prayer of protection

I have to admit that I am a bit of a sucker for anything that involves someone that gives themselves to protect the life of another. Even more so when their friends get involved. Just the idea that someone pours all of their energy into loving and caring for and protecting another even at great cost to themselves... it just does something to me. I can't hide the way I become emotional about it from anyone.

In Sailor Moon (which got me thinking about this), Usagi (Serena for us in America) uses the Silver Crystal's full powers to save everyone. when she does this, it kills her. She doesn't even hesitate. That's in the japanese version. In the American version, they skip that detail. For those of you who will be reading this, I'm sure that you will be an english-speaker, so I will post the english dubbed version here. Note that some scenes are removed and that the death part is cut out:

"I do need all of you -- please, help me...." At that very moment, even if I've felt nothing the whole time and I'm perfectly fine, I am instantly moved to the point of tears just from hearing the words. It's something that I so rarely see -- the bonds of friendship cause someone to rise up to a level of responsibility and even power that they didn't imagine they could and they do great things.

Yeah, maybe I am sappy. I probably am. That's fine. You can even make fun of it if you want to. It's just the softness of my heart -- and that is something I want to keep always.