Sailor Moon Redux

[Bob Schroeck]

Okay, you evil people have actually made me think about a Sailor Moon Step when I never intended for one. The following little scenelets have been coming to me over the past week, with the last one manifesting midmorning today as the result of a collision in my mind between the phrase "Magical Princess Schwarzenegger" from the earlier thread, and Doug's likely opinion of Tuxedo Mask's general utility in a battle.
Enjoy.
-- Bob
-----------------
"Look, Luna, were you a military advisor back in the old SilverM? Tactical advice, strategic things, stuff like that?"The cat looked a bit confused. "Noooo," she admitted. "I wasa royal advisor on protocol and etiquette.""Right," I said, valiantly avoiding sarcasm. "Well, then, Lu,why don't you just leave the business of training Usagi to fight in my hands, and when we find your Moon Princess, you can tell us how to say hello to her properly."---------"You, I like. You're a mensch," I said, and Artemis preened. I jerked a thumb toward Luna. "*She's* an old biddy." The white cat snickered while Luna faced away from me and superciliously raised her tail and nose.---------"That's *not* the way it was done in the Silver Millennium!" Luna sniffed.I grabbed the annoying critter by the scruff of her neck beforeshe could dodge, and hauled her up to eye level. "And whathappened to the Silver Millennium?" She scowled at me but saidnothing. "I rest my case."---------"Listen to Luna," I told Usagi. "Consult her, learn from her.But don't trust her fully. She has her own agenda, which may notbe *yours*. Allow her to advise you, but don't let hermanipulate you."Usagi turned an uncharacteristically-serious gaze upon me. "Andwhat about *you*, Doug-sensei? What agenda do *you* have?"I grinned and laughed. "Good girl! You'll be a leader yet." Ipatted her hand. "I have two goals right now. One is to makesure you get trained well enough that you can survive to meetyour destiny, whatever it is, on your own terms.""And the other?""The other is to go home."---------"Is that all you can do? Throw flowers? Because you really should be packing more heat of some kind. If it has to be magical, well, we can work with that. You can enchant guns, you know. I've done it." I paused for a moment. "Not intentionally, mind you, but I've done it."Usagi perked up. "You can? Cool! Maybe you could make Mamo-chan a great big machine gun that shoots roses!" She wrapped her arms around a huge imaginary long-arm, sited along its invisible barrel and started spinning around in place, blowing away enemies that existed only in her imagination. "Badda-badda-badda-badda-boom! 1200 roses a minute! Those youma won't stand a chance!" she bellowed. "We'll mow'em down! We'll shred'em!"The room was silent for a long moment as two cats, Tuxboy, the other Senshi and I stared at a Usagi lost in the fantasy of being Magical Princess Schwarzenegger. Then I turned to Mamoru. "You know, that's so silly it just might...""No," he said."Okay," I replied. "It was just an id...""No," he repeated.-------------
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Valles]

>"Is that all you can do? Throw flowers?"
Magical, armor-piercing, spell-disrupting, -explosive- flowers. And they don't have to be tossed one at a time, oh no. He's got entire -capefulls- of the things.
As schtick's go, they're not half bad.
Blessed be.
-n
(Tux-boy's badass.)
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Bob Schroeck]

---

Magical, armor-piercing, spell-disrupting, -explosive- flowers. And they don't have to be tossed one at a time, oh no. He's got entire -capefulls- of the things.

