Chapter 2
	“See ya mum, dad!” Serena called out as she left for school. She’d been up surprisingly early 
and was in a very cheery mood. Luna wandered out on to the footpath as she started walking, and 
strode up along side her.
	“You’re up early for once,” she said.
	“Oh, cut it out, Luna. It’s nothing special,” Serena replied, “I just happen to have woken up 
early, and I’m now going to be at school on time. No big deal.”
	“Except that you’ve never been on time before. Not once that I recall!”
	“Jeez, it’s not like it’s important or anything. I only miss a minute or two.”
	“Yes but every day? Surely that’s a bit much!”
	“It doesn’t matter. Besides, teach expects it by now.” Serena than spotted another girl ahead, 
dressed in the same kind of school uniform. “Hey, is that Diane?”
	“How would I know. Who’s Diane, anyway?”
	“Oh, she’s a new girl at school. Just transferred in form America.” Serena looked at her again. 
“Hey, yeah, it is her.” She ran forwards to catch up to her newfound friend. “Hey, Diane!” she called out.
	Diane recognised the voice in an instant and stopped dead in her tracks. Serena caught up to 
her a moment later. “Hi there!” she said to Diane.
	“Hi,” she simply replied, then started walking again.
	“I didn’t know you live around here.”
	“Not surprising,” replied Diane, “as I haven’t told you.”
	“Well, uh, yeah.” Freaky, Serena thought. “So, you come to school this way every day?”
	“Should do. This is just my second day.”
	They walked in silence for a second. Then Serena spoke up. “So, whereabouts do you live, 
then?”
	Diane turned and pointed over towards a block of flats that rose above the surrounding 
houses. “I’ve got a flat with a room mate up over there.”
	“Aren’t you still a little young to be living on your own?”
	“You’re one to talk.”
	“Urk. Yeah, well, I live with my parents.” Serena looked ahead. “It’s just odd and all.”
	Diane replied quietly. “I’m afraid my parents died a while ago. I’ve been on my own since.”
	Serena suddenly looked embarrassed. “Oh. I’m sorry to hear it. I shouldn’t have asked.”
	Diane replied calmly. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve gotten used to it.”
	They both fell silent for a while more as they walked. Then Diane spoke up. “You studied for 
that test today?”
	Serena’s only reply was a strangled “Ulp!”

	The Master rubbed the bridge of his nose. He had worked hard all through the night, but his 
work, finally, was almost complete. Before him stood a featureless statue, shimmering in the air. It 
shifted shape slightly, awaiting a directing force. He stood back from his creation and looked it over. 
Yes, he thought, this will be one of my finest creations to date. He closed his eyes, held out his right 
hand palm upwards and concentrated. “Spirit of Mercury, come forth!”
	A shimmering blue ball of energy appeared above his hand. It grew in size from a small mote 
of light to an orb the size of his head. It then rose above him, and suddenly darted towards the statue. It 
was absorbed into the wavering form. For a few seconds it remained inert, then it started to glow with 
an eerie blue light. The grow became more intense until the Master had to shield his eyes.
	When the glow faded, he looked back upon his creation. The form wasn’t quite what he 
expected, but he knew that it held the power he needed. The statue had become a young woman, of 
about fourteen or fifteen, dressed simply in a long white tunic. She had long sea-green hair and piercing 
green eyes. She blinked momentarily, then looked around. Her eyes settled on the Master, and she 
knelt before him.
	“Mercury is at your service, my Master.”
	“Good. Others will be joining you soon, but for now I need you to go to Earth. Search for any 
signs of the Sailor Scouts.” He then turned to the shadows beside his throne. “Earth, come forth!”
	The shadows wavered, then a tall man strode out of them. He had long black hair that was 
tied back and brown eyes. He wore a glistening silver breastplate, bracers and hip guards over a black 
and red tunic and leggings. A thin band of silver encircled his head.
	“Earth, take Mercury with you and show her around then city. Get her adapted to human life.”
	Mercury rose to her feet and approached Earth. “Can we go shopping?” she asked, hopefully.
	“Er, shopping?” Earth replied.
	“Yeah, it’s just this outfit is so dull, I mean nothing actually wrong with it, it’s just plain as hell. 
Come on. I hope there’s a good café there or something,” she said as she and Earth faded from view.
