Sailor Moon Episode 119

Episode title: Second Chance

Original American Airdate: 07/31/2000

Super Sailor Moon, with her Heart Crystal floating in front of her brooch, entered Pharoah Ninety's body, and with Sailor Saturn's help, tore it apart from the inside. Pharoah Ninety's essence collapsed, leaving nothing but a water-filled crater. On the horizon, the sun came up, signalling a new day. In the sky, glowing butterflies fluttered about, and converged to form into Sailor Moon. Her Heart Crystal remained where it was, and she was still in her Super form. The difference now, was that she was holding a baby. After a moment, Sailor Moon sank to her knees. Uranus and Neptune ran to her.

The other Sailor Scouts picked themselves out of the wreckage of Mugen School, and saw Sailor Moon on her own, kneeling on the ground. They helped her up, and made their way home.

At Serena's house, Rini remained asleep. When the sun shone on her, her eyes opened. She saw all the girls, the cats and Darien smiling at her. Rini asked why everyone was staring at her.

"Where's Hotaru? She's okay too?" She asked. Darien and Serena exchanged troubled glances. "How come she's not she with you?" Rini gripped her blankets.

"Actually Rini, we're not sure what's happened to Hotaru." Darien replied. "I'm sorry."

"She came here." Rini said. "In my dreams, she was Sailor Saturn. She came here, and said 'thank you'." She held back a sob.

Serena comforted Rini. "Don't be sad, Rini." She said.

"I'm sure everything's going to work out just fine for her." Said Darien.

Mina told Rini that Sailor Moon had saved Hotaru. They just didn't know where Hotaru was. Rini promised not to cry anymore. In mere minutes, she was dressed, and heading off to school. Serena looked on worried. Rini cheerfully skipped off in the distance.

"What's up, girl?" Luna asked. She and Artemis were perched on the front gate of Serena's house.

Serena looked on after Rini. "It's Rini." She said finally. "She's just faking everything's okay. But I know she's missing Hotaru all the time, and wants to get her friend back."

"She's scared, and doesn't want to trouble you." Artemis said. "She thinks you'll get carried away, and she doesn't want to burden you with her worries."

"Of course she's pretending it's not on her mind." Luna added. "As if she could ever fool us."

Serena continued her worried glance in the direction Rini had gone.

Artemis continued. "She's got Hotaru and Pluto on the brain as much as we do. Or more..."

"I won't give up looking for them." Serena said with determination. She looked down at her open palms. "I held little Hotaru in my arms with all my might." She said. "I'm gonna make sure she's safe and sound. And I won't rest until I do!"

As Rini rode the bus, she said to herself, "I hope I see you again soon, Hotaru." She recalled a lot of the things that she and Hotaru had done together. As the bus passed a cafe, she couldn't help noticing the yellow convertible out front.

Michele and Amara sat in a cafe. A bus passing by escaped their attention. Michele was feeding baby Hotaru with a bottle.

"She's so calm, considering her fate." Amara said.

"Yeah, and she loves to eat." Michele said lightly.

"She loves you too." Amara said.

"Babies love anyone who takes care of them and pays them attention." Michele said. "You should give it a try, Amara."

Amara politely refused the offer. She reminded Michele that destiny was awaiting. Michele agreed. She burped Hotaru, and they were on their way. As they sped their way to their destination, Amara couldn't help thinking about her encounter with Michele on the cruise liner, how she became Uranus, the discovery about her Heart Crystal...

At a hospital, a nurse led Michele down an empty hallway towards a patient's room, holding baby Hotaru. She knocked on the door, and opened it. Inside, a man was sitting in a wheelchair, staring outside. The man, with two broken legs, and a broken arm, was Dr. Tomo. He turn around when the nurse called his name, and faced the two women in the doorway.

"We've brought you a very special visitor, sir." The nurse said. "Someone you've mentioned quite a few times."

Michele took baby Hotaru, and handed the infant to Dr. Tomo. Both the infants, and Tomo's faces lit up. In the meantime, Amara was with a doctor, asking about Tomo's condition.

"Dr. Tomo has suffered severe emotional and mental trauma." The doctor said. "Fortunately, he's made extremely good progress with his rehabilitation exercises. We believe he'll be able to resume a normal life. However, the loss of memory is still a big issue. And it will take some time for the amnesia to disappear, if it does."

Dr. Tomo was rolling through the park in his wheelchair. Hotaru giggled, and Dr. Tomo said, "That's right, Sweet Pea, I agree completely."

Michele and Amara watched Tomo stroll off from behind a tree, as they were so apt at doing. Amara asked Michele if she was okay. Michele replied that she was going to miss Hotaru. Amara agreed, and said that they had to get ready for their last showdown. Michele agreed.

Later that day, Rini as at a large park, where children laughed and played. Rini coasted on her bicycle, looking off into space. Two girls came up behind her.

"You're such a grumpy pants!" One girl said.

"No, just daydreaming!" Rini responded. The three decided to bike ride together, but Rini's hat blew off. She stopped her bike to run after it.

