Mamoru squints out a window in his Dark Kingdom room. "Usagi!" he whispers.

"It seems Usagi used her power again, huh?" Mio points out behind him with a huge smile on her face. She leans against the mantle, resting her head on her hand. "Earth may really be destroyed," she says in that saccharine manner of hers, casually glancing at Mamoru over her shoulder.

Mamoru turns. "I'll always believe in her," he says with a glare.

Mio whirls. "If you stand up for her that much, you'll be in danger, too," she admonishes with glee. She looks up above the mantle and Mamoru follows her gaze.

"That painting..." he says, subdued, "When did it appear...?" The peaceful looking painting hangs menacingly over the fireplace.

"Jadeite," begins Beryl. She holds up what looks like an obsidian arrowhead. "Place this in Endymion's body." She places the arrowhead into the upturned palms of Jadeite, who's kneeling before her. "Endymion's heart," she says, anger creeping into her voice, "if it just won't part from the Princess after all..." Jadeite looks up adoringly at her, but she pays it no mind. "Endymion...I take you from her...forever..."

Mamoru stares at the painting, stone-faced.

Jupiter comfort Usagi, who is kneeling behind Naru staring at the fire and destruction around her.

Usagi sits at the table in the secret room, staring glumly off into space.

"It's gotten serious, hasn't it," says Chibi-Luna, pacing behind Usagi and the rest of the girls. "I think the reason people are becoming to be like lifeless shells is that Metalia's power is getting stronger and is influencing people's hearts, as well."

Usagi and Rei turn to look at Luna.

"People's hearts, as well, you say?" asks Rei.

"In other words, due to an evil power, they've become empty," explains Luna.

"That youma, too, I wonder if that's Metalia's influence," muses Makoto, "Its strength was insane."

Usagi speaks up sadly, "By Metalia's influence, you mean the influence of the Illusionary Silver Crystal, right?" Feeling guilty, she glances briefly at the others. "It's because I couldn't stop it."

Makoto is by her side in a flash. "We said it's not your fault, Usagi!" says Makoto, "It's because it's impossible to go against the Past!"

"Makoto!" Rei says firmly. "We've got to go against it. If not, the planet will be destroyed."

Usagi looks away, remembering how she injured Naru as Princess Sailor Moon.

"Naru, I'm sorry!" Usagi says at Naru's hospital bedside. "It's my fault that this happened."

Naru lies back in the bed, her right arm bandaged from elbow to wrist. "You're really mean," she tells Usagi.

Usagi's head sinks lower. "I'm sorry," she says.

Naru turns her head towards Usagi. "For not saying anything to me," she says, "That you transform and fight like that, you didn't tell me at all."

Usagi is taken aback.

"More than an injury or anything, that's more of a shock," Naru pouts and turns away from Usagi.

"That's," speaks up Usagi, "because it's natural...to keep it a secret..." Her voice trails off and she looks down, dejected.

Naru turns towards Usagi and laughs. "What's that about?" she teases and laughs again, bringing a smile to Usagi's face. "But," she says, "it's not a secret anymore, so talk to me more."

Jadeite walks absently down a flight of stairs, thoughts full of the task Beryl has given him. "Place this in Endymion's body." He halts in his tracks and looks at the arrowhead in his hand. "Endymion's heart, no matter how many times he's separated from the Princess..."

Kunzite is in the forest practicing with his sword. Zoisite approaches him. "What is it?" asks Kunzite without missing a step.

"Jadeite has attached himself to Beryl after all," Zoisite informs him.

This causes Kunzite to stop. "It's because he's meek," he says, "Even a curse towards Beryl, he'll be taken by it with ease" He continues to slash about with his sword.

"And you have no intention of freeing yourself from that curse?" asks Zoisite, stepping forward and knocking right on by Kunzite's shoulder, making him stop his practice again. "I can't protect Master by myself," he says.

"Did you say my curse?" asks Kunzite. Zoisite turns to face Kunzite.