	The Master blinked in astonishment a few times and rubbed the bridge of his nose again. 
“Maybe this was a mistake,” he said to himself.

	It was lunchtime. Diane was nowhere to be seen, but Serena was sitting with Amy and Lita.
	“How’d you go on the test,” asked the ever-academic Amy.
	When Serena failed to answer, Lita butted in with “That probably means she did her usual.”
	“That bad? Oh, well, better luck next time.” Amy responded.
	“So how’d you go? I heard the other classes did the same test,” Serena suddenly piped up.
	“I missed question twelve. It was rather poorly worded, I thought.”
	“Aw, you’re just making excuses,” Lita needled.
	“Oh? How’d you go on that question?”
	Lita suddenly shut up. Amy allowed herself a small smug grin before continuing. “So I’m afraid 
I only got forty-eight. Rather disappointing.”
	Four times my score, thought Serena, and she’s disappointed?
	They sat in silence for a while, before Serena suddenly remembered something. “Hey, that 
new girl I introduced you two to, Diane. She got forty-nine on her test!”
	“Really?” said Lita more than just a touch surprised.
	“What?” cried out Amy, startled.
	“Yeah,” continued Serena, “She’s a real brain. She even requested some work from your 
advanced class, just to,” and Serena now imitated Diane’s voice with a very posh manner, “’keep her 
on her toes.’”
	“Jeez. Who is this girl?” Lita asked.
	“She’s from America. She says she lives on her own, with a room mate.”
	“Must be a professor, or something.” Lita then noticed that Amy looked more than just a touch 
pale. “Hey, you all right?” she asked her.
	Amy started, then replied “I’m just a bit shocked, I guess. Excuse me.”
	Amy got up and walked over to the bubblers for a drink. Lita and Serena just sat there 
watching her.
	“Have you ever seen her like this before?” Lita asked.
	“Nuh-uh.”

	After school that day, Amy waited outside Serena’s classroom as the students filed out. She 
intercepted Diane as she emerged. “Um, excuse me,” she said.
	“Yes, what is it?”
	“You’re the new student here aren’t you?”
	“Yes. You’re… is it Amy? Serena’s friend?”
	“Yes. I heard you did well on the test today.”
	“Uh-huh,” said Diane, only half paying attention to her.
	“I know how hard it is coming to a new school. If you need any help, please do ask.”
	“Well, I suppose I couldn’t do worse for help than Serena,” she said mirthlessly. “If it’s okay, I’ll 
manage on my own.” Amy frowned. “Do you mind if I ask what you got on the test?”
	“Forty-eight total,” she swiftly replied.
	“Hmm. Guess the work here isn’t that hard after all,” she said as she left.

	David walked along the street, more than just a touch exasperated. He’s had been given the 
job of taking care of this… brat, which he thought was a snap. Six stacked boxes of clothes, 
accessories and other such things later, and he was beginning to regret ever being born.
	Mia lead him on, as he couldn’t see his way for the huge stack he carried. “Just a little more, I 
spotted a few more shops around here I want to have a look at.”
	“A few more?’ he said, exasperated. “Haven’t we got enough yet?”
	“A girl can never have too many clothes!” she said cheerily.
	“But this is all my money going down the drain. Can’t you pay for anything yourself?”
	“Don’t worry, you can get it back easily. Ah! Here we are!”
	David peered over the boxes, and found himself staring at a lingerie shop. “Hey, aren’t you a 
bit young for this kind of thing?”
	“No way! This is the greatest. Come on, don’t just stand there!”
	He gulped. “No way am I setting foot in there!
	“You prude.” She wandered in anyway, leaving David rather annoyed standing on the footpath.
	“Sooner or later I’m going to strangle her,” he said to himself. He balanced the boxes on one 
arm and wiped his brow. As he moved the other arm back underneath the pile, he wavered slightly. The 
top box, a small one containing god-knows-what, dropped off the pile. He cursed under his breath, and 
carefully bent down to retrieve it. As he reached for it, he stumbled, and staggered forwards, suddenly 
crashing into someone. They were both sent sprawling, and his boxes were scattered all over the 
pavement.
	“Hey, watch where you’re going!” hollered the brown haired girl he’d collapsed onto.