---

Okay, so I don't know any Sailor Moon outside of the first season and what I've gleaned from fanfic.
I hope I've got a good impression of Sailor Pluto -- I have an idea for a running gag -- a literal one, as she constantly hunts Doug because he's "corrupting" Crystal Tokyo. It's not disappearing, and it's not turning evil -- it's just becoming different from what she's been aiming for... Her main problem is that Doug's invisible from the Gate of Time; she has to go physically looking for him. By herself, during the first season, and not let the Inners know she exists yet, so she doesn't disrupt things herself.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[offsides]

I like!
Offsides
Drunkard's Walk Forum Moderator and Prereader At Large

[Valles]

He uses most of those functions during the first season, I think.
The 'capeful' bit is from the Black Moon arc - Rubeus' attack looks like someone tossed a basket full of explosive superballs, and Tuxy tosses, like, an armful of roses and -takes out the entire bunch-.
Whether he can disrupt already extant enchantments is unknown, but he can certainly shoot attacks out of the air.
As to armor piercing, they're probably not -really-, but they are very sharp and physically strong and probably a lot heavier than they look.
As to Puu, I don't think she's -quite- that anal, but it is an arguable point.
Blessed be.
-n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Bob Schroeck]

I didn't think I remembered the autofire roses from what I'd seen...
And as for Pluto's nickname... every time I hear her called "Puu", I keep visualizing Mokona in a fuku. Blech.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Bob Schroeck]

Offsides said:

---

I like!

---

Thanks. Now I just need a little more of a plot than simply rehashing the first season. Although some of the developments I'm coming up with will certainly perturb things -- the girls deciding to capture and interrogate a Dark General, for example. I haven't decided which, whether it'll be Jadeite, with his habit of putting himself someplace very public and not changing his appearance, or Zoicite for doing the fake "Sailor Moon" bit.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Valles]

>I didn't think I remembered the autofire roses from what I'd seen...
It was more of a shotgun blast effect, but yeah.
>And as for Pluto's nickname... every time I hear her called "Puu", I keep visualizing Mokona in a fuku. Blech.
So use "Pluu" instead - it has the same 'babytalk' effect, and -doesn't- bring to mind a certain bunnymallow.
As to plotlines... Maybe have his powers/defensive field 'wake up' some sealed demon or malicious kami? Something with a -completly- different modus operandi from Standard Sailor Moon Villian Number 42?
Also - what to do about Nephie? Kill him, redeem him, save him, leave him?
Blessed be.
-n
(Liking this idea.)
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Bob Schroeck]

---

As to plotlines... Maybe have his powers/defensive field 'wake up' some sealed demon or malicious kami? Something with a -completly- different modus operandi from Standard Sailor Moon Villian Number 42?

---

On top of the Dark Kingdom? (Assuming I stay in season one, which is a safe bet as I actually know most of what happens in it...) I'll think about it. Maybe he gets drained during a fight and that provides the extra oomph needed to get Metallia going...
(Although I was toying with the idea of a low-level youma trying to drain him, and Doug hooking into a line or node of power and just opening the channels up wide -- and the youma pops like an over-inflated balloon...)

---

Also - what to do about Nephie? Kill him, redeem him, save him, leave him?

---

Save the Dark Generals! Collect them and trade them with your friends!
Usagi: I'll give you my Nephrite for your Jadeite and, um, two Zoicites.
Naru: Deal!

-- Bob
(Edited to add popping youma idea.)
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Valles]

>On top of the Dark Kingdom? (Assuming I stay in season one, which is a safe bet as I actually know most of what happens in it...) I'll think about it. Maybe he gets drained during a fight and that provides the extra oomph needed to get Metallia going...
That's good, yep.
Ooh, a thought:
(begin excerpt)
Now, if any of you have been following along with this little tale, you will doubtless recall my repeated references to Her Royal Highness, Princess of the Moon, Mistress of the Ginzuishou, Jewel of the Seventeen Worlds, Beloved of the Light and Champion of Righteousness Usagi Tsukino nee Serenity XIV - aka Odago-atama - as 'Magical Princess Schwarzenegger'.
This was, of course, meant all in fun and good humor, but when she first assumed the mantle of her power and heritage I became very aware that it was a complete injustice on every possible level.
Her proper nickname would have been Magical Princess _Tac-Nuke_.
God or not, -evil- or not, I almost felt sorry for Metallia.
No, I didn't.
(end excerpt)
Hmm. I don't think the voice of that quite says 'Doug' the way I meant it to, but oh well.
>Naru: Deal!
*spit take*
Blessed be.
-n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Bob Schroeck]

---

(end excerpt)
Hmm. I don't think the voice of that quite says 'Doug' the way I meant it to, but oh well.

