the door as a red carpet rolled out, completely unfurling just a few inches away from his feet.

Then, a young woman stepped out, wearing an elegant yellow dress, a red jacket, and a white sun hat with a yellow ribbon. The woman was, of course, and the male was Tenebris, disguised in human garb.

"How do you do, good sir?" greeted CereCere. "You must be Kamoi Tanaka. I've heard quite a lot about you being a talented painter, so I came here today to see you. I have a proposition for you. One that should be very tempting for you."

Kamoi felt skeptical. "I'm listening," he said doubtfully.

"You're looking for approval from a critic to get your art out to the public, correct? Well, I have the perfect solution for you," said CereCere. "You should let me pose for you and give you the honor of doing my portrait."

Kamoi stared at CereCere.

CereCere then laughed, similar to a noblewoman. "Now, you do not need to get so excited!" she said proudly. "I'm sure this must be a big honor for you. And you don't need to worry about supplies. Money is no object."

But Kamoi was the opposite of excited and resumed putting his stuff away, paying no attention, making CereCere grow annoyed. But she kept calm.

"I can understand if this would seem too good to be true," she continued. "But I can explain the rest at my mansion if you'd like."

"Pardon me for saying so, Miss, but I get the feeling you inherited a lot of wealth, correct?" said Kamoi. "While you may have gotten a lot of money, it's rude to flaunt what you have even though you didn't earn it yourself. So, forgive me if I'm being rude, but I'm afraid you'll have to hire someone else."

CereCere grew all the more annoyed. "He's a tougher nut to crack than I expected," she thought. "In that case, I should change my approach."

She then put on her best apologetic face. "Please forgive me. I got a bit carried away," she said with empathy. "The truth is, I lost my father not too long ago. He was a devoted art dealer and critic. He strongly wanted to help struggling artists like you who have talent and want nothing more than to show it to the world and be recognized. And as his daughter, I want nothing more than to carry on his mission and help people like you realize their dreams." Her eyes welled up with tears. "So, please! Won't you come with me to my mansion? If you do, I promise I will help you share your art with the world, get you the recognition you deserve, and paint to your heart's content!"

She then turned away, sobbing while hiding her face.

Kamoi couldn't help but feel bad for the girl and wanted to help her. "Well… the least I can do is hear you out before heading home," he said kindly. "So, please don't cry anymore."

CereCere turned around, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Oh, thank you so much!" she said happily.

But as Kamoi proceeded to get in the car, she couldn't help but secretly smile impishly.

"I've got him now."

The next day, Usagi, Harusuke, and Chibiusa returned to Juuban Park with the other guardians. They were all eager to see Kamoi and to have their portraits drawn.

"So where does Kamoi hang out?" wondered Makoto.

"We're almost there," replied Chibiusa. "He should be right by the bench close to the walkway."

But when they arrived at the location, they were surprised to notice that Kamoi wasn't there.

"What the? He's gone," observed Harusuke.

"That's odd," murmured Usagi. "I wonder where he could have gone?

"Maybe he's running late today," suggested Ami. "Or perhaps he's decided to take the day off and stay home."

"Aw, man. Talk about bad timing," sighed Minako with disappointment.

Then, Rei suddenly burst out in anger, causing everyone to jump.

"You've got to be kidding me! I came all this way to get my portrait done, and you're telling me he just disappeared?!" She then glared at the odango blonde. "Usagi, what's going on here?!"

"How the heck should I know?!" Usagi snapped back. "I'm telling you, he was here yesterday!"

"Oh, really?" Rei glowered ominously. "Isn't it just convenient that you're the only one who's gotten a portrait done!"

Everyone couldn't help but back off of Rei nervously.

"Whoa, calm down there, Rei," Makoto spoke while trying to ease her anger. "You don't have to get so worked up about it."

"Yeah, that's right," Minako squeaked nervously. "You're kinda freaking us out."

"Are you guys kidding?!" Rei snapped as she struck a pose and switched to a serene and elegant expression. "If artists miss the moment to paint this sweet and beautiful Rei, what else could they paint?"

Everyone could only stare blankly at the girl.

"And, once again, Rei's vanity meter has gone up another notch!" said Harusuke. "Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!"

"Shut up, Harusuke! Who are you calling vain?!" snapped Rei. "Anyway, let's split up and look for him!"