	He sprung to his feet and helped her up. “Sorry about that.”
	“No problem,” she said, standing. She got her first good look at him and was surprised. 
“Darian?” she said.
	His brow immediately furrowed. “No, sorry. My name’s David.”
	Lita blushed. “Oh, I’m sorry. I mistook you for a friend of mine.”
	“I’ll take that as a complement,” he said smiling. He then knelt down and started picking up his 
packages.
	Lita knelt down and helped him. “I’m sorry about that,” she said, “I really should have been 
watching where I was going.”
	“No, it was my fault,” he replied.
	Lita picked up the last of the boxes. “Hey, these are all from boutiques near hear.” Her eyes 
narrowed. “What kind of weirdo are you, anyhow?”
	“Hey,” he said defensively, “Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m playing caddie for a friend,” he 
continued as they both stood up.
	“Convenient that she isn’t around at the moment,” she responded accusingly.
	David smirked, and pointed to the store behind her. Lita looked around, blushed, and 
immediately turned back towards him, very red faced.
	“Any more questions?” he said, laughingly.
	“Shuddup,” she replied. Lita then started, and looked at her watch. “Gotta go!”
	A she started to run off, David called after her. “Wait! Can I see you again?”
	Lita was too lost in thought to hear him. You know, she thought, he reminds me of…

	Lita dashed up the steps to the shrine, and stopped at the top, out of breath.
	“’Bout time you got hear,” said Raye.
	“Hey, cool it,” Mina interrupted. “How are you doing?” she asked Lita.
	“Fine. Fine,” she spluttered. “Think I’m still a bit off from that draining yesterday.”
	“That’s precisely what I called this meeting about.” said Luna. “But before we get to that, 
where’s Amy.”
	Serena suddenly spoke up. “She stayed back at school to get some extra work done.”
	“Amy doing extra work at school? What, more than she usually does?” asked Raye, surprised.
	“Yeah. Someone beat her in a test, now she’s all shaky and such.”
	“Someone beat Amy?” Mina said, unbelieving. “The world is coming to an end!”
	Serena chuckled. Lita asked her “Hey, was that this Diane girl?”
	“Yeah, actually. She’s really weird.”
	Luna cleared her throat. “Now that we’ve got that sorted out, can we continue?”
	“What about Amy then?” Serena asked.
	“We’ll just have to tell her later what’s going on,” Luna replied. “The appearance of a new 
monster worries me.”
	“What about that guy she was with. He gives me the creeps,” said Mina.
	“His outfit actually looked a lot like the ones Queen Beryl’s generals wore. D’you think there 
could be a connection?” Lita asked.
	“I’d say it’s very likely. But we don’t know a thing about him.” Luna said.
	“I don’t know if it helps,” Raye suddenly interjected, “but two nights ago, when there was that 
plane crash, I remember waking up feeling some kind of evil presence. At first I thought it was nothing, 
but it’s probably related.”
	“It would have to be a powerful presence for you to feel it nowhere near you.”
	“You think he could have caused it?” Mina asked.
	“Possibly, but why?” Luna responded. “If he was indeed involved with Queen Beryl, then it 
wouldn’t fit in with their MO”
	“M.O?” asked Serena, befuddled.
	“Modus operandi,” Luna responded. Serena still looked blank. Luna sighed and continued 
“Method of operation. It’s Latin, meaning how they operate.”
	“You’re sounding more and more like Amy every day.”
	“I’ll take that as a complement.”

	Amy was sitting in the school library, trying to concentrate on her study. But she couldn’t 
concentrate. Try as she might, she couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d been beaten, no humiliated 
at that test. By an exchange student! On her second day in the country! No, Amy thought to herself, 
don’t think about it. Try and concentrate on the work. Forty-nine out of fifty!
	Amy shook her head and slammed the book shut. It was useless. She was used to being top 
of the grade, and had grown proud of it. She realised now that she was a touch too proud of her 
achievement. Hubris, she thought to herself. She would have to sort this out once and for all.
	As if on cue, Diane sat down right next to her. “Hey,” she began.
	“What? Oh, hello.” Amy said, quietly.
	“Look, sorry if I was a bit rude this afternoon. I guess I just got lucky.”
	“Don’t worry about it,” Amy said, and reopened her study book.
