Sailor Moon Episode 88

Episode title: Blinded by Love's Light

Original American Airdate: 6/19/2000

Original Canadian Airdate: 9/30/2000

Dr. Tomo was in his lab, preparing a syringe. He injected a Daimon pod, which was still an ovum. Kaorinite came up behind him.

"You're back already, Kaori?" He said, smiling.

"Yes." Kaori replied. "I have to get the crystals out of the pure hearts of young lovers."

Dr. Tomo held the test tube containing his latest Daimon pod to his face. Kaori asked for another Daimon pod. Dr. Tomo wondered how many pods Kaori would use before she succeeded. He poured the ovum into a beaker and the ovum was pelted with white bubbles. He lectured Kaori on how they couldn't get the Purity Force with the Sailor Scouts in the way. Kaori knew that and volunteered to supervise the mission. He gave her the new Daimon pod when it burst out of its beaker.

"Thank you, Dr. Tomo." Kaori said, disappearing.

Meanwhile, Crossroads Jr. High rang its bells as a signal for home time. All the students went home, but Serena. She walked over to a small alleyway, and wondered where Melvin was.

"I could've sworn I saw him run in here." She said to herself. Melvin popped out behind a corner, and Serena followed him.

"What are you doing hiding in there?" She asked.

"I have to talk to you and you alone." Melvin said.

"So what's it all about?" Serena asked.

"I want to talk to you about Molly." Melvin replied. "Something's wrong."

Melvin tried to explain it. It seemed that Molly was starting to hide something, or get more distant. Melvin suspected that she had another boyfriend.

"I can't believe I cooked her fried shrimp everyday for her school lunch!" He cried. "She said it was her favorite too!"

Melvin held up a shrimp.

"It was a secret recipe I invented for her! It was a labour of love for her!"

"Yes, I see, Melvin." Serena replied. "You look really upset about it."

Serena said that she would discretely ask Molly what is going on.

"Great, Serena." Melvin replied, swallowing a shrimp. "Thanks for the help."

Later, Serena was sitting with Molly by a fountain.

"Listen, Molly." Serena finally said. Molly looked up at her. "What's happening with Melvin?"

Molly said that it seemed like Melvin was keeping something from her.

"Seems like you're both feeling the same way." Serena said. Molly looked at her confused. Serena let it go, and asked Molly what the big secret was.

"Maybe he's got a new girlfriend or something." Molly replied. Serena laughed, saying that Melvin couldn't have another girlfriend. He wasn't that much of a hunk.

"True enough, Serena!" Molly shouted, standing up. "But you don't have to dis him! He's a really sweet guy!"

Serena apologized, and Molly just ran off. Serena just looked as Molly ran away.

"I can see Molly's worried about him too." Serena said to herself. "Well! That's it then! Serena to the love rescue! I'll be sure to their minds at rest for them! And I know just who can help me with this!"

It was Raye that Serena thought of first. Serena immediately ran to Raye's house and let her in on the situation.

"Well, there's no real problem between these two." Raye said. "They really like each other. We just have to make sure they know about it."

Raye knew exactly how to make sure that Melvin and Molly knew that they loved each other. Her idea was a love contest.

"If they win the grand prize, they get to light the heart-shaped monument that's the symbol of Heart World!" Raye said.

Serena wanted to enter, but Raye said that they shouldn't even think of it. It was only for Molly and Melvin to enter. Serena was clueless of course, but Raye told her that if anyone else won, it would ruin the plan they had just discussed.

Meanwhile, Molly and Melvin were dashing to meet Serena somewhere. When they arrived, Serena led them towards the heart-shaped monument. She was stopped by a sign. Behind her, Molly and Melvin caught up. When asked what was wrong, Serena revealed her plan to enter them in the contest. At that moment, both Molly and Melvin revealed that they had gotten tickets to the contest. They looked at each other blushing.

"Well you see," Melvin said, "I was going to enter the True Affection contest with Molly."

"But why didn't you ask Molly to enter with you earlier?" Serena asked.

"Well I tried, but I felt like such a geek 'cause I thought she'd say 'no way'." Melvin replied.

Serena got enthusiastic about getting Molly and Melvin into the contest. Molly sighed, telling Melvin he blew it. Later that night, when Melvin finished brushing his teeth, he stretched his limbs.

"I've got to win that contest tomorrow!" He said. "I've got to be perfect! And there's no better way to achieve that than with sleep and relaxation."

