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[OP--"Moonlight Densetsu"]
The episode begins outside Hikawa Jinja, where Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako are looking over the Mugen Gakuen School ID left behind by the late Tellu in the last episode. Usagi breaks up this rather grim atmosphere by running up to congratulate Ami on having gotten yet another high test score (on the national mock exams, or something like that). Ami says that she's not the only one to have gotten a perfect score--there's also another girl, one Bidou Yui, from Mugen Gakuen.
Rei frowns at the mention of the school, and Minako suggests that they investigate the place. Makoto says they can't do that, because they don't have entrance passes [and, as they know from past experience, the place has rather tight security]. But Minako declares that they don't need any silly entrance passes--all they have to do is *sneak* in. At this point, an embarrassed Ami breaks in to say that *she* has an entrance pass, since she's already signed up for the next round of mock exams, which are sponsored by [three guesses...^_^] Mugen Gakuen.
[title screen]
On a dark, snowy day, the five girls are waiting (along with a huge crowd of other people) to get into Mugen Gakuen. Usagi is impressed that all these students would stand here in the snow to take an exam; she comments that they must really love to study. Rei smirks at her and says, "That's a lot different from *someone* around here..." Of course, this sparks another fight between the two.
Meanwhile, Professor Tomoe (with Kaolinite hanging on his arm) watches the crowd on a TV screen in his lab. He is surprised to see, in the middle of a crowd of serious students, Usagi happily eating a bag of popcorn. Kaolinite reassures him that, although there are sure to be exceptions to the rule in a group this large, overall the enthusiasm and energy of these exam students is incredible.
Viluy appears and reports on her plan to gather pure hearts from the students flocking to the school for the mock exams. Tomoe says that her plan sounds like a good way to awaken the Messiah of Silence. Viluy thanks him for his words of praise, and tells Kaolinite that *she* should try gathering a pure heart or two, instead of getting cozy with the Professor. Kaolinite scowls.
Elsewhere, Chibi-Usa crosses the street right in front of Mamoru's car. He rolls down the window and asks where she's going, but she runs off without telling him. As Mamoru continues down the street, he sees Setsuna in his rearview mirror.
Chibi-Usa has gone to the now-empty Tomoe house, where she stands for a while and stares, remembering that Hotaru was dragged away by Kaolinite and wondering what has happened to her friend.
The scene shifts back to Mugen Gakuen, where Usagi is giggling over the ease of their entrance in all the confusion. Rei looks around, at the many students quietly reading (but who nevertheless have a rather sinister look--probably resulting from their being drawn entirely in gray ink :)), and says that she can't get used to these strange people. Ami defends the other students, saying that they're studying in order to bring about their dreams for the future. Usagi wilts a little at this statement; compared to these students, she *is* just a lazy girl.
Rei: "*Now* you regret it, when it's too
late?!"
Usagi: "I know, I'm stupid, slow Usagi!"
[Note: The joke here arises from the fact that the phrase Usagi
uses to describe herself--"doji de noroma na Usagi"--is a
well-known catch-phrase for turtles. This is what makes the other
girls laugh--another "turtle Usagi" joke, basically.
:)]
Viluy appears, in a Mugen Gakuen School uniform, and asks if this is the Mizuno Ami who always gets such high scores on the mock exams (and whom she has been wanting to meet). She introduces herself as Bidou Yui and starts to talk about the last set of exams, but Usagi interrupts her, recognizing her as the other girl who got a perfect score. Viluy, her attention now focused on the other girls, says that any friends of Ami's must be very serious about studying, and asks Usagi what her best subjects are. Usagi replies, "Napping and lunch!" Viluy assumes she's joking, while the others sweatdrop. ^_^
Viluy suddenly drags Ami off, saying she has something to show her that will be useful in her studies. Usagi yells after them that adolescence is too precious a time to waste on constant studying, but Minako suggests that, instead of standing here trying to justify her poor academic performance, they should get on with the investigation. Rei and Makoto go one way, Usagi and Minako the other.
