MERMAID MELODY PICHI PICHI PITCH
Text translation, chapter 12.
Original story by Yokote Michiko
Manga artwork by Hanamori Pink
Translation by Kotetsu, not to be redistributed without permission!
Archived at http://www.boukenshin.net/pitch/

Translator's Notes:
This is my first time translating a manga, and I'm not yet a very advanced
student of Japanese, hence, there are bound to be mistakes.  I tried my best
to faithfully translate as much as I could, but there were parts where 
characters spoke using slang words that weren't in any of my dictionaries.
Still, I think I got the gist of what I didn't understand. 

I didn't bother to translate sound effects, nor the words appearing on 
every sign, nor all of the [small text] words in the story.  For purists, I 
know, this is a tragedy.  But I chose to go for expediency, which means 
that I've translated only dialogue and *most* of the [small text] passages, 
at least the ones particularly cute and/or important to the story.

I am also not entirely faithful to the punctuation in the original.  
Mainly, there are places where I have added punctuation, since the original 
Japanese dialogue consisted of long, convoluted constructions, which would 
not make sense in English without the addition of punctuation.

Terms of address (like "Onee-chan," which means "Older Sister") and 
meaningless exclamations (like "Kyaa!") have also been left untranslated.

----------------------

Translation Key!
This is spoken speech.
<This is thought.>
[small text] comes before a translation of those tiny, scribbly words
 	sometimes found floating inside or outside a word bubble.
** denotes a panel in which nothing is said.
(1) is footnote #1.  (2) is footnote #2, etc.  Footnotes come immediately
 	after the passages that they refer to.
Pages are separated by a dotted line.

----------------------

Narration:	The mermaid princess, in order to meet with her beloved
		prince, traded her beautiful voice and her tail for a 
		pair of legs.
		But the prince does not notice that the girl right in 
		front of his eyes is the girl that he loves.
		This is because the girl lost her beautiful singing voice...
		
Luchia:		<Kaito, will my feelings ever reach you...?>

----------------------

MERMAID MELODY PICHI PICHI PITCH
Episode 12

----------------------
		
Narration:	We've shown up at a southern island!!

Luchia:		Wa---!  What a beautiful beach!

Hanon:		Here is where Kaito-kun will compete in the National
		Championship, isn't it!  He's pretty good!

Hippo:		But I don't understand why everyone has to be here to
		support him... Nikora-san is too nice!

Nikora:		Cheering at a surfing tournament?  Okay!
		[small text] Because you worked really hard at your 
			     jobs at the beach house.

Luchia:		If you're complaining, then why did you come?!

Girls:		[small text] Kyaa!  That boy's so cute!

----------------------

Rina:		Even so, this beach is very peaceful.  It's as if 
		everything bad going on with *them* is just a silly
		dream.

Hanon:		...Yeah.

Luchia:		[small text] <Huh?  Where did Hippo go?>

Hanon:		Hey, how do you think that purple mermaid is doing?

Rina:		......

----------------------

Kaito:		Luchia!  Did you just arrive today?

Luchia:		Yeah.  Everyone's here to support you, so do your best!

Kaito:		Thank you.

Flashback Luchia: Forget about it...

Luchia:		<...I wonder what he's thinking about what I said then.>
		<Is he still thinking about my mermaid self? Or... has
		 he forgotten all about her?>

----------------------

Boy:		Heey, you.  You're using a nice board, aren't you.

Boy:		I'm Johnny Kawamoto!  Last year's champion.
		Pleased to meet you, Doumoto Kaito-kun.

Kaito/Luchia:	Dazzling!

Johnny:		[small text] Ha ha ha ha! (1)
		(1) [The last "ha" is written with the kanji character
		     for "teeth," which is of course read as "ha." It's
	   	     a pun that means both that he's laughing arrogantly,
		     and that his teeth are dazzlingly white.]

Johnny:		Is this cute girl your girlfriend?

Luchia:		Girlfr...?!

Johnny:		This year's Miss Mermaid, perhaps?

Luchia:		<Mermaid?!>

----------------------

Johnny:		Together with the surfing tournament, there's also a 
		contest for girls.  "Mermaid" is the title given to the
		winning girl.
		The surfing champion recieves a kiss from the "mermaid".

Luchia:		<A... A kiss... A kiss?!>

Johnny:		I definitely want to receive a kiss from you.

Luchia:		Eh...

**

----------------------

Kaito:		You're amazingly self-confident.  But you have to win 
		first.

Kaito:		Right?

Luchia:		Eh...
		<So, so does that mean that I'm entering the contest?>

Luchia:		<B-But wait!>
		<Even if Kaito's the champion, if I don't win my 
		 contest, some other girl will kiss him?!>
		<That would be absolutely AWFUL---!!>

----------------------

**

Hanon:		Ta-da!  Look, look!