	“Look, I know how you feel.” Diane paused. “I used to be just as proud as you are of my 
achievements at my old school.”
	Amy looked startled. “How do you know about me?”
	Diane smiled. “Oh, come on. Everyone knows at this school.” Then she mimicked Serena’s 
whining voice. “oh, Amy’s the brain here, no-one can top her.”
	They both giggled for a second, before someone hissed at them to be quiet. They both turned 
red in embarrassment, then Amy turned back to her book.
	After a few seconds, Diane spoke up again. “When I wanted to challenge someone, I always 
got a photocopy of an old test, and did it against the challenger.”
	“Five minutes reading time,” Amy said, not looking up from her book, “then 30 minutes on the 
test, highest score settles it.”
	Diane looked startled for a second. “How’d you know?”
	“It’s what I’d do if I was feeling that competitive.”

	David wandered around the shopping center. He had to cook, it was suddenly decide, so he 
could do the shopping for food. Gods, that brat was annoying. Why did he have to look after her 
anyway? It wasn’t fair.
	His face brightened when he saw a familiar face further down the aisle. The girl he had ran 
into earlier today was busy examining some spice jars. He wandered down towards her, and said “Hi.”
	Lita turned around, startled, then recognised his face. “Oh, hi,” she said.
	“You do your own shopping?” he asked, examining her choices.
	“Yeah. I live on my own.”
	“Fair enough.” he looked over her selections. “Thai curry is quite an acquired taste. You up to 
it?”
	Lita looked at him quizzically. “You do your own cooking as well?”
	“Yeah. I’ve got a flat with a room mate, but she can’t cook for-”
	“What a girlfriend?” she quickly interrupted.
	“No, nothing like that. Just a friend of the family. We’re students from America.” He looked 
behind Lita. “This your boyfriend?”
	Lita spun around, and immediately recognised Darian. “Hi!” he said simply.
	“Er, no,” said Lita over her shoulder. “Hi there,” she then responded to Darian.
	“But you two know each other?” David asked.
	“Yeah, he’s a friend’s boyfriend,” she replied.
	“Who’s this?” Darian asked.
	“Oh, just a guy I bumped into, Darian,” Lita responded.
	“Darian? So this is the guy you mistook me for?” David asked.
	“Yeah,” said Lita.
	“Well, I can see the resemblance,” Darian said.
	At that pint, the demure figure of Mia rounded the corner into their aisle. She had found just 
the most perfect thing it was so cute, now all she had to do was get her David to buy it for her…
	She stopped, startled, when she saw the three of them chatting. Her David was talking to 
another girl! And smiling! This couldn’t be tolerated. She ducked back around the corner and made sure 
no-one could see her.
	She pulled out a midnight blue pen and held it aloft. Crying out “Mercury Spirit Power!” she 
was enveloped by waves of ice-cold wind. When they dispersed, she was left in a midnight-blue sailor 
outfit with light blue bows and skirt, and a silver tiara.
	All three of them turned when they heard the cry. Mercury Spirit emerged from around the 
corner, pointing an accusing finger at Lita. “Boy stealer! Justice has caught up with you! I’ll teach you to 
take away my boyfriend!”
	Lita looked sideways at David, exasperated. “What’s she on about?” she asked in a whisper.
	“Beats me.” David responded. “I’ve never ever seen her before.”
	Mercury Spirit yelled out “And now you shall be punished! Mercury Ice Shards!”
	She drew her hand back, clenched into a fist, as ice-cold winds whipped around her, 
converging on her hand and forming a blue ball. She then thrust her fist forwards, flinging the ball at 
them. It shattered at she let go of it, sending dozens of shards of ice hurtling at the three of them. David 
dived to the floor as Darian and Lita ran scared, all of them managing to avoid the attack. Darian and 
Lita dashed out of the supermarket, followed by Mercury Spirit.
	Lita called over her communicator as she ran, panting for breath. “Anyone who can hear me, I 
need help! I’m being chased by an unknown Sailor Scout! Anyone who can hear me, help!” Darian had 
already dashed into a side alley to transform unnoticed, and their pursuer didn’t seem to care.
	Lita turned a corner, but her pursuer took a huge overhead leap and landed in front of her. 