---

Don't worry, it can be fixed.
The thing is, every time I type "Magical Princess Schwarzenegger", I remember a comedy bit I recorded off the Doctor Demento Show back in the late 80s -- a fake radio commercial for "The Last Temptation of Schwarzeneggar". Lots of gun and rocket noises, lots of bad Ahnold impressions. Very funny, though. The very last thing in the "commercial" was a line that seems so appropriate to how Usagi deals with the Dark Kingdom. Now, imagine this in a very bad Ahnold accent: "I don't care if it's not in the script, I'm going to shoot everybody."

---

>Naru: Deal!
*spit take*

---

What, you expected her to dicker a little?

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[ECSNorway]

You realize, of course, that now we're going to demand that you actually write the rest of this.
-- Begin Scenelet --
"So, let me get this straight," I asked. "You're one of these 'Dark General' guys who've been sending these monsters around to bother people?"
The heavily-tied-up man blushed slightly, as if a little embarassed to admit it. "Yes... yes, I was."
"Hrm," I mused, walking a circle round him, looking him over. "From what I've been able to gather, you were supposed to be one of the Caped Wonder's bodyguards, way back when. That right?"
The blush deepened as he agreed. "I.. Yes... we were, well..."
I cut him off with a nod. "I understand. Beryl brainwashed you, used you to lead the revolt, and now she wants to try again."
"Yes."
"Hrm. Actual Silver-Millenium-style military training, then? Full-on fighter, not just a spell-slinger?"
He nodded. "We had the whole course, all four of us. Never got to use it much, even at the end..."
"That's okay. It's time for a quick refresher course...."
-- End Excerpt --
Or we'll write it for you.
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[Bob Schroeck]

Not bad, Norway, that's a pretty dead-on impression of my style. I have a couple quibbles on word-choice, but otherwise, you just might be able to follow through on that threat...

---

Or we'll write it for you.

---

I already have a section on my DW page for DW fanfiction, you know...

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[ECSNorway]

Hmmm, if I thought I could actually plot out and write a full-fledged fic I'd be tempted to. Where would you have gone differently with that particular scene? (Aside from adding a slightly sadistic grin to Doug's last line, that is...)
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[Bob Schroeck]

---

Where would you have gone differently with that particular scene?

---

Well, that depends a lot on what's framing it; that said, I don't actually think I would have taken it in a really different direction unless the story ended up radically different from what I'm currently envisioning. As for minor editing changes, well... "heavily-tied-up" is clumsy, I'd reword that clause. But that's about it. I like "Caped Wonder", that's very Doug. (Do I really have him nicknaming people that much?)
And an idea: A redeemed Dark General might make a good choice for the kind of intelligence assets in the Kingdom that Doug would be desperately desiring by that point...

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Xenoproctologist]

Quite frankly, you couldn't just rehash the first season. Doug doesn't even have to take part in the combat. (though of course he would) Just teaching the Senshi to act as a cohesive and effective fighting unit would wildly unbalance the status quo. Once the Senshi start beating their opponents by more than the skin of their teeth, and then manage to trap, interrogate, and neutralize one of the Dark Kingdom Generals, things could take three directions:

1) Beryl maintains the canon strategy -- in which case it's a walk in the park for the Good Guys, very dull reading for the audience, and probably very dull writing for the author. ^^ Bonus for the fact that the Reset wouldn't occur.
2) Beryl whips her Generals in line and throws everything she has at the Senshi -- in which case one of two things happens:
a) Beryl has still got it after all those years; the Generals are Generals because they can actually lead; the Youma Hordes number large enough to actually be considered Hordes; and they've all got a can of whoopass to open even without Metallia supplying them with more. End Result: Senshi + Doug are mowed down; Japan is established as a Dark Kingdom beach head; the Global Superpowers exercise their first-strike capability and turn the lot of them into a plate of radioactive glass.
b) Beryl has gone soft in the head from millennia of being microwaved by Metallia's radiation; the Generals have gone weak, egotistical, and lazy; the Youma Hordes truely are as pathetic as the shining examples we see in most of Sailor Moon; and Metallia is the only reason why were able to make the Moon Kingdom even twitch an eyebrow. End Result: Youma frappe. Doug could paste the Generals by himself; Beryl is pathetic without Metallia; the Youma are a bunch of very ugly and stupid Crunchies; and Metallia is just an evil energy fetus squalling, "I'd kill you all right now, if my umbiblical cord weren't holding me back!"
Considering that less than a half-dozen disorganized junior-high students in miniskirts managed to wipe out the lot of them, I'd vote for (b). Apparently, evil kills braincells.
3) Beryl wises up, realizes that they're in a world of trouble, and orders everyone to fall back and fort up before the Girlscouts bring the fight to them. Starts firing Generals until she gets some which who can grasp the concept of strategy, then formulates and executes a slower, less detectable plan for gathering energy. Then, once enough energy has been collected, wait for the Senshi to get involved in a massive firefight and hit them when they're weakened.
The trouble here is that there are precious-few canon enemies that tactically-knowledgable Senshi couldn't decimate off-hand. Ail and Ann are Crunchies. The really interesting stuff in the Black Moon saga is temporally displaced, thus likely not relevant. Fiore is a snack, but the Senshi will be fairly weakened after the exciting atmospheric deceleration run. The Tomoe-Witches 5 connection would be noticed and neutralized before Pharoah 90 becomes a pressing issue. The Princess Snow Kaguya issue becomes a light workout. The Supers arc is a cakewalk. The Supers movie occurs Elsewhere; likewise, a non-issue. Galaxia, on the other hand, would probably still kick some ass before keeling over.
Either of the possibilities described here implies that Doug remains stranded for at least two to five years. Not good.
To speed things up, we have to go further afield: either Create Your Own Villan (gag) or extrapolate ways to up the difficulty with the canon cast. I'll try my hand at the latter.
The main cast of the Dark Kingdom reads:
1) Youma. I think we can write them off, right off. They're cannon fodder, and not terribly good cannon fodder at that. I'd rank them a bit below drunken circus midgets in combat effectiveness -- at least the circus midgets can conveniently punch their opponent in the crotch.
2) Generals. Apparently, they're running on a considerably-lightened load between the ears, as their grasp of strategic concepts sucks, royally. The incredibly-hokey schemes they come up with just boggle the mind.
3) Beryl. A spoiled princess who was hot for Endymion, then was offered power by Metallia to destroy the Moon Kingdom so she could have him. Does this not just scream "Dupe"?
4) Metallia. The only reason this bunch of flunkies could even knock of a 7-11, let alone an entire magic-empowered kingdom. A free-floating, ludicrously-powerful, non-corporeal being or energy construct (or somesuch) which, for no known reason, wanted to knock off the major superpower of Good in our solar system. This makes Metallia a possible failed first herald for...
x) Pharoah 90. You want to give Pluto a real reason to off Doug? How about the fact that his actions bring about the summoning of nine(ty) kinds of nasty two years before the Senshi should be ready for it?
A big question here is the current disposition of the canon S-season crew. If I recall correctly, Pharoah 90 drafts the Tomoes into his service about two years before the middle of S season, which would be somewhere around when Nephrite gets offed. God knows when the Witches 5 were recruited, but we can arbitrarily say "later", as the Good Guys will have quite enough on their plate, thank you. The status of Mistress 9 would depend on what you want to do with her -- either awaken her and have Metallia waste resources competing with her to summon Pharoah 90 or easily neutralize her a good two years before her prime.
On the Good Guy's side, Uranus and Neptune are awakened shortly after Pharoah 90 gets its hands on the Tomoes, whereas Pluto apparently awoke a couple years before. If Doug is real observant-like and notices reports of Senshi sightings and "Youma" killings where he knows the Inner Senshi haven't been, he might be able to find and subvert Uranus and Neptune before they're battle-hardened and -- more importantly -- before Pluto has had a chance to seriously poison them against the Inners. Whether or not he can get Saturn is entirely dependant on 1) what you want to do with Mistress 9 and 2) whether a ten-year-old can handle the power of the Senshi of Death and Rebirth. (There are some very interesting ramifications in that one....) Chibi-moon is, of course, not likely to show.
This finally gives us a situation where the Senshi plus Doug can die in the process of holding off an uncountable horde just long enough for Moon to do her Princess thing and unleash the Holy Hand Grenade that is her Crystal -- plus that odd "Love/Friendship" bonus which always gets added to her attack and defense rolls in critical battles.
And then, we'll see the Reset.