Melvin went to sleep counting sheep. That night, no one noticed while a Daimon pod slipped itself into the heart monument. The next morning, Melvin was still counting sheep. Meanwhile, two souls had detected the energy given off by the Daimon pod.

"I feel it in my bones." Amara said. "There's something evil lurking 'round here."

"It means one of their awful Heart Snatchers will appear close by." Michele said.

"I think you're right." Amara replied. "But we can't ever let a Pure Heart Crystal fall into the wrong hands."

Later that day, Serena, Molly and Melvin had arrived for the contest. Melvin seemed to be warming up. Serena said he didn't look that hot, and Melvin faltered, but didn't fall. Just then, Serena spied her friends.

"What are you all doing here today?" Serena asked. The girls just said that they were there to cheer Melvin and Molly on. It was just then that Michele and Amara arrived. The girls wondered why they would enter in the contest.

"They're girls and cousins too." Serena said.

"Maybe they entered as a practical joke." Raye added.

Just then, the a voice announced that the contest was going to start. Serena and the girls ran to get places up near the front. When the contest started, Kaori watched from behind a tree while four couples competed onstage. The girls cheered on Molly and Melvin.

"Amara, I hope you win first prize!" Mina shouted. She was quickly reminded of who she was there to cheer.

The first round of the contest was for the guys to find the hand of their loved one. To make it challenging, a large row of closets with heart-shaped holes on the doors was put on the stage. Each girl stuck her hand out of the hole for the guy to guess. Amara made her guess really quickly.

"Amara wins this round." Serena said.

"I can't help hoping they'll win the contest." Amy said. "Their strong friendship is contagious."

The girls all looked at Amy, and Amy blushed bright red.

Onstage, the MC asked Amara the name of her friend. Amara replied with a simple "What?", and the MC was taken aback. He asked the name again, and Amara said that it was a personal question. The MC said that they had to follow a script, so Amara said "Michele". Sure enough, the door opened, and out stepped Michele. Next for their turn was Melvin. He thought about which hand would be Molly's. He remembered that Molly gave him a handkerchief and that Molly had a bandaid on it. Melvin went to the hand with a bandaid on the finger. He was wrong, and as he kept staring at the arm in disbelief, the girl inside the door punched him out.

What's he going on about? Molly thought to herself. I had a bandaid on my hand when I cut it six months ago!

Melvin hated his loss, mostly for the humiliation it caused Molly.

"I can't believe he'd take this contest so seriously." Amara said.

"Some people do, you know." Michele replied. "We shouldn't make fun of the poor guy. He seems to be very much in love with this girlfriend of his. He didn't enter the contest as a joke like we did."

Haruka looked ruefully off into space.

The next two rounds were a three-legged race and karaoke duet. Amara and Michele won those rounds. When Melvin got up to sing, he embarrassed her with his caterwauling. Amara thought he was pathetic. Michele agreed, but liked the fact that Melvin was pouring his heart and soul into everything he was doing.

"Yeah, that's one way of looking at it." Amara said with a smirk. Michele hoped that Molly and Melvin would win the contest.

The final round was called "The Depth of Affection". The object was to win the most applause by saying how much they loved their partner. Amara was up first.

"The show is over." She said. The MC was shocked. "I said we're dropping out of the contest. It was all a joke."

The MC, among stammering, asked Amara what she meant.

"We entered this silly True Affection contest as a practical joke. We never meant to make fun of real couples in love." Amara replied. "But now it looks like we might win it. We're stepping out in favor of love. Real love should win, because real love lives in pure hearts!"

With that, Amara and Michele left the stage, and the MC went on with the show. The next couple was up. The guy of the couple asked the girl to go away with him, and the girl agreed, hugging the MC instead of her boyfriend. The next couple said that love is like an uphill battle. The guy rushed at his girlfriend, but got pounded by a giant mallet wielded by his girlfriend. Last up were Molly and Melvin. The girls cheered him on. As he was about to start, he tripped on an electrical cable. He struggled to his knees.

"Oh, Molly!" He cried. "My favorite red-head! Your smile blinds me so much, I have to wear sunglasses at night. I'm always a total goofball. And I wonder if you think I'm worth the trouble I cause you, I really don't know. But if you do like me, just give me one smile so I don't feel so dumb. Your eyes on me are like a heat lamp on french fries. What's more, you're the ketchup too. I'm not very good with the words right now... but just your presence sweetens each day that passes. It's a gift I don't deserve, but I hope you'll go on giving it to me. Dear Molly, forever and ever... will you please stay my girl?"