Startled, Lita stood still, trying to regain her breath and find a way out of this problem. Mercury Spirit 
advanced on her, and evil gleam in her eyes.
	Suddenly a rose stuck into the ground in front of her, halting her advance. Tuxedo Mask and 
Sailor Mercury landed between Mercury Spirit and Lita, shielding their helpless comrade. “Coward!” 
Mercury said, “How dare you pick on helpless girls! I, sailor Mercury shall punish you for this injustice!”
	Lita yelled, trying to salvage her bruised pride, “Who are you calling helpless?”
	“Don’t argue, just run!” Tuxedo Mask said.
	“Alright then, I hadn’t planned for a big fight,” said Mercury Spirit as Lita bolted “But if that’s 
what you want, I suppose I’ll just have to kick your tails! Mercury Ice Shards!”
	Both Sailor Mercury and Tuxedo Mask avoided the attack. Tuxedo mask thew a rose while 
leaping away, which Mercury spirit easily avoided. She pressed her attack as they landed, throwing 
another volley of ice shards at them. They dodged out of the way.
	“She’s too fast,” Mercury said. “I’ll distract her, and you attack.”
	Darian nodded his agreement, and ran off to Mercury Spirit’s side. “Mercury Ice Storm!” 
Mercury blasted a wave of supercooled air and ice at her foe.
	Mercury spirit stood still as the attack washed over her. “We’re of the same element. Did you 
really think that would affect me?” She spotted Tuxedo Mask sneaking around to her side and smiled. 
“Mercury Ice Wind!” a roaring wing of ice and snow shot at Tuxedo Mask, buffeting and chilling him. It 
took all of his strength just to stay on the spot, although he was forced to his knees. She turned back to 
Sailor Mercury. “Now for you.”
	She had to think fast. Sailor Mercury spotted a street light hanging over her foe. Aiming 
upwards, she sent a stream of freezing bubbles at it. They encased it in ice, freezing the metal. 
Suddenly brittle, it snapped under its own weight, and plummeted down towards Mercury Spirit. She 
looked up at the last second and darted out of the way, trying to avoid the plummeting light. It caught 
her on the leg, knocking her down and breaking her concentration as she yelped in pain.
	Suddenly she found herself surrounded. The other sailor scouts had shown up, and Tuxedo 
Mask was back on his feet. Mercury Spirit struggled to her feet, as they closed in on her. Cursing under 
her breath, she leapt up onto a rooftop, then fled out of sight.
	“Who was that?” Mars asked.
	“I don’t know,” said Mercury, quietly.

	Diane sat in the classroom, waiting impatiently. She’d sorted out the photocopies when Amy 
had run off, stating “urgent business.” She’d gotten the answers from one of the librarians, and hadn’t 
even looked, so confident she was in her abilities. Now it was just a long wait until Amy and her 
appointed referee showed up.
	And eventually they did. Amy and Serena walked into the room silently. Amy apologised, and 
sat in the desk which had been placed facing Diane’s. Serena said “Okay, five minutes reading time.”
	They both turned over the first page and started going through the test, in complete silence. 
Hah, thought Diane, This is too easy!
	Serena instructed them to begin, and they both started writing furiously. After the first few 
questions, neither challenger had looked up from the paper, doing them all from memory. The 
questions are so simple, thought Amy, even Serena would have no trouble with them. She mentally 
corrected herself, as she heard Serena oohing and aahing at her latest comic book.
	After only fifteen minutes, both of them declared “Done!” simultaneously.
	“Whoah!” said Serena, startled. She took both their papers, and started checking them off with 
the answer sheet. Both contestants stared at each other, Amy with a look of casual innocence, and 
Diane with one of Smug victory.
	After a few minutes of total silence, Serena spoke up. “Um, I don’t know how to tell you this, 
but you both got the same. Perfect scores,” she said weakly, knowing what was about to happen.
	“WHAT??” they both yelled out, grabbing their papers off her. Without a word of agreement, 
they put the answer sheet between them and started correcting the papers themselves.
	They both looked up at each other, realising that Serena was right.
	“Friends?” asked Amy quietly.
	Diane thought for a second. “Okay.”
	Serena yelled out “This is so great!”
	“Beats having Serena as a guide,” said Diane, at which Amy laughed in agreement.