Sailor Moon Episode 99

Episode title: Related by Destiny

Original American Airdate: 07/04/2000

Original Canadian Airdate:

Note: In some parts, Amara narrates her past, so they'll be in italics. Michele narrates too, so her narrations are in bold italics.

Amara was racing through a tunnel on her motorcycle, as fast as it could go.

Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to be as fast as the wind. My greatest wish was to fly beyond the sky, to let the wind carry me to new worlds, new adventures, new experiences. A new destiny.

Amara stopped her bike at the top of a hill overlooking a giant school campus.

I don't know why I wanted to escape my destiny so badly, but that's all I ever thought of. That's probably why I like speed so much. I figured if I couldn't change my destiny, I could try to outrun it.

A cold wind blew by, and Amara looked up at the sky at the passing clouds. An ominous feeling filled her soul.

Dr. Tomo was on a treadmill running as fast and hard as he could.

"They say exercise stimulates the old melon." Tomo huffed and puffed. "So, the faster I run, the faster my genius ideas will come!" He called Eudial and asked if they had a new target. Eudial did, and sent over her specifications for the Heart Snatcher. He put a hurdle into his oven, and sent the newly made Heart Snatcher to Eudial. Eudial was on her way, speeding out of a zoo.

"Meatball brain!" Raye teased.

"Did you say 'meatballs'? Mmm! Yummy!" Serena said. The girls were walking through the campus of their future high school. Or in Serena's case, hopeful future high school.

"I can't believe how huge this school is, guys!" Mina said. "It's so grown up!"

"And the volleyball team's amazing." Raye added. "You can play volleyball with the best of them here, Mina." Serena nodded. "Too bad you won't be around." Raye teased again. Serena gasped in surprise.

"For your information, I didn't get a rejection letter yet!" Serena growled. Raye told Serena to calm down. "Hey, they need me at the low end!" Serena said. "Cause it helps balance the grade curve!"

"You keep telling yourself that." Raye replied. The girls walked on without Serena, who once again, had a reason to fume. Serena walked along behind them.

"I'm sure they'll let you enroll, Serena." Amy said. Serena's face lit up.

"Oh! You think so?" She said.

"Sure! You just need to pass the entrance exam and you're in."

Serena suddenly stopped where she stood, with the smile frozen on her face.

"What have we told you about using the X word around her, Amy?" Raye said. Serena fainted. A little later, they were exploring the campus more.

"Thanks for nothing Raye, you could've at least caught me!" Serena said.

"It's not my fault you fainted!" Raye replied.

"You started it!"

"Did not!"

Mina stopped the quarrel when she looked out at the track field and saw a girl running swiftly. They looked out at her. She was identified as Elsa Grey, a high school record holder for track and field. Elsa went to the fountain and watered herself off. She glanced over and saw the girls.

"Go, Elsa!" They cheered in chorus. The girls took Elsa to a bench to relax and talk. She said it was great that the girls would be able to stay together if they went to the school. Lita hoped they all would make it. Suddenly, Mina and Lita jumped up off the bench, and looked at Elsa, who was sitting there, tightening and relaxing her fingers. She said it was a relaxation technique for her hands.

"You know," Raye said, pointing towards Serena, "Serena's the 'dash to the fridge' champ."

"And Raye's running at the mouth!" Serena shot back. Mina asked Elsa about her racing. Elsa said that she loved it, and mentioned a girl.

"You see," Elsa began, "there's this girl who's as fast as the wind. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't beat her. Every time I raced against her, I knew I'd lose. It was almost like she was running away from something, and there was no way to catch her. I figure if I work hard, maybe I'll run like the wind someday too."

Serena was amazed at Elsa's dedication. Just as Elsa and the girls parted ways, Eudial drove up by the campus and spotted Elsa. In the meantime, Amara was leaping through the bushed undetected. While the girls walked, Serena was excited about going to the school, and even trying out for the track team.

"Uh, first things first!" Raye said. "Don't you think you should make sure you're accepted before making plans?"

"Yeah, like coming to study buddies..." Mina began.

"And actually studying?" Lita ended.

"I know." Serena said. She promised to study. Just then, the girls heard Elsa scream. Eudial had Elsa pinned to a tree. Eudial fired her gun, but Elsa leapt out of the way. Eudial pursued Elsa and aimed again.

"What do you want from me?" Elsa said.

"Only your heart!" Came a voice. "But we're not about to let you pull a fast one on a great athlete, creep!" It was the Sailor Scouts. "Got it?" They said in chorus. They leapt down from the tree.

"We're Sailor Scouts!" They shouted. "Champions of Justice! We will right wrongs, and triumph over evil!"

