Chapter 142
It was yet another day, and Serena, Mina, Lita, and Amy were walking down the sidewalk.
"Has anyone seen Raye?" Lita asked.
"Now that you mention it, no I haven't," Mina said. "I wonder what she's doing."
"You can't expect her to give you her entire itinerary can you?" Amy asked.
"No..but.usually she tells us where she's going," Lita said.
"Maybe she's in trouble with the mob or something," Serena said.
"I really don't think so Serena," Mina said.
"How would you know..they make it their business to avert suspicion," Serena said.
"But Serena, why would Raye get involved in the mob?" Mina asked.
"I don't know..maybe she needed a loan or something," Serena said.
"Why?" Mina asked.
"I don't know!"
"I wish you two would stop talking about the Yakuza.." Lita said referring to the mob's name with annoyance.
"Oh..sorry.." Mina said.
"Yeah..I wasn't thinking," Serena said. "So maybe Raye's in some sort of other trouble."
"Or maybe she just didn't tell us where she was going, because she didn't feel the need to," Amy said.
"All this thinking has made me hungry," Serena said. "Let's get something to eat."
"Serena, if that little amount of thinking makes you hungry, no wonder you can't get any homework done, you'd have to eat a meal for every minute your worked," Lita said.
"Actually..if you look at Serena's lifestyle it comes out to about that ratio," Amy said.
"Guys..Raye isn't here..that doesn't mean you have to pick on me," Serena said.
"It doesn't mean we have to.." Mina said.
"But it doesn't mean we can't," Lita said with a grin.
"See if I jump into save you the next time we get attacked," Serena said.
"Serena it's the other way around," Lita muttered.
"Not anymore," Serena said.
"Most of the time," Lita said.
"Hey..." Serena said.
The four walked into their favorite restaurant and sat down in their usual booth.
"Hey..there's Raye," Mina said. They looked to see at a booth across the restaurant.
"Who's that she's with?" Amy asked.
"She looks a little familiar," Lita asked.
"Who? Raye or the other girl?" Serena asked.
The other three glanced at her.
"Let's find out what's going on," Mina said.
"But maybe this is personal between Raye and someone," Amy said.
"That's never stopped us before," Serena said. The four began to sneak across the restaurant in order to find a good hiding place to hear and see what was happening.
Meanwhile the five guys were heading down the street.
"Okay..guys..you're the only ones I could ask this..now..I was thinking..you know..yesterday I was just standing in the hallway and Amy comes out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel..you know from taking a shower.." Greg said.
The other four nodded.
"And I got to thinking..what if one day she forgets the towel..I mean..just because.." Greg said.
"Hmm..." Rick, Mike, and Steve said.
Patterson lowered his head.
"Well..Greg.." Rick said. "I guess it's a..well..I'm sure it won't be a problem or something..she won't care.."
"What if she does?" Greg asked. "I mean..it could just happen..and if it did..well there goes our friendship."
"Nah..Amy's not like that, she'd understand," Mike said.
"Sure Greg, we can be honest with you about that.." Steve said.
"Of course..she could always demand to see you..you know sans towel..but..then..that's only fair play," Rick said.
"What?" Greg said.
"Oh come on Greg, that's perfectly fair," Mike said.
"Sure..any gentleman would agree with us," Steve said.
"But what do you three know about being gentlemen?" Greg asked. The group stopped.
The three looked at him.
"Good point," they said and resumed walking.
"So what do you think Patterson?" Greg asked.
"I'm not the..uh..person..to ask.." Patterson said blushing slightly.
"Oh..I know....but..you know..the truth is I get goose bumps.. just thinking about her in a bikini," Greg thought.
"Uh...well.." Patterson said. Me too.. He thought.
"Guess..I'll just have to cross that bridge if I ever come to it," Greg said.
"Uh..yeah.." Patterson said.
Greg followed the others. Patterson hit a telephone pole in annoyance making a large indentation.
I hate those kind of questions. He thought and continued on. Hmm..no pain. Strange.
The other four were peeking in the restaurant window.
"Hey..there's Raye, and the girls are hiding in that booth spying on her.." Rick said.