Feel free to use any of this, if it strikes your fancy.
-----[edit]-----
Typos. Blech.

[Bob Schroeck]

Damn, XP, that's both funny and an excellent executive summary, not to mention some serious brainstorming. The roll-your-own-enemy plan looks very enticing; the Pharoah 90 angle sounds like a very compelling idea... I'm going to save that all locally and think about it some more. Until then, a couple of quick comments.
Yeah, five junior high-schoolers took out the Kingdom, but one of them is for all practical purposes a demigoddess. I'm planning on having Doug look at Usagi's aura and seeing something like an O!MG goddess' power level, only purely mortal...
Gotta keep some first-season stuff intact, no matter what. For some inexplicable reason, the parts of the Ginzuisho are stuck inside the Seven Shadow candidates, so we need to preserve that part of the arc in some form -- or Usagi never gets her primary power/weapon.
As for subverting Neptune and Uranus, well, I'd rather leave that in Usagi's hands -- I don't want this to be the Doug-and-Usagi show, after all. Doug may figure out they're there, but it'd have to be Usagi who would go to them and bring them into the fold.
Thanks for all that effort!
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Xenoproctologist]

---

Yeah, five junior high-schoolers took out the Kingdom, but one of them is for all practical purposes a demigoddess. I'm planning on having Doug look at Usagi's aura and seeing something like an O!MG goddess' power level, only purely mortal...

---

That's actually kind of questionable. I don't think Usagi is ever actually shown possessing more than two Senshi-worth of energy--maybe a Saturn and a half. Every time it's fourth and inches with Evil set for the touchdown, Usagi dives in for the blitz Ginzuishou-first.
(Magical Princess Linebacker, anyone? A ten-year-old girl gets a magic athletic supporter which allows her to turn into a 350 pound football player--like Fancy Lala with jock itch. Must...acid-wash...brain....)
That doesn't mean Usagi doesn't have something above and beyond the rest of the Senshi, of course. The fact that she keeps drawing power from her unconscious or dead compatriots leads me to believe she could be a very powerful spirit channeler or medium, or somesuch. Hell, if you want to throw on some angst, you could make it a positive-emotion version of the energy-vampiry that the Dark Kingdom specializes in--take the "I've seen the enemy, and he is us," tack.
I'm also rather heavily considering that the Serenity line could be the literal Avatars of Selene, Greek Pantheon Goddess of the Moon--in which case, Usagi doesn't actually have all that power, but she is backed by it. The Ginzuishou could be the crystalized tear of the Goddess, which would make for a nice parity when it forms from Usagi's tear.
Sudden Inspiration: The Ginzuishou isn't actually meant to be an energy source/amplifier/battery. It is, quite literally, "The Seed for the Next Age". Doug looks into the heart of it with his mage sight and sees what will be Crystal Tokyo; and at the heart of that he sees the seed for the next kingdom of the Serenity line; and at the heart of that, the next; ad nauseum. [edit] This, of course, virtually requires Doug to whip off the line, "My God...it's full of stars!" [/edit] Then he gets a recursion/resonance headache that knocks him out for three days and is unable to remember what he saw when he wakes up. He then becomes very careful not to turn on his magesight any time Usagi has the Ginzuishou out.