"Is she being serious right now?" groaned Usagi.

"I'm afraid she is," sighed Artemis.

Meanwhile, at a mansion, Kamoi had been busily at work, painting CereCere's portrait after making a deal with her. The deal was that CereCere would introduce him to a critic in exchange for doing the painting and reward him handsomely for his work.

The portrait was of CereCere sitting on a fancy chair against the wall, and Kamoi was almost finished.

"How's it coming along?" asked CereCere. "Is it almost finished yet?"

"Just about," said Kamoi. "I just need to add some final touches, and I should be finished. In the meantime, I must make a quick trip to the washroom. I'll be right back."

He then got up and left.

Then, CereCere, growing impatient with excitement, got up and inspected the painting. But when she saw it, she was rather annoyed and disappointed instead of being happy.

"Oh, my. This doesn't look anything like me," CereCere said with disdain.

Tenebris also came over to inspect. "Are you sure about that, CereCere?" he wondered. "I think he's captured your likeness very well."

"Come now, Tenebris. Surely, that mask you're wearing is making you blind," scoffed CereCere. "My eyes are much more cuter than that. But no matter, I can fix that right now."

Then, while snapping her fingers and pointing at the painting with her index finger, she used her powers to adjust the eyes in the painting to her liking.

"There, now it looks much better," CereCere said. "But… now that I'm looking at it, I think there are other things that could use some adjustments on this painting. What do you think, Tenebris?"

"I'm not someone who can give you a concrete answer," replied Tenerbis. "But you may do whatever you may believe to be right."

CereCere smiled. "In that case, I'll adjust some other things, too!" she chirped. "I'm sure this painter will be so grateful for my assistance. In this way, I can also contribute to this work of art!"

She then continued to use her powers to make other adjustments to the painting while Tenebris stood quietly, not saying a word.

Usagi, Chibiusa, and Harusuke had been searching around the park for Kamoi, but none of them didn't see him anywhere. They eventually stopped to rest on a bench.

"Geez! This is ridiculous!" Usagi complained. "We've been looking all over, and we still haven't been able to find him!"

"I don't think we even know where to start looking," said Harusuke. "And knowing Rei's stubbornness, she won't want us to stop until we find Kamoi." He then glanced at the painting on Usagi's hand. "The only clue we got is that painting he drew."

"Yeah, but it's not like we wrote his address on it," said Usagi as she looked at the painting. "I'm not sure how else we'll find him."

Then, as she was about to say something, Chibiusa noticed something on the back of the painting, which turned out to be written words.

"Hey, you guys. There's something written here," she said as she took the painting. "It looks like a letter."

"A letter?" Usagi and Harusuke questioned.

Chibiusa then read the letter aloud.

"Dear Tsukinos,

I can't thank you enough for your kindness with the pork buns. I've encountered many customers who have either been argumentative or cordial, but you were the first ones in a while who made me feel special. I was a bit too shy to thank you back then, but I will never forget the taste of the pork buns and the kind words you've given me for as long as I live.

Thank you very much, and I will always be eternally grateful,

Kamoi."

The three couldn't help but feel touched.

"Wow, it was very nice of him to write us this letter," murmured Harusuke.

"I know," agreed Chibiusa with a heartfelt smile. "I wish I could see him again."

"Then, how's about we keep looking for him?" suggested Usagi. "I feel the need to thank him for the painting again."

Harusuke and Chibiusa agreed.

Then, Luna approached them.

"Usagi! Harusuke! Chibiusa! There you three are!" the black feline said. "I need you guys to come with me for a second."

"Why?" wondered Usagi. "Do you know where Kamoi is?"

"No, but something urgent has come up," said Luna. "And I need you three to come with me as a precaution."

Luna then led the Tsukinos to the mansion where CereCere, Tamoi, and Tenebris were inside. As they stood just outside of the gates, they looked around.

"Hey, Luna? Why did you bring us here?" asked Harusuke.

"While looking for Kamoi, I happened to stumble across this place," said Luna. "But that's not all. I'm sensing an evil aura emanating inside of that mansion."

This made the Tsukinos grow alert.

"You think the enemy could be in there?" questioned Chibiusa.

"If they are, there's a chance that someone could be in trouble," said Usagi. "And I wouldn't be surprised if Kamoi might have ended up in their clutches, too."