"We'll see about that!" Eudial said. She raised a starting pistol, and the box in her car opened. Eudial fired the pistol, and out came the Heart Snatcher. On its torso was a giant sneaker. Eudial sent the Heart Snatcher at the Sailor Scouts. The Heart Snatcher charged quickly.

"VENUS LOVE CHAIN ENCIRCLE!"

Before Venus' Love chain could hit, the Heart Snatcher got a shoelace from itself, and entrapped the Sailor Scouts in it. Amara watched from behind a tree, and contacted Michele. Elsa tried to run, but Eudial's eye was dead on. She fired a second shot, and it hit Elsa square in the back. While her heart crystal was being extracted, Amara thought to herself.

Michele and I know Elsa Grey very well. I used to compete against her before I found out I was Sailor Uranus, and Michele was friends with her because they were in art classes together.

But that was when the visions of impending danger starting coming to both of us, and I was finally allowed to reveal my identity to Amara. To tell her that I was Sailor Neptune, and that she was Uranus. A Sailor Scout.

Amara thought back to a time that seemed so long ago.

"Ugh... not again." Amara said.

"They say you're fast as the wind." The racer next to her said. Amara was at the starting line of a track. "I hate to lose."

The race started, and from the very beginning, Amara shot forward, seemingly at the speed of light.

I felt guilty for winning those races, because they meant nothing to me. I was just trying to outrun the visions, and my destiny. But, Elsa was really committed to her sport. She poured her heart and soul into it, but I couldn't stop running. Because if I did, then everything would catch up to me; My past, my future, my destiny. And with the visions I had, I was afraid of what that destiny might be. So, I just kept up the search for speed.

The racer, Elsa, approached Amara and complimented her about the race.

"Normally, I'd be really upset." Elsa said. "But, you were so amazing. I just had to come and tell you I admire your talent. I guess it runs in the family."

Amara looked up and saw Michele. Elsa observed that Michele was great at the arts, while Amara was great at track.

"I guess you guys come from a pretty spectacular gene pool, huh?" Elsa said.

"I guess you could say that, Elsa." Michele said. "Although, I don't think Amara appreciates where she comes from."

"That's nonsense." Amara said.

"Maybe it is." Michele teased. "But then, why are you always running from it?" Amara gasped in shock. "Your destiny is set. Your past and your future are forever intertwined, and nothing in the world will change that, whether you accept it or not.

At that moment, I knew Michele had felt the same way that I did. But obviously, she had stopped running and accepted her destiny. But the look in my cousin's eyes was so intense, so full of knowledge greater than I could imagine, that I was even more afraid. I knew that if I stopped running now, there would be no escape.

Amara picked up her duffel bag. "You know, just because we're family doesn't mean we agree." She said.

"How about we talk over hot chocolate?" Michele asked.

"No thanks." Amara replied. "I've made up my mind for good." At that, Amara walked off.

That night, a ship had set sail in a harbour. Michele was playing her violin, and Amara was listening. The people listening loved the set, but commented that Michele was a social failure. Amara left and made her way to a stair landing. She was gazing up a bleak painting, which had been done by Michele.

"Do you like it, Amara?" Michele asked. She was sitting on the landing. She thanked Amara for coming, even though she was training for the Grand Prix.

"I thought it was important." Amara replied. "I know that we've really grown apart, and I know it's mostly my fault."

Michele smiled softly. "I know you have a lot on your mind, lately, and it must be hard to keep your head on straight, and you're everyone's sports idol. You know, you're the high school superstar everyone's talking about."

Amara chuckled a bit. "Well, riddle me this, Batman." She said. "How can you paint such bleak pictures when you're always Miss Blue Skies? And why do you always paint water? It's like you're obsessed with it."

"There's more to me than meets the eye." Michele replied. "Just like you're more than a top athlete. I know why you always do things that involve speed Amara, but you can't always run scared." Amara turned and faced her. She stood up. "We are who we are."

"Don't say that!" Amara said. "You don't know what feelings I have! What goes through my mind! And I've chosen to try and make a life for myself that includes happiness. You can be a slave to destiny, Michele, but don't try to drag me down with you! I've had a glimpse of what's to come, and I don't like it!"

"You're not the only one." Amara replied. "My dream has always been to play the violin and be able to paint to my heart's content! But, that's all over. I've got a greater job to do, and part of that is to help change the future! That's what you're trying to run away from, isn't it? But, you can't, Amara! We need you!"