---

Gotta keep some first-season stuff intact, no matter what. For some inexplicable reason, the parts of the Ginzuisho are stuck inside the Seven Shadow candidates, so we need to preserve that part of the arc in some form -- or Usagi never gets her primary power/weapon.

---

That whole Seven Shadows arc is such a huge logic flaw. You might be well served to concede its craptitude and just say you're working in an anime/manga hybrid universe.
If you feel the urge to stick to anime canon, then it can be made a non-issue rather easily. Remember that, when the Ginzuishou pieces were called to Usagi's tear, they were currently in the Dark Kingdom with Malachite--a whole other sealed dimension. If Usagi's Need can pull these things across dimensional rifts, I'm certain she could pop them out of the people containing the Seven Shadows. As with all things in the Sailor Moon universe, Need and Love are the keys; the Rainbow Crystal Trading Card Game is irrelavent. (Collect all seven! Win great prizes!)

---

As for subverting Neptune and Uranus, well, I'd rather leave that in Usagi's hands -- I don't want this to be the Doug-and-Usagi show, after all. Doug may figure out they're there, but it'd have to be Usagi who would go to them and bring them into the fold.

---

Of course. I do, however, foresee long sessions of practice, with Doug, Usagi, and a mirror, perfecting the dreaded Moon Cosmic Puppy-Dog Eyes Attack--an invaluable skill for that Guerilla Friendship Usagi will need to snipe Uranus and Neptune out from under Pluto's radar.

Hmm...I suppose it's almost obligatory that, upon Doug's first meeting with Zoicite, we start hearing the "Oh God, it's Pat," SNL jokes?

And just for shits-'n-giggles, in my imagination, Metallia's ranting in the previous post ("I'd kill you all right now, if my umbiblical cord weren't holding me back!") would be voiced by Sam Kinison.

[Bob Schroeck]

---

That's actually kind of questionable. I don't think Usagi is ever actually shown possessing more than two Senshi-worth of energy--maybe a Saturn and a half.

---

Which actually exceeds the minimum estimable power of Belldandy without her limiter...

---

Sudden Inspiration: The Ginzuishou isn't actually meant to be an energy source/amplifier/battery. It is, quite literally, "The Seed for the Next Age". Doug looks into the heart of it with his mage sight and sees what will be Crystal Tokyo; and at the heart of that he sees the seed for the next kingdom of the Serenity line; and at the heart of that, the next; ad nauseum.

---

Interesting... very interesting.

---

That whole Seven Shadows arc is such a huge logic flaw. You might be well served to concede its craptitude and just say you're working in an anime/manga hybrid universe.

---

All I know is the anime and fanfics. I suppose I should find the manga, if my local stores are still carrying them. From what I understand, the Senshi are far more professional/dedicated to Usagi in the manga than they are in the anime, too.

---

Of course. I do, however, foresee long sessions of practice, with Doug, Usagi, and a mirror, perfecting the dreaded Moon Cosmic Puppy-Dog Eyes Attack--an invaluable skill for that Guerilla Friendship Usagi will need to snipe Uranus and Neptune out from under Pluto's radar.

---

I think having any kind of support group other than themselves and Pluto will do a lot to humanize Neptune and Uranus.
Some heavy training with Doug will help, too.

---

Hmm...I suppose it's almost obligatory that, upon Doug's first meeting with Zoicite, we start hearing the "Oh God, it's Pat," SNL jokes?

---

It hadn't occurred to me, but now that you mention it...