"Then, let's go and investigate," said Harusuke. "I'm all for kicking some Dead Moon Circus butt!"

Luna then squeezed into the gaps between the bars, and Harusuke was about to follow suit, but then Usagi and Chibiusa quickly grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

"Wait a minute, you two! You can't just go barging in there!" Usagi squeaked. "I know you both may suspect something, but we'll get in hot water if we just go in there without permission!"

"Come on, Usagi. Since when have you been the kind to not rush in without thinking?" said Harusuke. "We do this all the time."

"In case you haven't noticed, this isn't the first time you've snuck into someone's property without permission," said Luna. "Besides, this isn't the time to be picky. Now, come on."

Harusuke then squeezed through the bars, and knowing they were right, Usagi and Chibiusa followed suit.

Back inside, Kamoi had returned from his bathroom break and was ready to start painting again. But when he entered the main room, he saw a sight that surprised him.

CereCere and Tenebris now stood before what appeared to be his painting, but it now hung on the wall with a frame and looked very different from how he had done it.

The eyes were now bright green, the background was an emerald green with beams of sunlight, and the expression was more serene.

"It's truly wonderful!" marveled CereCere. "I'm absolutely in love with it!"

"I agree," said Tenebris.

But Kamoi wasn't as happy. "Wh-What is this?!" he exclaimed. "That wasn't how I painted it!"

"Oh, Kamoi. Glad you're here," said CereCere. "I hope you don't mind, but I made a few changes to the painting due to some… imperfections."

"You did what?!" Kamoi burst out indignantly. "How could you do something like that?!"

CereCere was a bit taken aback by his outburst. "Why are you getting so upset? All I did was improve a bit. You should be grateful. After all, your art must be perfect to become a famous artist, and thanks to me, it does."

"No! I'm not grateful at all!" Kamoi snapped crossly. "It's one thing to tell me that my art is imperfect, but to go as far as to change it behind my back without giving me my consent or feelings?! By doing so, you've disrespected me and my art!"

But CereCere didn't seem to care. "You still don't understand, do you?" she scoffed. "If painting is your passion, and you want to get noticed by people and critics alike to become a famous artist, then you must give them what they want and follow their standards. Both figuratively and literally. And if I didn't like how you had the painting initially, what makes you think others will?"

Kamui glared.

"But hey. If you want to return to the life of a penniless artist, your decision makes no difference to me," shrugged CereCere. "If you aren't willing to conform to the standards, then you might as well throw away the dream you've been working so hard to achieve." She then gave him a smug look. "I have the wealth and the standing to get you whatever you need to achieve what you deserve, but only if you're willing to conform. So, what will it be, Kamoi?"

There was a long silence as Kamoi stood there, clenching his fists. Then, after a few seconds, he gave his response.

"I'm sorry, but if that's what it's going to take, then I can't go through with this," he said. "Everything you said is pretty much true, but I also disagree. Sure, most critics have particular tastes and won't like my art, and that's fine. However, there are some out there in the world who will! And I firmly believe that someone will come to appreciate my art just the way it is! Who are you to tell me anything?!"

CereCere was surprised.

"I seriously thought that you were someone that understood that given what you told me about your father," Kamoi went on bitterly. "But it seems that I was mistaken. Therefore, the deal's off."

He promptly approached the painting and took it down from the wall, much to CereCere's shock.

"And for the record, I may be forsaking my chance, but there will be others. I'm not willing to sacrifice my dream or integrity as an artist just to suffer under a snobbish noblewoman like you! Good day to you, madam."

Kamoi then turned on his heel and started storming away when CereCere began to chuckle ominously, prompting him to stop, believing she was mocking him. "Something funny?" he questioned.

"I just find it amazing, is all," said CereCere. "Despite it all, you still refuse to let go of your dream, which means it must be quite beautiful."

At that moment, CereCere shed her disguise, catching Kamoi by surprise, while Tenebris did the same in a burst of violet flames.

"Wh-What are you people?!" Kamoi exclaimed.

"Nothing you need to be concerned about," said CereCere. "All you need to do is let me see your beautiful dream!"

She summoned her stone and billard pole and took aim, preparing to launch it. But as she was about to, three voices interrupted her.

"Hold it right there!"