"Not much margin for error in that spy operation is there.." Mike said. The four girls were lying end to end in another booth trying to listen to what Raye said.
"Pretty amateur operation there ey Patterson?" Rick asked.
Patterson merely nodded.
"So..I'd be glad if you could help us out," Raye said. "I know it seems a little out of season..but if there can be skiing in the summer there can be a festival like this in the winter."
"Sure..I'd be glad to help you," the young woman sitting opposite her said.
"Uh..thank you.." Raye said.
There was a loud sneeze. Then a shout.
"Ah..she's sneezed on me!" Mina shouted.
"That was Serena's sneeze.." Raye said and turned around and peered over into the seats of the other booth.
"Uh..hi Raye..." Lita said meekly.
Raye scowled at the four of them.
The five all heard laughter outside and could see the four Guardian scouts laughing their heads off through the window. Patterson had quickly moved away.
"Well..we made do with what we had..." Amy muttered.
"Uh..why don't I give you a call later to cover the details," The young woman said.
"Oh.of course..sorry about this.." Raye said.
"No..it's all right.." the woman said and walked out. Mike, Rick, and Steve followed her with their eyes.
"Hey! Stop leering!" Raye shouted.
The three's eyes turned back onto the girls.
"So...Raye..fancy meeting you here.." Serena said.
"You sneezed on me..." Mina whined. "For this there shall be no mercy," she added in a scratchy whisper.
"What are you talking about Mina?" Lita asked.
"My mind drifted a sec..I'm uh..fine," Mina said.
"You sure?" Lita asked.
"Lita..I know when I'm fine, and this is one of those times," Mina said.
"So normally you're not fine?"
"I mispoke..you see....now uh...I'm not fine..because you're disturbing me," Mina said.
"Oh..sorry.." Lita said.
"Well now that you're all here, you can be the first to hear the news," Raye said and walked to their normal booth. The others followed.
"Can't forget us," Rick, Mike, and Steve said in unison sliding in the door followed by a reluctant Greg.
"No..but we can leave you behind intentionally," Mina muttered.
"You okay Mina?" Mike said.
"Of course I'm okay..I know when I'm okay..this is one of those times!" Mina said.
"Oh..so you wanna make out?" Mike said.
Everyone glared at him.
"Later.." Mina said.
"Too much information!" the others all said.
"Too much information.." Mike muttered. "Hey..just wait till my memoirs come out."
"And when will that be?" Raye muttered.
"Whenever I have enough stuff happen to me to fill three hundred pages that's when," Mike said.
"You'll never fill one hundred if I kill you right now.." Raye said.
"Come now Raye, it might be only second degree murder, but you'd still get several years," Mike said.
"But you'd be dead," Raye said. "So I'd feel better."
"I can't argue with your logic," Mike said.
"Raye..what is it you want to tell us?" Serena asked.
"That woman I was talking to is named Akane Kano," Raye said. "She plays the Taiko drum."
"So why the big secret?" Serena asked.
"It wasn't a big secret meatball top, why should I have to tell you everything," Raye said.
"Uh..that's fine Raye..so why were you talking to her?" Lita asked.
"I've been put on the committee to help put together the snow festival to be held in the Shinohara Auditorium," Raye said.
"Oh..that thing..." Mike said.
"It's impressive each year," Steve said.
"See I had to get Miss Kano to agree to appear," Raye said. "I've got a few more people to talk to so I've gotta run. Oh and I hope all of you are going to come."
"Sounds like fun," Lita said.
"Is there food?" Serena asked.
"Serena..of course there is," Raye said. "More than even you can eat."
"I'll take that bet," Serena said.
Raye walked out.
"That snow festival has been growing since it started a few years ago," Mike said.
"I thought about going, but with Raye in charge I know I'll have to, she may be a work a holic perfectionist slavedriver when given any responsibility, but...she puts on a good show," Mina said.
"Hey, I'm there," Rick said.
"Say..isn't that one of those festivals where everyone's wearing kimonos?" Steve asked.
"Well traditional dress is encouraged," Amy said.
"Oh.." Steve said. "Great.."
"You're still embarrassed over that fiasco in the field aren't you?" Rick asked.
"No..though I should be," Steve said. "That has nothing to do with it."