---

And just for shits-'n-giggles, in my imagination, Metallia's ranting in the previous post ("I'd kill you all right now, if my umbiblical cord weren't holding me back!&quot would be voiced by Sam Kinison.

---

Gaaah. That's so appropriate. And scary. Although I was actually thinking of Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion...

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Xenoproctologist]

---

Which actually exceeds the minimum estimable power of Belldandy without her limiter...

---

Really? Hmm...lemme think for a minute...
Okay, I'll buy that one. There's a bit of a perception problem with the power levels, as the anime gives me the distinct impression that the tools are doing most of the work. (Here's your broach/pen/crystal/wand. Ooh look, arbitrary upgrade broach/pens/staff. Oop, here's your talismans/glaive/grail. Etcetera, etcetera...) Maybe it's a translation flaw--either from manga to anime, or from Japanese to English.
And you might be right about Usagi's power actally eclipsing Belldandy's. Belldandy has the distinct leverage of being a ten-dimensional being, whereas Usagi has to expend energy to break out of three-space before she can pull some of her more-nifty mojo. Not to mention that Belldandy also has how-many years of experience, whereas Usagi has to get by with brute-force and gut feelings.
Of course, a direct link to Yggdrasil is a Royal Flush to the Ginzuishou's Full House.

---

All I know is the anime and fanfics. I suppose I should find the manga, if my local stores are still carrying them. From what I understand, the Senshi are far more professional/dedicated to Usagi in the manga than they are in the anime, too.

---

They are, indeed, more dedicated in the manga. Everything in the manga has a bit more meat to it. Well, at least it does up through the end of the Pharoah90 arc. I haven't been able to bring myself to wade through the Chibi-saccarineness that is Supers, yet. ^^;

---

I think having any kind of support group other than themselves and Pluto will do a lot to humanize Neptune and Uranus.
Some heavy training with Doug will help, too.

---

"The beatings will continue until morale improves!"

---

Gaaah. That's so appropriate. And scary. Although I was actually thinking of Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion...

---

The Cowardly Lion voice only works for well-meaning--if ineffective--protagonists and bumbling, incompetent antagonists. Metallia is a vicious nasty who has been trapped for a couple millennia and has had to watch her only hope of success become progressively stupider every year. I'd say she's pretty damned pissed by now. Plus, I'm of the opinion that any violent rant is funniest when voiced by Sam Kinison.

[Bob Schroeck]

---

Okay, I'll buy that one. There's a bit of a perception problem with the power levels, as the anime gives me the distinct impression that the tools are doing most of the work. (Here's your broach/pen/crystal/wand. Ooh look, arbitrary upgrade broach/pens/staff. Oop, here's your talismans/glaive/grail. Etcetera, etcetera...)

---

I think the objects are more focuses than power supplies, and it's not so much that the upgrades give them more abilities, but that the previous versions could no longer keep up with their users. Certainly there's something special about the girls that make it necessary for them to be the wielders and not just the first J. Random Schoolgirl Luna found who looked like she could fit into the fuku -- there is something that Luna can detect which says "senshi" to her. (Otherwise Naru would've gotten a henshin stick, if only to let her self-medicate that nasty youma infestation she seems cursed with.) It only stands to reason that whatever quality says "senshi" is also the ability to tap and manipulate planetary power. Otherwise there would be false positives -- and false negatives. And to the best of my knowledge, there's never been anything like that in SM.
But what do I know? I'm dreadfully ignorant about anything other than the first season anime.

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Maybe it's a translation flaw--either from manga to anime, or from Japanese to English.

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That may well be, too. I have no idea how to tell.

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"The beatings will continue until morale improves!"