CereCere, Kamoi, and Tenebris looked up, and standing on the window sill were Super Sailor Moon, Super Sailor Chibi Moon, and Solaris.

"How dare you deceive a poor and pure-hearted artist trying to make an honest living?!" scowled Super Sailor Moon.

"And to not only disrespect his hard work but also belittle his dream just to satisfy your ego!" frowned Solaris. "That alone is unforgivable!"

"We're the guardians who fight for love and justice!"

"I'm Sailor Moon!"

"And I'm Sailor Chibi Moon!"

"And I'm Solaris!"

"And now, in the name of the Moon, we'll punish you!"

"And in the name of the Sun with my blinding rays, I'll scorch you!"

"Oh, my. If it isn't the three uneven stooges," CereCere spoke unmoved.

"Hey! Who are you calling uneven?!" barked Super Sailor Moon.

"Yeah! It may be true she's uneven in certain places, but it's not her fault!" Super Sailor Chibi Moon also spoke indignantly. "So you could stand to be a little nicer!"

Now, Super Sailor Moon was angry with Super Sailor Chibi Moon. "She called us that because you're such a shrimp!" she snapped.

"I can't help that! I'm just a kid!" Super Sailor Chibi Moon argued back.

"Now, now. Stop it. Both of you," mediated Solaris. "Can't you two just get along, please?"

CereCere, Kamoi, and Tenebris could only stare blankly at this exchange until CereCere cut in.

"Um, excuse me. Do any of you three like playing billiards?" the amazoness asked sweetly.

The three heroes looked at each other.

"What are billiards?" Super Sailor Moon asked.

"I think it's that game with balls and sticks," said Super Sailor Chibi Moon.

"It's basically another fancy way of asking if we play pool," confirmed Solaris.

CereCere, taking her chance, aimed her stone at them. "You are correct!" she said with a smirk. "TAMA-TSUKI!"

She then fired her stone with a sharp thrust of her stick, launching it straight toward the guardians. Immediately, the Guardians moved out of the way, managing to avoid it, but the stone ended up ricocheting around the room until it hit Kamoi right on his back, shooting his dream mirror right out of his chest.

"No! Kamoi!" Super Sailor Moon cried.

Solaris summoned his sword and charged at CereCere, but as she did, Tenebris barred his way, their swords colliding in a sharp metal clang.

"Geez, we got to stop meeting like this!" grunted Solaris as he pushed his sword.

"Would you rather have me send you an invitation?" Tenebris asked as he pushed back. "I make it a habit of being considerate."

But while they confronted each other, CereCere took the opportunity to inspect the dream mirror, which, as you would expect, didn't have Pegasus.

"Drat. Just another beautiful dream from a talentless artist," she said huffily. "How upsetting."

"That's not true!" barked Super Sailor Chibi Moon. "That man is a talented artist! You're just too blind to see it!"

"Whatever! I have no use for his mirror anyway!" CereCere scoffed. "Now, arise, my flower lemures, Toge-Toge, the dream-eating rose!"

From her shadow, a lemures emerged. It was feminine with purple skin and a large yellow rosebud on her head. Her torso was a bush with her arms jutting at the sides covered in long aqua-colored sleeves. Her stomach and abs were just a green and thorny stem. Her lower was a pot of soil with her legs coming out from the sides, making it seem like she was wearing a diaper and had yellow roses with brown pumps at her feet.

"Now, TogeToge! I want you to eat that dream mirror!" ordered CereCere.

"No!" the three guardians yelled.

But TogeToge took one look at the dream mirror and turned her head away in disgust, saying, "You expect me to eat that? No way!"

Super Sailor Moon, Chibi Moon, and Solaris stared blankly at TogeToge. Even Tenebris couldn't help but glance at the lemures for what she said.

CereCere, however, was even more annoyed. "What was that?!" she snarked.

"I said I refuse to eat that dream mirror!" TogeToge said stubbornly. "That guy's dream is about being an artist, right? Well, sorry to say, I don't find that appealing. Now, I would probably reconsider if it was about being a gardener."

CereCere then angrily stomped over to TogeToge, snatched the dream mirror, and tried to force it down its throat while it tried to push her away.

"Since when have you been so picky!" CereCere snarled as she struggled. "You'll eat it, and you'll like it!"

