The Rod of Love is Born: Usagi's New Transformation

This is episode 3 of Sailor Moon S.

## **Summary**

When a young girl is attacked by a Daimon and Sailor Moon is unable to transform, the other Sailor Guardians must rely on the help of the mysterious new guardians.

## **Plot**

In his lab, Dr. Tomoe is working and talks to his assistant about the purpose of the Death Busters. He then prepares a Daimon Egg which he sends from his lab and into the city.

In her room, Usagi Tsukino is having a nightmare about reverting to her old self from Sailor Moon and about the rest of the Sailor Guardians teasing her about retiring. She becomes upset and ends up attacking Luna who was asleep beside her. Usagi worries about the light of the Silver Crystal and that if it doesn't come back she can't transform and asks Luna if she'll have to retire.

By Luna's suggestion, she goes to talk with Mamoru Chiba who wants to cheer her up and takes her to what looks like an abandoned house where Usagi believes he just wants to be alone with her. While she waits for a kiss, he holds up a kitten who licks her; Usagi names the cat Sugar (Ginger in the Cloverway dub) and, after it runs off, follows it inside where they find other stray cats and a young girl who is feeding them. The girl explains to them she found the cats here, but that the building will be demolished soon and Usagi declares that she'll help the cats too. In the skies above the city, a Daimon Egg is flying through the sky before it enters a girl's bedroom and embeds itself into a cat puzzle.

At Hikawa Shrine, the girls are together discussing Usagi's choice to take care of cats. Usagi says four cats will be taken care of once all of her friends take one, but each of the girls gives an excuse as to why they can't help her. When Usagi accuses them of being selfish, Rei suggests she herself adopt them instead. Usagi has an excuse of her own: she says that Luna is gluttonous, much to the latter's wrath.

Back in the room of the little girl, after a stray cat messes up her puzzle she fixes the piece back in and the monster from the Daimon Egg, Nekonneru, emerges and attacks her. After escaping, the girl flees to the abanded house where Nekonneru is waiting. Outside, the girls are playing with the cats when Nekonneru attacks and the cats run inside. Nekonneru begins her attack on the girl but is stopped by the cats who attack her and then the Sailor Guardians arrive. Usagi attempts to transform but fails and while the girl is still being blasted with a dark beam from Nekonneru the other Sailor Guardians transform. Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter attack first, but Nekonneru deflects the attacks with her tail turning the back on the girls. After seeing the girls hurt, Usagi rushes in to try and help, but her along with Luna and Artemis are easily tossed aside and Nekonneru finishes gathering the Heart Crystal.

As she prepares to leave, Nekonneru is struck by two energy blasts and they seem to destroy her. Standing in front of a stained glass window are the two mysterious figures from the previous episode, who determine the Heart Crystal is not a Talisman and return it. Nekkoneru then reforms, good as new, and Sailor Venus tells the two mysterious warriors to help them to which they reply they need to handle it on their own and that they cannot fight with them before disappearing. Nekonneru then attacks the Sailor Guardians with her tail leaving Usagi to protect the girl. As Nekonneru wraps her tail around her throat, a rose breaks into the scene and Tuxedo Mask appears, shattering the tail. After a brief fight with Nekonneru, she manages to injure him and he tells Usagi to run. Then when all hope seems to have faded, Usagi refuses to leave and says she wants to protect everyone, especially him.

They hold hands and as Nekonneru attacks a light between them stops her and then teleports them to the Moon Kingdom. Their combined love creates a new item for Usagi, the Spiral Heart Moon Rod and transforms her brooch into the Cosmic Heart Compact, Usagi is then able to transform by saying "Moon Cosmic Power, Make Up". Sailor Moon proceeds to attack Nekonneru with her new wand and new Moon Spiral Heart Attack and destroys her.

Later in the day, the girls were trying to figure out what to do with the cats and Usagi says they can bring them to an animal shelter.