Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Extra Story:
受験戦争編
第2話 亜美ちゃんの初恋
Exam Wars
Chapter 2: Ami-chan's First Love

p. 107

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Ami:

(Don't just sit around reading manga! Study!!)

p. 108

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Ami:

I'm Ami Mizuno.

I was born September 10th. My sign is Virgo, and my blood type is A.

 

I live with my mom in an apartment in Azabu Juuban.

Every morning, I go to school 40 minutes early and read books in the classroom.

 

My hobbies are reading and chess.

My favorite color is light blue.

 

My favorite food is sandwiches,

because you can read a book as you eat them.

 

My favorite sport is swimming. My favorite subject is math.

 

And I'm really bad with...

p. 109

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Ami:

...N-

 

...love letters.

Noooo!

It itches!

Usagi:

Ami-chan!? What happened to your face!?

Ami:

Well, I broke out in hives this morning.

Maybe I'm under too much stress.

Ami:

(Hives are caused by stress.)

Usagi:

(Yeah, you study too much!)

p. 110

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Ami:

But I don't hate them because I get them a lot. (This is actually my third one.)

As soon as I get a love letter, my body breaks out like this.

(sob)

 

First of all, it makes me feel embarrassed.

(Thank you. I appreciate the thought.)

 

Second, I can't believe it.

Because how could someone as forgettable as me get a love letter?

 

And third might be rejection, I guess.

 

I just feel like,

 

during an important time like Middle Year 3,

there's only one thing I can be

passionate about.

 

And that's studying! Right now, the word "love" is not in my vocabulary!

Aah!!

p. 111

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Rei:

W-What's wrong, Ami-chan?

Usagi:

What now?

Makoto:

(Ami-chan's really intense today.)

Ami:

...It's him again!

Ami:

I keep seeing his name on the prep school mock exams lately.

He ties my score every single time.

Usagi:

Mercury? Mercurius? Those are names??

Ami:

They're pseudonyms. You can register a name you like and take tests under that name.

It was originally a corrections-by-mail system.

(Usagi-chan, corrections-by-mail are the very basics.)

Usagi:

So is Mercury your name?

Ami:

Yep.

 

This Mercurius shows up in a lot of national mock exams at different publishers and prep schools.

Lately he always gets first place and perfect scores.

Usagi:

(Ooh, neat.)

Makoto:

Where?

p. 112

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Makoto:

First place: Mercury. 500 points for all 5 subjects.

Makoto:

...500 points!? A perfect score in every subject again!?

Rei:

Aren't you tired of getting perfect scores every time?

Ami:

(You're right. There's hardly any change.)

Makoto:

Studying for exams is great and all, but you have to relax sometimes.

We're all going to look for sales in Harajuku tomorrow. Wanna come, Ami-chan?

Ami:

I'm sorry. I think I'm gonna take a mock exam tomorrow.

That's our Ami-chan. Using a fake name to wreck mock exams.

(The woman who'll choose tests over friends.)

Makoto:

(I figured you wouldn't.)

Ami:

Yeah. Right now I just want to take mock exams, even if it costs me my friends. But I have a reason.

p. 113

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Ami:

There's someone that interests me.

Aaah!

Ami:

There he is again! Same score, same rank!

Ami:

Mercurius. That's "Mercury" in Latin.

All I know is that name, and that he goes to a middle school in the city.

Ami:

Can't stop thinking about this.

Can't stop thinking about this.

Can't stop thinking about this.

(He could be an enemy...)

Ami:

Another mock exam.

And a poster for a new prep school. What should I do?

p. 114

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Ami:

Mercurius might take this mock exam, too.

I have to take it!

 

Yeah. He (or she)

probably goes to prep schools and cram schools.

 

I might have

already met him at test centers

and prep schools without realizing it...!

I wonder what he's like!

 

Yeah. If I take every mock exam and attend lots of prep schools,

I might meet him...!

 

I feel so motivated!

Having a rival is wonderful!

 

Okay! I'm gonna bang through these mock exams and go to prep schools! I gotta go apply!

p. 115

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Rei:

Doesn't Ami-chan seem tired lately?

Minako:

Of course!

She's going to more cram and prep schools, and she takes mock exams every Sunday apparently.

Usagi:

Whaaat?

Why would Ami-chan do all that?

(She has a 300 IQ!)

Minako:

(And she's rich.)

Makoto:

(Must be nice. Her mom's a doctor, and she's their only daughter.)