"The one that makes you want revenge on Master and those who destroyed the planet, that curse-"

"It's not a curse," interrupts Kunzite, "It's my will." He resumes his sword practice.

"Then why?" asks Zoisite, "Why don't you take his life right now? Isn't it because the real you has awakened inside of you?" Kunzite turns and holds his sword up to Zoisite's throat.

Naru lies on her hospital bed. "Princess of the Moon, huh? That's an amazing story, isn't it!" she says to Usagi.

"But it's true," Usagi says gravely. "I have to do my best or else the world will be destroyed."

"I see," speaks up Naru, "Fate is being grasped by Usagi...How nerve-wracking!" Usagi looks like she's been kicked. "You can't retake this like a test." asks Naru.

"That may be true," says Usagi, "but...but there's also times when I don't take a supplementary exam, and even until now, I've-"

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" says Naru. "Usagi, when it's for yourself, it's hopeless, but when it's for other people, you really try with all of your heart." She smiles at Usagi comfortingly. "It'll be okay," she says, "I believe in you."

"Naru," Usagi breathes gratefully.

With a large clock positioned so she can see the time, Usagi sits in her bath. A motorized duck and other toys float around in the water. She nods to herself. "I've got to give it another shot, and do my best. In order to not use the power of the Illusionary Silver Crystal, I've got to endure." Seven o'clock becomes eight o'clock and Usagi, looking slightly more flushed is still sitting in the hot bath, counting. "98...99...3,600 seconds. An hour," she sighs. Eight o'clock becomes nine o'clock and an even more flushed Usagi is still doing her best, despite seeming to wilt like a flower. Another hour passes, and at ten o'clock, Usagi's light-headed and barely keeping her head above water.

Outside the door to the bath, Luna worries. "Usagi, it's been really long. Are you okay? Don't worry yourself too much, okay?"

No response.

"Usagi? Hey, I'm going to open the door a bit, okay." Somehow, Luna takes her plushie self and opens the door. She peers inside and her eyes pop wide like saucers. "Usagi! What's wrong? Usagi!"

A very red-faced Usagi manages to mumble, "It's practice...to endure..." before she finally gives in to the heat and passes out, sinking under the water.

Luna pops up at the side of the bath. "This is bad!" she cries out, "Usagi fell into the bath!"

Shingo is standing at the door to the bath, staring in shock at Luna.

Noticing this, Luna goes goggle-eyed again and dashes into hiding.

Shingo tilts his head in disbelief.

Luna, now in girl-form, pokes her head out from her hiding spot and nervously explains. "Um, I'm Usagi's friend, and..." She stops and looks down at herself in disbelief. "What am I doing?" She runs past Shingo into the hallway and pauses on her way up the stairs, her tail very obviously peeking out from beneath her skirt. She turns and suddenly tells Shingo, "I'll punish you!" complete with arm motions. Then, just as suddenly, she rushes up the stairs.

Shingo stares a bit, then mimics the arm motion Luna did. "I'm going to pretend I didn't see that," he says, and walks away.

Ikuko places a bag of ice on the forehead of Usagi, who's now lying in bed. "Even though it's this hot, why did you stay in the bath for a long time?" asks Ikuko. "Oh! Could it be a diet?"

"No!" protests Usagi.

"Even if you do nothing," says Ikuko, "your beauty and proportions, your Mama will guarantee them, right?!" She slaps her hip and does a little shimmy across the room, causing Usagi to laugh. Ikuko scurries back to Usagi's bed and pats her on the cheeks. "Go to sleep like a good girl, “she says gently and leaves the room.

"Good night!" Usagi calls after her, which is answered by Ikuko bidding "Good night!"

As she leaves, Luna pads out from beneath Usagi's bed where she was hiding. "I was seen by Shingo," she laments, "What do I do?"

Shingo is doing just what he said he'd do, and is playing video games, pretending he saw nothing.