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I get the feeling that they were perfectly nice kids until Pluto got her hands on them. I'd like to think they can stay that way -- especially if the arbitrary "Inner/Outer" distinction can be dispensed with from the beginning.
Re: Sam Kinnison. Yeah, you're right.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Xenoproctologist]

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I think the objects are more focuses than power supplies, and it's not so much that the upgrades give them more abilities, but that the previous versions could no longer keep up with their users. Certainly there's something special about the girls that make it necessary for them to be the wielders and not just the first J. Random Schoolgirl Luna found who looked like she could fit into the fuku -- there is something that Luna can detect which says "senshi" to her. (Otherwise Naru would've gotten a henshin stick, if only to let her self-medicate that nasty youma infestation she seems cursed with.) It only stands to reason that whatever quality says "senshi" is also the ability to tap and manipulate planetary power. Otherwise there would be false positives -- and false negatives. And to the best of my knowledge, there's never been anything like that in SM.
But what do I know? I'm dreadfully ignorant about anything other than the first season anime.

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Well, it's not like the creators bothered to create a cohesive system of magical physics--it's all based on Need and Love. Pretty much anything beyond observed effects is fair game for fandom.
And, while I agree that Usagi is the only person who could be Serenity, who's to say that the new Senshi had to be the same souls who were the Senshi in the Moon Kingdom? Maybe Luna and Pluto are simply Moon Kingdom elitists--or anti-Earth bigots--and were looking for "the old Senshi", rather than "anyone who could be a Senshi". Granted, the theory kind of falls apart with Saturn's semi-spontaneous awakening, but that can be explained away as Pluto doing...Plutoish things. ("Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.")
Just a thought--even if it's not one I believe.

[Bob Schroeck]

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And, while I agree that Usagi is the only person who could be Serenity, who's to say that the new Senshi had to be the same souls who were the Senshi in the Moon Kingdom?

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Interesting idea, that... might be grounds for another, different fic. Probably by someone else more familiar with the full range of the story.

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Maybe Luna and Pluto are simply Moon Kingdom elitists--or anti-Earth bigots--and were looking for "the old Senshi", rather than "anyone who could be a Senshi".

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Oh, I think they're such bigots, from what little I've seen, and apparently I'm not alone... Artemis less so than Luna, who is right-out bitch about having the right bloodlines, apparently... Yeesh, cat, get a life.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[Ebony]

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(Magical Princess Linebacker, anyone? A ten-year-old girl gets a magic athletic supporter which allows her to turn into a 350 pound football player--like Fancy Lala with jock itch. Must...acid-wash...brain....)

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Wrap your forebrain around this one: A friend of mine played the Sailor Moon RPG as the Mystical Blue-Collar Knight. Neatly pressed autoshop jumpsuit, magical slip-lock pliers, and the ability to conjure his towtruck out of nowhere to run the villians down. And all standard Sailor Knight dialogue delivered in a redneck accent.
Ebony the Black Dragon
aka Draco Draconis Ebenium
known to Guardians of Order Games as Aaron F. Johnson
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

[Xenoproctologist]

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Oh, I think they're such bigots, from what little I've seen, and apparently I'm not alone... Artemis less so than Luna, who is right-out bitch about having the right bloodlines, apparently... Yeesh, cat, get a life.

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Well they, arguably, have an excuse, seeing as how they watched their beloved kingdom and friends die at the hands of invading Earthian hordes, then spent the millennia between then and now sleeping in a freezer. It hasn't been long, in their minds--they just need to work off their issues.
Pluto, on the other hand...well, it depends on which continuity you follow. In manga continuity, she died at the fall of the Moon Kingdom, was reborn in Crystal Tokyo, then died again and was sent back to the twentieth century in time for the Pharoah 90 saga. (I think this is right. She might have been bounced around a bit differently.) Thus, she's doing her manipulation for love of the kingdom she knows is to come. In the anime, however, she's been alive--stewing in her own juices over the Moon Kingdom's fall--for the entire time. Thus, she's developed a rather nasty mad-on for the Earthlings, and is pissed at the Inner Senshi for letting the Silver Millennium die. Now that's a person with issues.