Rei, Usagi, Minako, & Makoto:

...It's that Mercurius-sama.

Days later...

Ami:

Aaah!

Ami:

Again...!!

p. 116

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Ami:

He's gotten the exact

same scores and ranks every single time.

It's not a miracle anymore!!

He must be an enemy!

Rei & Makoto:

You both get perfect scores every time, so of course you both get first place every time.

Usagi & Minako:

(That is a miracle, though!)

Ami:

But he must be an amazing person. He keeps making it to the top every time.

Rei:

(So do you.)

Ami:

I wonder what he's like. I want to meet him.

Minako:

Ami-chan.

 

You look like you're in love.

Ami:

He (or she) is my greatest rival!

(Love is unthinkable!)

Usagi:

Yeah! We still don't know whether Mercurius is a boy or a girl. (You know?)

Minako:

Hey, Ami-chan. What's your dream guy like?

(Ooh!)

Like, which celebrity would it be?

p. 117

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Ami:

My dream guy.

Well...

Maybe the great Einstein with his special theory of relativity.

Usagi:

(Who's that?)

Minako:

(Let's just go.)

Usagi:

She really had her head in the clouds, but I've never seen Ami-chan like that before.

Makoto:

Me neither!

 

Her face was so flush, and her eyes just sparkled.

Usagi:

She was so intense and jumpy.

 

Maybe... This really is Ami-chan's first love!?

Minako:

Alright! This is my big shot. I, Minako-sama,

will bare it all to help Ami-chan.

Makoto:

(Stop that.)

p. 118

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Minako:

I'm gonna find out what Mercurius is like!

 

Otherwise Ami-chan will get distracted and her grades will fall!

Rei:

But by doing that, the reveal might actually be what distracts her.

Usagi:

How will you find him?

Minako:

Oh yeah!

I'm pretty sure Ami-chan uses internet message boards and chat rooms about exams.

Wouldn't Mercurius use those too? He has to!

We'll look for someone there with the username "Mercurius,"

 

and we'll get his data from the internet...

p. 119

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(↓ Tech illiterate.)

(← Not tech illiterate, but can't touch PCs.)

Minako:

Ami-chan's the only one who can do that.

(↓ Tech illiterate.)

(↓ Tech illiterate.)

Usagi:

But I wanna see what this Mercurius is like, too!

He's Ami-chan's first love. He might be really cool.

(↑ Note: Not confirmed with the actual person.)

Naru:

Usagi! Wanna go to the library today? Umino's gonna try to figure out the midterm tests.

Usagi:

Umino!! He'd be infinitely helpful right now, but I forgot him about for a little while (1 year)!!

(Bookworm)

(Nerd)

(Only a Fine Line)

Usagi:

Umino! Do you know any test wreckers with the pseudonym "Mercurius?"

Umino:

Huh?

p. 120

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Umino:

Oh, he is my friend.

Huh? You want me to introduce you?

Alright.

Usagi:

(When times are tough, go to Guri. Yeah right.)

Ami:

So this is it.

The prep school listed on the school bulletin board.

Prep School Wrecker

Ami:

This is a really old building. I wonder if there are any students here.

 

No! I can study anywhere!

 

It's another place to study for my battle with Mercurius, and I love it!

Teacher:

Now I'll be taking your entries for the national mock exam.

p. 121

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Ami:

Oh no! How could I!?

(↓ Drool)

(What's wrong, Ami-chan?)

Ami:

Dozing off on the first day!?

 

I feel kinda dizzy. Maybe I'm getting sick. This has never happened before.

 

Is it because I'm so worried about Mercurius that I studied too much? He actually ruined my pacing.

Not bad, Mercurius. I'm impressed.

 

But constantly battling you just isn't enough.

I want to meet you, but I don't even know your name.

It's as frustrating as an unsolvable equation.

(Drake's Equation
N = Number of technological civilizations in the galaxy)

Ami:

I just want to solve it and relax!

(sniffle)

p. 122

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Desiren:

I am Desiren the Genius Locī.

A much respected temple school was held here a hundred and some odd years ago.

 

I had only seen serious, hard working students here. But

oh my! I sense terrifying worldly desires! A rare sight!

 

A mass of lewd, wicked thoughts that cannot be repeated in this

holy place of reading, writing, and arithmetic.

p. 123

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Desiren:

Ah! Of course it's a young girl in love! A clump of desires all about a boy!

Ami:

(Mercurius. Mercurius.)

Umino:

This is the prep school he goes to.