Paper:		Miss Mermaid Contest Entry Form
		Name: Houshou Hanon (14 years old)
		B: 83    W: 56    H: 85
		Hobby: Shopping
		Talent:	Singing * Makeup

Luchia:		<Ah, that's it!>

Rina:		Hun, mermaid, huh?

Hanon:		As mermaid princesses, we absolutely have to enter~~!

Rina:		When you say "we," do you mean all of us?!

Luchia:		I'm going to do it!!  It would be disgusting if Kaito
		was kissed by another girl!!
		Hanon, help me choose a swimsuit!!

Luchia:		Rina should do it, too.
		[small text] Since it's Rina, she won't be giving 
		 	     anyone a kiss.

Rina:		<Uh...>

----------------------

Servant:	Sara-sama...  Please stop acting like this.(2)
		It is because I am weak that I have allowed you to...
		(2) [Sara is written in kanji characters.  Sa = sand, 
		     and Ra = silk gauze, or net.]

Sara:		You're pestering me again... Silence!

Servant:	Aah!

**

Gakuto:		Hu hu... Is the princess in one of her moods?  Even
		though I said that we've found the whereabouts of
		the new mermaid...

Gakuto:		This sort of behavior is not becoming of someone with 
		such beautiful hands...

**

----------------------

Izuuru:		So- So then, that girl that saved them was the Princess
		of the Antarctic Ocean?!

Izuuru:		<What's different between her and that woman...?>

Eriru:		What's wrong, Izu-tan?

Izuuru:		Stop talking that way.

Maria:		...And then, Gakuto-sama must have summoned the 
		survivors of the destroyed Antarctic Ocean kingdom to
		this castle.

Yuuri:		Oh, no...!  If things keep going like this, Gakuto-sama's
		heart will be taken away from us...!

DLovers:	The time has come for us to unite together.
		The faithful servants of love, Dark Lovers Sortie!

----------------------
[2-page spread]

Hanon:		But Luchia bought *such* a swimsuit!

Rina:		Really.

Luchia:		But that's because Hanon said that a normal swimsuit
		wouldn't help me win!
		[small text] You recommended it to me, Hanon.

Luchia:		Argh, take that!

Hanon:		Bu--!  Now you've done it!

Rina:		Hey now, hey now.

Hanon:		And here's something in return!

Rina:		!

Rina:		Why'd you have to hit me, Hanon?!

New girl:	...Them again.
		I thought I detected the presence of pearls, but in a
		place like this... I've got a good feeling about this.

----------------------

New girl:	<Noel... I heard that you were captured-->
		<From the moment that we were born, fate had linked us
		 together, the princesses of the Arctic Ocean and the
		 Antarctic Ocean.>
		<Eighteen years ago, on the opposite sides of the Earth,
		 on the same day, at the same moment, we were born into 
		 the world.>
		<It is time.  Even though we have not yet met each other
		 before... My twin sister, Noel.>(3)
		(3) [The new girl calls Noel "ane," which means that 
		     Noel is the elder twin.]

----------------------

New girl:	<But even if I am all alone... I will save you!!>

**

Hippo:		Aah...  I can't tell them that I lost the Pearl Radar.  
		When they get back, I have to hurry and search for it, 
		or else...

----------------------

Hanon:		I knew it, we're the best ones here!

Rina:		You're doing it again...

Beach People:	[small text] Those girls are so cute!
		  	     Wow, they're hot!

Luchia:		<I should have known, this swimsuit is so embarrassing-->

Sign:		Miss Mermaid Contest Participants Booth

Johnny:		Luchia-chan!  I knew it, you're a contestant!

Rina:		Who's that guy?
		[small text] He sure is acting familiar with her.

Hanon:		Isn't he good-looking?

----------------------
		
Boy:		Hey, Kaito!  Look at that girl!
		[small text] Isn't she cute?

Johnny:		[small text] You're cute, aren't you?  There's no 
		             mistake, you're definitely Miss Mermaid!

**

----------------------

Kaito:		What are you doing?

Luchia:		<Kaito!!>

Kaito:		Do you feel like you've already won?

Johnny:		...Hun.

Luchia:		Thank you Kai...

Kaito:		Really, what WERE you doing?!

Luchia:		But, Kaito, you told me last year that you would have
		liked a swimsuit like this...

Kaito:		Eh?

Kaito:		...Aah.  I do like it.

Luchia:		!

Luchia:		Pervert!!

Kaito:		A ha ha!  It really suits you.  I'll cheer for you!

----------------------

Announcer: 	All right, the pichi pichi summer opening Surfing 
		Beauty Contest 2003, START!

Boy:		They sure are weird-looking.