"Why do I bother wearing these things?" Rini said to herself. "They're always blowing off." She climbed over the hill her hat had blown over, but stopped when a bright light suddenly shone in her path. She looked up to see the silhouette form of a Sailor Scout in her way. It was Sailor Pluto. Rini was elated to see her friend had returned.

"I've brought a message for you Rini, but I'm not really back." Pluto said. "I'm only here in your memory's eyes, and can't hug or touch you."

"Oh, I miss you, Pluto, so much!" Rini exclaimed. "My best friend Hotaru disappeared too. I don't have anybody left!"

Pluto looked at Rini almost sadly. "That's not true, little one." She replied. "You'll see. You're surrounded by them."

"And Hotaru?" Rini asked. "Is she safe? What happened?"

"There's no time to explain," Pluto said, "but Hotaru had two really bad creatures living in her. One was the Heart Snatcher's Mistress Nine, who tried to take over our future. The other was Sailor Saturn, the Dark Sailor Scout. Thanks to Sailor Moon, Hotaru has been freed, and has returned from the past to start over as a baby."

With that, Pluto disappeared, despite Rini's protests. Pluto wished Rini well as she disappeared from the girl's mind's eye. Rini fell to her knees, sobbing. She was suddenly distracted from it when she looked to the bottom of the hill, and noticed a man in a wheelchair. It was of course, Dr. Tomo, holding Hotaru and Rini's lost hat. Rini ran down the hill and to Tomo.

"Thanks, that's always blowing away." Rini said. She gasped when she saw baby Hotaru. She was elated on the inside that her friend had been returned, just as Pluto said she would be.

"She certainly likes you, Miss." Tomo said. "Those are her happy sounds." He stretched out his arm to Rini to hand her back her hat. Rini took it back, and thanked Tomo. Hotaru started reaching for it.

"She likes your hat, I think." Tomo said, chuckling a bit. "Sorry Sweet Pea, but we have to give it back, okay?"

Hotaru continued reaching for the hat. Rini reached out her hand to Hotaru, and Hotaru grabbed it. Rini thought to herself, I'm glad you're okay, and Tomo told her that she had only been with him since early that morning.

"What's her name?" Rini asked, feigning the lack of knowledge.

Tomo smiled. "Officially, Hotaru." He said. "But, Sweet Pea works too."

They both smiled and admired Hotaru for a moment. Suddenly, a nurse called for Dr. Tomo, as it was time for Hotaru's bottle. Before Tomo could leave, Rini asked him to wait a minute. She simply said it was nice to meet him. Tomo and his daughter rolled towards the hospital happily.

"Hotaru..." Rini said to herself as Tomo rolled away. "You're the best friend I've ever known." She wiped tears from her eyes. "Don't your forget it! Best friends are forever, Hotaru!"

That evening after school was out, Serena, Amy, Lita, Raye and Mina were searching the rubble for some trace of Hotaru. Amy was searching for the portal Pharoah Ninety once used to try to enter the Earth. Her computer found that it had been dismantled. Raye and Lita joined up with Amy and Mina, and found that niether group had found anything. They all looked at Serena, who was sitting silently, looking at the ground.

"Serena, come on, you've gotta cheer up!" Raye said. "You did all that you could! At least Hotaru's still alive!"

"Alive, and taken to who knows where!" Serena replied. "And by Sailor Scouts, too! Now, I can't even find any of them! I'm such a failure..."

Meanwhile, Luna and Artemis were searching the rubble, and saw Amara's car parked nearby, out of the bounds of the wreckage.

Michele played her violin. Serena stood up, hearing the song.

"I know that composter's song anywhere!" Serena said, once again mistaking the word "composer". She ran towards the sound, and spied Amara and Michele perched high atop a pile of broken cement. As she approached them, Amara threw a rock to stop Serena in her path. Serena looked at the rock, then back up to the pile. Michele and Amara were gone.

"Serena!" Michele's voice shouted. She emerged from behind a destroyed chunk of building. "We just want you to know we don't think you're a hero at all!"

"That's okay." Serena said. "I don't think I am either. But, what'd you do with Hotaru?"

Amara emerged from the shadows. "She's where she belongs is all we'll tell you." She said. "But you put the future at risk just for her!"

"She's a friend!" Serena replied. "I couldn't forget that!"

"You forgot the rest of us, and nearly destroyed this planet!" Michele said sternly as Serena fell to her knees. We can't forgive you for that!"

"You are not worthy..."

"... To be future queen of the Moon Kingdom! We won't allow it!"

"Why must you be so cruel?" Amy asked.

"I thought you guys were over it!" Mina added.

Raye said, "What you say is wrong."

"Quiet!" Lita said, running in front of the girls, as if to block them. "Don't listen to them! They're nothing but a couple of yesterday's Sailors, mad 'cause they didn't save the day! They're just jealous!"

"Dream on!" Shot Michele. "What we want is to set the record straight, then we're history!" Mina and Amy helped Serena to her feet.

"What do you mean, 'set the record straight'?" Raye asked. Michele said nothing, but help up her transformation pen. The girls stood their ground and taunted the two Outer Sailors.