 

Oh, Mercurius!

(Hey! Over here!)

Mercurius:

Yo, Dr. Guriguri!

(→ Apparently they know each other by their pseudonyms.)

p. 124

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Ami:

Well, last night I didn't feel good and didn't finish my work. I'll have to work extra today.

Ami:

No! Doing side work during class is blasphemy toward the school!

...Huh? How do you spell "blasphemy" again?

 

Ooh, I'm getting faint. My eyes are blurry.

(Blasfemi?)

(Blasphemy?)

(↑ It's this one.)

Ami:

I have to get a hold of myself! I can't let my grades slip! Not when the mock exams and Mercurius are waiting for me.

 

I have to work hard...

Usagi:

Aaah! Ami-chan!

p. 125

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Usagi:

Ami-chan! Maybe you have an intellectual growth fever?

(Hang in there!)

Makoto:

In that case, she could be love sick.

(Ami-chan!)

(↓ School Nurse)

Nurse:

It's just a cold, from not taking care of herself. She'll feel better after some sleep.

Ami:

Ungh ungh

My head hurts. I can't move. I wish I could study.

Why is this happening?

 

Mercurius, did you do all this...?

Desiren:

So her desires have finally taken over and given her nightmares.

(Ehee)

 

Hurry up and turn into a pure mass of desire. Then I can eat you.

Ehee

p. 126

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Desiren:

The start of all desires! You're in love for the first time, and this is your love letter attack!!

 

The scent of first love makes everyone release themselves! Now, become pure desire!

Ami:

Noooo!

Who are you??

It itches! This is a love letter? It's stuck! I can't get it off my face!

 

Aaah!

 

I can feel it!

I can feel the equations and vocabulary words escaping my head,

after I worked so hard to learn them! Nooo!

p. 127

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Ami:

Who's there!?

Ooh, I feel lightheaded. I can barely see!

Desiren:

How good of you to ask. I am Desiren the Genius Locī...

Ami:

Maybe...

 

Is it Mercurius!?

You are Mercurius, aren't you!? You're trying to get me!

Desiren:

(Um, hello? Can you hear me? I'm Desiren...)

(Not listening. →)

Ami:

You play dirty, Mercurius!

It's time for us to finally square off!

You can't beat me!

 

(Mock Exam² + Prep School²) + √(Stress * Body Temp * (Sabotage)²) / Rank * Rival²

p. 128

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Ami:

... = Mercurius's Identity = Enemy =

Defeat

 

Time to transform!

Mercury Planet Power Make-Up!

Desiren:

Eeeeek!

Sailor Mercury:

The soldier of justice and wisdom. Sailor Mercury!

Taking the stage!

And by take, I mean subtract!^[note]

p. 129

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Sailor Mercury:

Mercurius!

We both get perfect scores and first place every time!

This pointless, neverending academic battle is over!

Desiren:

(Um, hello? My name is Desiren... Can you hear me???)

Sailor Mercury:

I just knew you were an enemy!

How else could you bewitch me like this!?

 

I'm really glad I met you! Rival = Enemy! Ami's Equation! It's proven now!

You just defeat the enemy!! Mercury Aqua Mirage!!

Desiren:

N-Nooo!

p. 130

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Sailor Mercury:

Ahh!!

That feels better.

 

But my eyes are kinda blurry,

so I couldn't see Mercurius's face at all.

He must have been a lovely person.

 

Because he was my rival...

Usagi:

Whoa, Ami-chan!

Minako:

Rival = Enemy, huh? I'd stop trying to get better grades, but I don't want Ami-chan to kill me.

Usagi:

Yeah. But for now,

we probably shouldn't mention seeing Mercurius around her.

Ami:

Huh? You saw him!?

p. 131

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Ami:

What was he like?

Minako:

L-Like this.

Usagi:

He was just like this idol.

Ami:

I knew it!

He looks just like the great Einstein in his youth!

I expected as much from my (former) rival.

Minako:

I figured she was all about looks. Don't wanna spoil the illusion.

Mercurius's Natural Face

Mercurius:

The meaning behind my pseudonym? My name is

Kurume Suuri, and you just read the kana backwards.^[note]

Usagi:

We should really keep it a secret that the great Mercurius is a nerd that looks just like Umino.

And then another day, the results of the mock exam are revealed.

Ami:

Aaah!

How!?

Ami:

Mercurius should be gone, so how!? This can't be!

Mercury really has her head in the clouds, and her battle is still... to be continued.

The End

p. 132