#javorszarvas

Mooski!

(reference post)

Should Usagi, ideally, be super serious about the fact that she’s going to become queen and so learn everything she possibly can to prepare for such a daunting and impossible role?

Maybe.

Will she?

HELL NO THIS IS USAGI. When has Usagi EVER run toward a responsibility she wants nothing to do with, particularly one that doesn’t give her any immediate benefit?

Besides anything else, seriously studying and preparing to become Queen makes it TRUE. I don’t see calm, welcoming acceptance for Usagi, I see crying and protesting. I see her having to be dragged kicking and screaming into that fate. Throughout everything — becoming Sailor Moon, realizing she’s the Princess — she’s still been able to remain Usagi above all else.

Neo-Queen Serenity, to her mind, is going to take even that.

It’s all too huge and impossible to accept, so what she’ll want to do is ignore it. At least as well as she can. The knowledge of it lies in the back of her mind. It whispers to her when she’s laughing with her friends. It flashes in her thoughts just before sleep, when was happily thinking about her date tomorrow with Mamoru. Not a constant presence, but an occasional, persistent intruder that creeps in and drains the colour from everything. That’s worse, in many ways, because she can’t build any defense against it. But building that defense requires facing it, and that’s just too much to bear.

So I think the knowledge of what’s to come pushes Usagi to do whatever she can to enjoy this time without it. Not consciously, of course. If you asked her, she coudln’t explain any of this. Still, she runs from it. The fox who can’t yet hear the braying of the hounds, but instinctively knows it’s being chased all the same.

Beautiful. “WHY CAN’T MAMA AND PAPA AND MAMA BE GROWN UPS, GOD. Boy, I sure hope the tooth fairy brings me something cool!”

But yeah, that’s always been my take on them as a team. That they each have their own thing they’re focused on, their own way of working, and they come together when they can, but wouldn’t feel bound by it. Which is why I don’t think there’s an Outers “leader”, exactly. Haruka tends to look like one because, again, she’s the loudest, but a leader denotes some kind of structure or hierarchy that I just don’t see existing with the Outers.

I also really like this as a reason why Hotaru isn’t there right now. Because, let’s face it, she really should be. I’m not sure why she was left out specifically. Animation or seiyuu costs maybe, or just forgetting she’s an option perhaps.

In-universe though, I so much prefer the idea of her making a choice rather than being excluded. Imagine them all getting together to talk about their next step. One of the Inners must have told them who the Starlights were, and pretty quickly at that, since 190 seems only a few days at best after 189. Ami maybe, who probably has a constant email list for everyone to make sure they’re all on the same page. Maybe Minako, taking what Pluto told her to heart. Rei probably wouldn’t think about it unless she was already seeing one of the Outers and brought it up (plus she’s probably got her hands full with Usagi), and I’m pretty resigned at this point to never releasing my view of Mako as nursing a slow burn with regards to the Outers FOREVER, because I’m pretty sure she’d be like “Fuck those guys, they’d just want to punch the Three Lights in the face”, WHICH YOU KNOW NOT WRONG.

So say Ami and/or Minako pass along “oh by the way we know who those Starlight guys are now and guess what”. Which, OF COURSE, leads Haruka to call an immediate house meeting re: punching the Three Lights in the face.

And Hotaru there in her adorable nightgown with the butterflies on it because this meeting is being held kind of late. She’s tired and hugging the huge teddy bear she sleeps with (she bought it for Chibi-Usa and Chibs left it behind for Hotaru to take care of) and her chin is dug deep into the bear’s head as she scowls. “You guys are being mean. If Usagi-san thinks they’re good then I think so too.” She turns to Haruka, a particular kind of disappointment setting in. “Haruka-papa, you said bullying was bad.”

Haruka looks personally offended. “This isn’t bullying, this is FAIR AND JUST.”

"You’re a bully, Papa. You’re not even talking to them first." (This will sting even more when they hear it again from someone else later.) "I’m not going. Goodnight."

(referenced post)

Haruka sitting there, stunned.

Haruka tentatively reaching out. Her hand barely touches the fluff before recoiling.

It’s real.

It’s the most gorgeous thing Haruka has ever seen.