The next day, Amara was at the race track, and was going into her garage. Inside was a small boy, who was groaning in pain. Amara went to help the boy, but the boy suddenly turned into a giant monster. Amara was about to strike the monster with a crowbar, but she suddenly remembered that the boy was inside the monster. Amara ended up using the crowbar as a defense against the monster's attack, which sent Amara crashing to the ground. Amara watched as the monster hovered over her. The monster lunged to attack, but was suddenly stopped by a bright orb of light. The monster was blinded, and Amara watched as the light revealed a small stick with an orb on it. It was the source of the shining. Amara reached out to touch it, but a voice shouted at her to stop.

"That's your fate Amara." A form in the garage door said. The stick fell to the ground and bounced towards the door. Amara looked behind her, and saw Michele. "Once you touch that stick, your fate will be changed forever, and for all time."

"NEPTUNE STAR POWER!"

The monster attacked Sailor Neptune, and missed twice. One of the attacks caused the monster to be buried under a heavy pile of rubble.

"That's enough!" Amara shouted, moving between Neptune and the monster. "There's a little kid in there! Why'd you have to blast so hard? Don't you have any feelings?"

Neptune stood her ground sternly. "Amara, you don't understand." She said. "With the forces we're dealing with, it's all or nothing."

"But what about the innocent victims?" Amara cried.

"Trust me." Neptune replied. "This is the only way to handle them."

Amara disagreed, and the monster suddenly leapt out of the rubble. It leapt at Amara, but Neptune dove Amara out of the way. When they landed, Neptune had large scrapes down her arm, and down her back.

"NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!"

Neptune's attack blew the head off of the monster. It reverted into the boy, and the boy fell to the ground. Amara cradled Neptune in her arms.

"Where's the monster?" Neptune asked weakly.

"It's gone." Amara replied. "And, the little boy seems just fine."

"They usually are." Neptune said. "As long as we beat them in time. I'll never get used to it, though. It's hard, knowing how much depends on my success and planet power."

"Then why didn't you want me to pick up the stick before?" Amara asked. She picked up Michele's injured arm."You need my help Michele. No one can keep fighting like this alone."

Neptune looked at the wound. "Because I don't want to be the one to end your journey." She said. "Your race to escape your destiny. If you're going to accept this life, then it has to be your choice. The truth is, you do have a choice. You can leave that stick untouched, and it won't be offered to you again. You'll be free to do whatever you want. You can fulfill your dreams to race cars, Amara. But it won't have to be because you're running away anymore."

"I'm always running away, though." Amara said, feeling something new inside her. "I've been really selfish."

"You weren't being selfish." Neptune replied. "You were just following your heart. A heart that's pure and good inside. And I can't think of anyone I'd want to spend all this with than with family. Deep down, even though it's really tough sometimes, I was so glad when I found out," she winced in pain, "that you were Sailor Uranus, my long lost partner. I know it's a big decision, so I decided to just tell you everything."

Amara looked at her transforming stick.

In the present, Amara thought to herself that there would be no more running. Michele had since arrived, and both got ready.

"URANUS STAR POWER!"

"NEPTUNE STAR POWER!"

"URANUS WORLD SHAKING!"

Uranus' attack sped towards Eudial and knocked the Heart Crystal out of her hand. The two arrived on the scene. Neptune jumped between the Sailor Scouts and the Heart Snatcher, and broke the lace that entrapped them. Sailor Moon landed on her butt. Eudial, knowing when to quit, ran away, leaving things in the hands of the Heart Snatcher. The Heart Snatcher slung another lace. Neptune leapt out of the way, then the Sailor Scouts. Sailor Moon scrambled out of the way just in time.

"MARS FIRE SURROUND!"

The Heart Snatcher was quick enough to dodge Mars' attack. As it dashed, Uranus ran up alongside it.

"You can't outrun a destiny, which is to trip you up!" She shouted. Uranus grabbed hold of the Heart Snatcher.

"NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!"

Right before the attack could hit, Uranus leapt out of the way, and the monster was smashed hard by Neptune's attack.

"MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!"

The hurdle was returned to normal. The Daimon Pod came out, and broke. Uranus and Neptune inspected the Heart Crystal and found nothing. They returned it to Elsa, while Eudial watched silently from afar. Elsa came to, and Uranus and Neptune left.

"They're stuck up, but they're sure an awesome team." Sailor Venus said.

It's hard to remember I wasn't always a Sailor Scout. And I can't imagine what things would be like if I'd turned my back on all of this. And Michele... sure, it's hard sometimes, but then, most things worth doing take dedication and effort. Will we ever get a break from this? Not as long as Heart Snatchers are out there."

"But, we can still chase the wind!" She said. "How about we grab a milkshake?"

Michele agreed, and the two sped off into the sunset.