Molly was in tears, but smiled the brightest smile she ever had.

"Melvin, of course I'll stay!" Molly said. The girls in the crowd were in tears too. The MC regained his composure, and motioned for the crowd to vote. The crowd erupted in a loud roar as they cheered on Melvin and Molly. Melvin and Molly had won. The backdrop of the stage fell to the ground, revealing the heart-shaped monument. Melvin went up to it and touched it.

Suddenly, a Heart Snatcher named Die Heart replaced the heart monument, and the crowd started to run. Melvin got in front of Molly to protect her. He pushed her out of the way as the Heart Snatcher's black star shot a black beam at him. Molly screamed as Melvin was hit by the beam. Serena, Amy, Raye, Lita and Mina transformed... right in front of Molly.

"MOON COSMIC POWER!"

"MERCURY STAR POWER!"

"MARS STAR POWER!"

"JUPITER STAR POWER!"

"VENUS STAR POWER!"

On the stage, Melvin's Heart Crystal was extracted. The Heart Snatcher had just acquired it when a voice rang out.

"Stop it!"

The Heart Snatcher looked up and saw Sailor Moon.

"Even if Cupid hadn't favored him, I'd never let a monster like you hurt him! I stand for love! I stand for justice! I'm Sailor Moon!"

"Sailor Mars!"

"Sailor Mercury!"

"Sailor Venus!"

"Sailor Jupiter!"

"And we'll punish you in the name of the moon!"

High above them hovered Kaori.

"Who are you?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Never mind who I am." Replied Kaori. "Young girls like you should have more fun."

Kaori snapped her fingers, and the Heart Snatcher leapt into action. It reached inside it's heart-shaped chest covering, and shot five stars. When they hit, they caused no harm, but an illusion. All around the Sailor Scouts were cute, successful men, each offering their hearts to the Sailors. The girls went and danced with the men. Suddenly, the men burst open into monsters, each trapping the Sailors in tendrils that began to shock them with energy. Kaori watched as the Heart Snatcher dropped to the ground, trying to get Melvin. Molly stood in the way, however. She was struck down easily by the Heart Snatcher. The Heart Snatcher picked up Melvin, and got ready to take his Heart Crystal. Just then, it was distracted by something.

"I help the ones who fight for love and justice! I'm Sailor Uranus!"

"I help the ones who fight for love and justice! I'm Sailor Neptune!"

Kaori descended next to the Heart Snatcher.

"Die Heart," she said, "you should introduce them to their dance partners."

Die Heart reached into its chest and got ready to attack.

"Don't bother." Uranus said. "We dance alone!"

"URANUS WORLD SHAKING!"

"The power of Uranus' attack dispelled the monsters that Die Heart had created.

"Bad timing for a little crush girls, sorry." Uranus said. Kaori chuckled.

"You're wasting your time fighting us like that." She said. "We can create as many Heart Snatchers as days in a year."

"There's another way to solve the problem!" Uranus said.

"Yeah, we'll just have to take care of you instead!" Neptune shouted. Kaori smirked. At the snap of a finger, a lightning bolt appeared above the two Sailors and barely missed them as they leaped out of the way.

"It doesn't pay to underestimate one's opponent." Kaori said. She disappeared. The Sailors were about to run for the crystal, but were stopped by Die Heart. Meanwhile, Uranus and Neptune inspected the crystal, but found nothing. They returned the Heart Crystal to Melvin, telling Molly to take care of him. Melvin's body came to life, and again, Molly's eyes welled up with tears.

Meanwhile, Die Heart got ready to attack, but Sailor Moon attacked first.

"MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!"

Die Heart screamed as the power of Sailor Moon's attack killed it. The heart monument was returned to its place, and the Daimon pod slipped out of it and broke. The black spirit inside was released, evaporating into the air.

The remnants of the crowd, which consisted mostly of the Serena and the girls, watched as Molly and Melvin lit up the heart monument.

"Happy ending." Raye said as the girls clapped.

"Yeah! You really are the romance doctor." Serena said.

"Look at him." Mina said. "He looks so happy."

"He should be, he did a good job." Lita said.

"I wish I had a boyfriend like him." Amy said. The girls all stared at her, and she looked down, embarrassed.

Molly was proud of Melvin for being so brave. He offered to make her some shrimp for lunch.

"Actually Melvin, I'm sick of shrimp." She said with a disgusted face. Melvin's smile faded.

"Just kidding, Melvin!" She said, laughing. Melvin laughed along with her.

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