In another part of the school, Michiru and Haruka are discussing Michiru's latest ominous presentiments about the school. Haruka says she's also felt some strange energy floating around, and is determined that this time they'll track it to its source. Michiru suggests trying the basement, and Haruka agrees, adding that this time they'll uncover the school's secret.
Elsewhere, Viluy shows Ami something in a small white dome attached to some sort of machine. She calls it a miniature replica of the cosmos, and points out one spot in particular, called the Tau system. As Ami watches the model in fascination, Viluy explains some things about Mugen Gakuen.
At this school, Viluy says, superior students (such as herself) are also instructors, helping to spread the doctrines of Mugen Gakuen. Ami is a little startled by this idea; she thinks that it takes more than superior study habits to make a good instructor. Among other things, she believes, it takes empathy with one's students (especially the *poor* students). Viluy condescendingly tells her that such ideas are immature. In science [and apparently education, as well], theory is all that matters. It isn't necessary to consider people's feelings. Ami believes just the opposite--that in science, more than anywhere else, human feelings are important. Viluy says that Ami certainly isn't talking like the type of superior student who would have the top grades in the country. Just then, a clock chimes, and Viluy announces that the mock exams are now beginning. She walks out, laughing at "kind-hearted Mizuno-san". Ami glares after her.
In his lab, Tomoe watches Ami on a video screen and says he feels something suspicious about her. Kaolinite asks if they should investigate her, but then Viluy shows up (shedding her Bidou Yui disguise) and vows to discover Ami's true identity--she already suspects that Ami might be a Sailor Senshi. Kaolinite protests that this is *her* job, but Viluy shoves past her. Viluy rehearses her plan to gather a large number of pure hearts using her carefully programmed "nano-robots", which are linked to a huge central computer and kept in the armband on Viluy's left wrist. If Mizuno Ami is a Sailor Senshi come to disrupt their plans, Viluy will destroy her. [Actually, the Japanese word she uses is even harsher than that: "houmuru"--literally, to bury.]
Professor Tomoe approves this plan, and Viluy orders her nano-robots to take the pure hearts of students throughout the building who are working diligently on the exam. Usagi and Minako watch from the doorway of one classroom as the students' computers begin to suck out their heart crystals. They swiftly conclude that Mugen Gakuen is exactly what they thought: the Death Busters' headquarters. Usagi asks what they should do next, and Minako suggests that they find and defeat whoever is manipulating those computers--there must be a central control of some kind. The two girls leave to alert the others.
[commercial break]
Michiru and Haruka are running (following the feel of evil, I suppose) through a deserted part of the school, racing down flights of stairs until they come to a set of closed double doors. Haruka swipes her student ID card through the security device, and then pushes open the doors to reveal a huge darkened room. At the other end is a shadowy figure (Hotaru in her Mistress 9 form), seated on a throne. Michiru immediately recognizes the Messiah of Silence, and both of them charge the figure.
They are stopped by a voice calling, "Wait!" and turn to see Ami on the steps behind them. Ami yells at them not to hurt Hotaru. Haruka replies that Hotaru is the source of the evil that will drive the world to destruction [the Silence], and they can hardly ignore such a threat. Ami objects that Hotaru is just a helpless child being used by the Death Busters, but Haruka repeats that showing mercy to Hotaru now would lead to the destruction of the whole world.
Ami dashes past the pair and places herself between them and Hotaru, again saying that Hotaru has done nothing wrong. The older girls yell at her to get out of their way, but Ami won't move.
At this point Viluy (as Bidou Yui) shows up, demanding to know what is going on and telling the three that this place is off-limits. She recognizes the three of them and dramatically whips off her disguise to reveal her true identity as one of the Death Busters. Ami is stunned for a second ("Bidou Yui-san ga!"), and Haruka and Michiru take the opportunity to make a break past her for Hotaru's throne. Viluy immediately hits them from behind with her attack, Mosaic Buster [which also appears to make use of the nano-robots], and they collapse, electricity crackling over their bodies.