"What are you doing?!" TogeToge cried out. "I said I don't want to eat it, and I don't want to!"

Everyone could only stare at the exchange in awkward silence.

"Well, this is unexpected," commented Solaris.

"Well, I guess… this is our chance," said Super Sailor Moon. "Let's do it, Chibi Moon."

And so, the two Super Moon Guardians summoned their Moon Kaleidoscopes, and while taking aim, they each unleashed their finishing move.

"MOON GORGEOUS MEDITATION!"

As they both unleashed their attacks, CereCere saw it coming and teleported herself out of the way, letting TogeToge take the full brunt of the attack, which destroyed her instantly.

CereCere then scowled at the guardians. "You may have won today, but it won't be like this next time. Come, Tenebris."

And with her stone enlarging and obscuring her body, she was gone.

Tenebris jumped back from Solaris, and in a burst of violet flames, he was gone, too.

"Well, since they're gone, what do you say we put back Kamoi's mirror?" suggested Solaris as he put away his blade.

"I agree," said Super Sailor Moon. "Hopefully, when he wakes up, he'll think this has been one big dream."

Super Sailor Chibi Moon then noticed the portrait of CereCere. "And what do you say we get rid of that?" she asked while pointing. "It looks completely tacky."

"Even I have to agree with that," said Luna. "And I don't even need to be an artist."

A little bit later, Kamoi regained consciousness, a bit dizzy, but OK. Then, a voice came.

"Well, look who's finally up. Glad to see you're looking better."

Kamoi looked up and saw the three guardians standing close to the window.

"You're the people who saved my life!" he spoke gratefully.

"And we're happy to see you're OK," smiled Super Sailor Moon.

"You know, you were brave when you stood up for your dreams the way you did," said Super Sailor Chibi Moon. "But aren't you sad you didn't get what you wanted?"

Kamoi shook his head. "Not really. But I wouldn't take back those words for a second. I may have been desperate when I believed that woman's lies, but my integrity as an artist is something not even money or fame can buy. And I firmly believe I'll find a critic who will know that too and appreciate my art just as it is."

He then bowed at the guardians.

"Thank you all so much for saving my life. I'm truly grateful."

The guardians smiled at him. Then, while leaping through the window, they took the sky, taking their leave.

The next day, Usagi and their group were all with Kamoi at Juuban Park, getting all their portraits done. But as they were admiring their finished products, Rei was complaining.

"What?! This doesn't look anything like me!"

Usagi took one look at Rei's portrait and flatly stared. "It looks exactly like you."

"Aw, come on! My eyes look much cuter than this!" Rei lamented. "Mr. Kamoi, can you please make it better?"

"Come on, Rei. It looks fine," Harusuke said. "Personally, it perfectly captures your beauty and cuteness in all the correct places. If Kamoi had to redo it, you'd be doing yourself a disservice because you're fine the way you are."

Rei went red from the compliment as she poked her fingers. "Y-You really think so?" she said shyly.

"But if you still don't like it, I'd suggest carrying a mirror around wherever you go," Usagi said cheekily. "That way, you'll know enough to bring you down to reality."

Rei immediately grabbed Usagi the collar of her shirt and started shaking her wildly. "What was that?!" she growled.

Everyone else couldn't help but sigh.

"Those two are completely hopeless," groaned Luna.

Then, Chibiusa approached the young painting while holding a scroll of paper. "Say, Kamoi, could you look at this?" she asked politely. "I really want you to see it."

Kamoi gave the little girl his attention, and when Chibiusa unfurled it, he couldn't help but marvel.

It was the same picture of Usagi she had drawn earlier, but it was fully colored and shaded in.

"Wow! That looks terrific!" Kamoi complimented. "You did such a good job!"

"I know," smiled Chibiusa. "And since you helped me with this, I want you to have this painting."

Kamoi's eyes widened. "No, I couldn't!" he couldn't help but gasp. "I can't accept something so valuable!"

"But I want you to," insisted Chibiusa. "You were the first to say you like it, so it's fine."

Kamoi then smiled and gratefully took the painting. "Thank you so much, Chibiusa," he said. I'll keep it as a memento and as a reminder. By the way, did you give this painting a name?"

Chibiusa smiled. "I did, but keep it a secret between us," she said. "I decided to call it "The Person I Look Up to the Most."