**

Izuuru:		My love is deeper than the deepest ocean... I'm Izuuru.

Judges:		She looks dark and dismal!

Eriru:		Spinning spinning Eriru!  Two-faced Erirunrun!

Judges:		Moron!

----------------------

Yuuri:		Yuuri is not a child.

Judges:		Is somebody in the audience looking for a lost child--?

Maria:		We have come because we detected the presence of the
		pearls!  We're not here to participate in anything like--

Judges:		Ooh, the next entry is a blonde beauty?!

Maria:		I'm Maria.  My talent is enchanting poses.

Judges:		Didn't you see the age restriction?
		[small text] Maybe this year's contest is no good.

**

Announcer: 	Now take another look!  The final remaining contestants
		are these three!  Number fifty-two, Tourin Rina-chan!
		Number fifty-three, Nanami Luchia-chan!
		Number fifty-four, Houshou Hanon-chan!
		These three friends entered together!

----------------------

Luchia:		<Uwaa.  There's so many people.>
		<I'm so embarrassed!>

Announcer:	Johnny Kawamoto is at the top of the preliminary trials!

Luchia:		<The top?!>

Hanon:		Stupid, stupid, what do you think you're doing?!
		[small text] Smile, smile!

Luchia:		Ah!

Announcer:	Ooh, Doumoto Kaito has received top marks and taken
		over the lead.  He's fantastic!!

Luchia:		Uwa...

----------------------

Luchia:		Kyaaaa---!!  Kaito, you're awesome!

Luchia:		Ah!

Audience:	......

Announcer:	WE HAVE A WINNER---!!

Luchia:		Iyaa~~n!

Hanon:		Well, we're beaten.

Rina:		That idiot...

----------------------

Izuuru:		Ooh...!  That's shameless!

Maria:		Why weren't we good enough?!

Eriru:		It's such a heartbreak~~!

Yuuri:		This is too troublesome.  Come out mermaids,
		come on out and fight!

DLovers:	LOVERS ORCHESTRA!

Johnny:		Ah...!

Kaito:		Uwa...!

----------------------

Luchia:		Why did you all try to enter?

Luchia:		Is it because you lost the contest that you're 
		lashing out with your clumsy hearts?
		We'll extend you an invitation, to our pichi
		pichi voice Esthétique Concert!

**

----------------------
	
DLovers:	We're a little bit different today from the usual.
		DARK LOVERS ORCHESTRA!!

Luchia:		Ku...
		<They're so strong...!>
		<When the Dark Lovers unite together, they really do
		 get strong like this...!>

Luchia:		<What should we do...!>

Voice:		PURPLE PEARL VOICE!!

----------------------

PPVoice:	CUTIE HOT PITCH!!

Izuuru:		Ku...!

Maria:		Kyaa!

DLovers:	A new princess...!
		Of all the nerve...!!

----------------------

Luchia:		...That was amazing...!  I knew it, you really were a
		princess!

Hanon:		Now you'll become our friend, won't you?!

PPVoice:	...Who is?!

Luchia:		<Eh...!?>

PPVoice:	It's your fault that Noel was captured!

----------------------

Luchia:		Eh...!  But everyone has to combine their powers 
		together!  Aqua Regina said...

PPVoice:	Do you believe in Aqua Regina?

PPVoice:	Can Aqua Regina, or any of you, say that you did
		anything to help Noel?
		I'm going to save Noel by myself...!

PPVoice:	I can't believe in any of you.

----------------------

Announcer:	At last, it's time for the final contest!!

Kaito:		Ku...

Luchia:		Kaito...

Johnny:		It's reckless for you to keep going with your leg 
		like that!

Kaito:		I-diot.  I can't quit just for something like this.

Johnny:		Forget about our bet, this is dangerous...

Kaito:		I'm not quitting because of a little danger!

**

----------------------

Kaito:		Because I'm definitely going to be the champion!
		Believe in me!

Luchia:		<"I can't believe in any of you.">

Johnny:		"Believe in me," he said... That's impossible!
		With his leg like that... If he has an accident in
		the final round, he might not be able to surf any-
		more at all--!

Luchia:		Oh, no...!

----------------------

Kaito:		Ku...

Announcer:	Ooh, it's a dangerously big wave!!

**

Announcer:	Can Doumoto Kaito ride it?!

**

----------------------

Luchia:		<I believe in you.>

----------------------

Announcer:	...We have our champion---!

Johnny:		Geez... I can't beat him.

Luchia:		<He's amazing...>

Luchia:		<You're amazing, Kaito...!>

----------------------

Kaito: 		Didn't I tell you to believe in me?

Luchia:		<...Congratulations, Kaito.>

Announcer:	And now, a kiss from Miss Mermaid!

Luchia:		<I love you--->

**


</end chapter 12>