"NEPTUNE STAR POWER!"

"URANUS STAR POWER!"

"Ready, Scouts?" Lita said. The girls nodded.

"JUPITER STAR POWER!"

"MARS STAR POWER!"

Serena protested, but the girls refused to listen.

"VENUS STAR POWER!"

"MERCURY STAR POWER!"

The Sailor Scouts stood between Neptune and Uranus, and Serena.

"Uranus! Neptune! We have no grudge against you." Sailor Venus said. "But you can't just go talking trash about our princess!"

"Sailor Moon did the best she could, and everyone knows it!" Mercury added.

Serena finally shouted. "You guys, stop it!" The Scouts stopped, and looked at Serena. "I don't want you guys to fight on account of me, alright?" She said, unsuccessfully holding back tears.

"You see?" Uranus said calmly. "Just a spineless jellyfish."

Jupiter asked Serena if she was going to let them talk about her like that. Serena said that one person's trash is another one's treasure, and she was treasuring what the two Outers were saying.

"I do cry and whine and cave a lot." She said. "I do. Still, I know I did the right thing! Even if Sailor Saturn was the Sailor of Destruction as you said, I had to save her! We're all linked by the gift of Planet Power! And I felt the warmth of her heart when I held her. She's pure sweetness... Uranus, Neptune, please don't pick this fight!"

"Give up your claim to the throne, and we'll leave in peace!" Neptune replied.

Luna and Artemis glared at the two traitors. "That's outrageous!"

"You've forced us!" Uranus said. "We fight until one side comes out victorious!"

Neptune smirked. "If you win, which won't be the case, then and only then will you be queen!"

Finally, in a moment of clarity, Serena realized what she had to do.

"MOON COSMIC POWER!"

The Outer Sailors were not impressed.

"NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!"

Sailor Moon took the hit, and was sent flying backwards. The other Sailors ran to her, but were stopped when a rose flashed and landed in their way. Tuxedo Mask appeared.

"Sailor Scouts, in growth, sometimes people have to have conflicts in order to for them to become what they are not!" Tuxedo Mask said. "Let them be! Let Sailor Moon face their doubts and hers!"

Sailor Moon rose slowly from the ground. She was a bit dusty, but otherwise unharmed.

"What? No tears or wailing wah wahs?" Uranus taunted.

"Yeah, where's the whimpering, Sailor Moon?" Neptune added.

"You're going to find out, unless you quit!" Sailor Moon shot back.

"URANUS WORLD SHAKING!"

Sailor Moon leapt out of the way of the shot, and landed behind Sailor Uranus. Neptune warned Uranus, and she turned around, trying to land a kick on Sailor Moon's face. Sailor Moon dodged, and Uranus released a flurry of kicks, all dodged by the nimble Sailor Moon. Sailor Uranus stopped attacking, and Sailor Moon stopped for a second to regroup. She had no time however, as Sailor Neptune came from behind her, and grabbed her arm. Neptune twisted Sailor Moon's arm, until Sailor Moon was in submission. Uranus charged towards Sailor Moon.

I am the Moon Princess! Sailor Moon thought. I am the ruler of the Moon Kingdom...

Suddenly, Sailor Moon's brooch began to glow brightly. Neptune's hand was promptly removed from Sailor Moon's arm, and Uranus and Neptune crashed into each other. When the dust settled, the two Outer Sailors were down, and Sailor Moon stood tall above adversity once again.

"You win, Princess." Uranus and Neptune said, getting up and then kneeling before Sailor Moon. They pledged their alleigance to the future queen of the Moon Kingdom.

"You have proven your worth beyond doubt, in the end." Neptune said. Uranus pledged their honor to the future Queen Serenity.

"Yes... but, the end?" Sailor Moon said.

"We could not leave this place without knowing who our leader truly was." Neptune replied.

"Now we have discovered the true Sovereign, and saved our future." Uranus continued. "If you allow us, we would like to continue our journey."

"The true Sovereign?" Sailor Moon said. "Who was it, finally?"

Uranus and Neptune rose, and couldn't help exchanging smiles.

Uranus said, "Someone very down to earth."

"Who sees goodness where others do not, and lights the way for them to follow." Neptune added. They both turned to leave. They said goodbye, and the Sailor Scouts watched them go.

"I'm glad we lost for once, don't you?" Neptune said as they both left the scene.

"Yes." Uranus replied. "I'm thinking that Hotaru wasn't the only one Sailor Moon saved. We've been giving a gift as well. I believe in her now."

"You guys." Sailor Moon said towards Neptune and Uranus. "Just one thing before you leave town. Where's Hotaru? Is she gonna be alright now?"

"I'm sure you'll meet again." Was Uranus' only reply.

Sailor Moon smiled. "You did take care of her! Thank you, Sailors!"

That day, Rini got off the bus, and ran into Darien's arms, as the girls watched happily. She was so much more than elated that her best friend had turned out to be alright. Amara and Michele sped in their car, and out to the horizon, where the sun swallowed seemed to swallow them in its warm and welcoming light.

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