This wasn’t the first time Sailor Neptune had run into him.
She prided herself on being able to take care of things on her own. Before he came around, she hadn’t asked for anyone else’s assistance when it came to handle monsters. Though even if she’d wanted to, there would be no one to ask.
Aside from calling himself Tuxedo Mask -- a moniker Michiru scoffed at every time she thought of it -- she knew little about the man. He always departed as quickly as he’d arrived, leaving her with little opportunity to question him. He always seemed to swoop in just when things were getting a little dicey, catching the enemy off guard. It was a relief and a nuisance all at once. Were the enemies getting stronger with each passing day? Perhaps. And it was a challenge for Neptune, but she was up for it. She didn’t need anyone saving her.
What bothered her most of all though was that this Tuxedo Mask seemed to have his own agenda when he dropped in for these fights. He had to be after the crystal. Michiru reasoned that he must be a common thief; someone who heard about it and figured they could make a pretty penny. But if that were true, he would have no idea the immense power he would be wielding. He wouldn’t understand just how necessary it was for the world’s survival. It needed to fall into the right hands. As far as Michiru was concerned, hers were the only ones she could trust.
When Tuxedo Mask touched down this time, Sailor Neptune reluctantly let him take on the beast, but quickly moved to act at the first chance of spotting a crystal. It only took a moment for her to realize that what she sought out wasn’t going to be found here. Normally, that would be her cue to leave, but she was determined to get answers.
“Hey!” she called out, leaping quickly to cut Tuxedo Mask off before he got a chance to flee. Neptune positioned herself in front of him, trying to cut off any escape routes.
“Who are you? Why do you keep showing up?” she demanded, her voice steady and firm. “We both know it’s no coincidence that I keep finding you on the scene when these enemies show up. What do you want?”