Ami goes down on her knees beside them for a second, then stands up again and yells at Viluy to stop. Haruka growls at her not to meddle in their business, but Ami insists that she can't just leave them in this situation. Viluy tells her that, even though she's willing to throw her own life away to save her friends, her naive attitude only invites death. She aims a Mosaic Buster at Ami, who dodges the attack and proceeds to transform into Sailor Mercury. [For some odd reason, Viluy seems surprised by this. ^_^]
Viluy: "So, the genius girl Mizuno Ami's true character
is that of a Sailor Senshi!
Mercury: "You shouldn't use science for evil
purposes!"
Viluy: "Shut up! You'll die, along with these
two!"
Viluy fires another Mosaic Buster at Mercury, who counters with a Shine Aqua Illusion. Mercury's attack freezes the tiny black nano-robots in mid-flight, and they fall to the ground encased in little chunks of ice. Mercury smiles, but Viluy hits a button on her armband which makes the nano-robots break out of the ice and attack Mercury with the same paralyzing electricity that is holding Haruka and Michiru. Viluy tells her that this program uses invisible nano-machines to cut into a human body and destroy it, leaving only a pure heart to be fed to the Messiah of Silence. Mercury gasps out that it's wrong to use science for such evil purposes, instead of for people's happiness.
Suddenly, Sailor Moon appears in the doorway, along with the other Senshi, and gives her introductory speech. Viluy calmly tells them that she will kill Mercury if they make a move (a threat which stops them all cold). She then fires a Mosaic Buster at them. While they dodge one attack after another, Michiru and Haruka manage to drag themselves up and transform. They attack Viluy, using World Shaking and Deep Submerge.
Sailor Moon pulls out the Grail, turns into her Super form, and attacks Viluy with Rainbow Moon Heartache, targeting the armband in particular. At first, the attack doesn't seem to have done much damage... but, when Viluy tries to send her nano-robots to destroy Super Sailor Moon, something goes wrong and they attack Viluy instead. She yells at the machines for failing to recognize her and attacking the wrong person. Mercury sadly reminds her of her own earlier statement that machines--and science in general--don't need hearts.
After a few seconds, part of Viluy's armband explodes, causing a malfunction in the massive central computer that releases the captured heart crystals back into the exam students. Tomoe, watching from his lab, notes that Viluy has failed. Kaolinite seems pleased.
Back in the basement, Viluy's body fades away, leaving only the blue armband on the floor. Mercury picks it up, quietly noting that this is what comes of believing only in science and machines. "She was without love... Poor person..." As she speaks, the armband turns to dust in her hands.
Suddenly the room starts to shake, and Hotaru's throne rises into the air as the walls around it collapse. As the throne vanishes into a portal, the Senshi hear Tomoe's voice saying that the *real* fight is from now on. Sailor Moon calls after Hotaru-chan, to no avail.
Chibi-Usa is [still?] standing in front of Hotaru's house in the snow when Mamoru and Setsuna appear with umbrellas (Mamoru warns Chibi-Usa that she'll catch cold out here). Setsuna asks how long she plans to stay here, and Chibi-Usa says not much longer... but she wants to see Hotaru. She asks the two adults if they believe Hotaru will return safely. They don't really seem to know what to say, but Setsuna hugs her.
Later [the next day, perhaps?], Michiru and Haruka confront Ami, while the other four girls stand off to the side looking worried. Haruka sternly tells Ami that she has stopped them from destroying the Messiah of Silence, and that her immature behavior caused them to lose an excellent chance to finally defeat the enemies... then her tone softens as she adds that, since Ami also saved their lives, they'll let all that slide for now. Michiru adds that they owe Ami their thanks. Everyone looks relieved, and Ami smiles.
[ED--"Tuxedo Mirage"]
Copyright ©1998-2000 Stephen Congly
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