"What fiasco in the field?" Lita asked.
"Long story..." Rick said.
"With no moral and no characters anyone can relate to," Mike said.
"And it's fattening too.." Steve said.
The four girls stared at them.
"Something we said," The three replied in unison.
"I think so.." Greg muttered.
"Well.we've studied the data on how only two scouts were flushed out by the ehh..Mathematicator," The evil leader said. "Guardian Saturn, and Maverick..these two were expected due to their intelligence and surveillance capabilities. But the others..we need to fight. Still I'm hoping a more focused attack will bring us energy and draw them out."
"Sir...I voyaged to the surface this morning as ordered," a relatively normal looking minion said stepping forward."
"And I learned of this event which seems to be perfect for our needs," he finished holding up a poster he had pulled off a wall.
The leader looked at it.
"You have done well," he said. "Yes this will do nicely."
And in the country area outside Tokyo.
"Are you okay Hotaru you seem...distracted," Setsuna said.
"It is hard not to be distracted when life itself is so different," Hotaru said.
"Well I know it's taken some time to adjust I can understand that..but usually you don't look this distant."
"I am fine," Hotaru said. "My facial expressions are not a good representation of my overall emotional state."
"And what makes you think that?" Setsuna asked.
"Because when the dark one possessed me, I smiled when I was not happy, I scowled when I was not really angry....my body has been out of my control for so long, that it may not have figured out how I truly feel."
"But you don't seem to be happy," Setsuna said.
"No...that is true," Hotaru said.
"Oh...so how do you feel?"
"Setsuna, I want to go back to Tokyo."
"Back? Why? Don't you like it here? I mean..relatively."
"I want to stop running from my past. I want to be where the others are," Hotaru said.
"Others?"
"Humans Setsuna, humans, I want to go home."
"Well..you're house..is.."
"Anywhere in the city will do."
"Oh..well..sure..will that make you feel better?" Setsuna asked.
"It would not make me feel worse," Hotaru said.
"Okay, I'll see what I can do," Setsuna said.
Patterson slowly moved to the door of his apartment after hearing the doorbell ring once. He looked through the peephole and saw a familiar face. He opened the door and Greg walked in.
"Hi," Greg said.
Patterson nodded and closed the door.
Greg looked around.
"You really haven't decorated have you?" he asked. The room was filled with bare walls. A sheet sat on the floor with a pillow sitting on it. It was surrounded by Patterson's school books. A few other various things sat around in bags.
"Patterson..you're treating this like an overnight or something.." Greg said.
"Greg you forget I recently went dimension hopping, I really haven't had time to decorate."
"You aren't going to..you expect her to get this apartment back from you someday don't you?"
"As soon as my house is rebuilt," Patterson said.
"Oh..but..you sleep on the floor?"
"Yeah.."
"Uh..maybe you're being a little too cautious here."
"Greg..it suits me to be this cautious," Patterson said.
"Okay, okay, no problem," Greg said. "I understand, but..doesn't it depress you?"
"The world depresses me, this room has little to do with it," Patterson said.
"Oh..I wanted to ask you something..you know that there's this snow festival..and I'll be going..and so will everyone really..but I was thinking maybe I should ask Amy to go with me. You know..as..uh..well..I don't know.."
"Why have you come to me?"
"Because you're just like me, in a lot of ways.."
"Oh.."
"Patterson, I can't trust the guys to give me really useful advice, and the girls..well..they worry me sometimes," Greg said.
"Greg..please..I'm not the guy to handle this..I'm not some radio psychologist who can handle people's love dilemmas, I'm just a introverted high school student who possess magical powers as well as top security clearance..nothing special."
Greg started laughing.
"What?" Patterson said.
"You're funnier then you think...but you're right..see you," Greg said and walked out.
"Funny? I'm not supposed to be funny!" Patterson snapped.
Greg meanwhile headed down the hall.
He's right. I should handle my own problems. But this time..I'll hold
off..after all we're going anyway...why go through the stress of it. He thought.
One night later. The girls, excluding Raye, who had been there for hours, complete with their kimonos and wooden sandals walked in the door of the snow festival. They were followed by the guys. Rick, Steve, Mike, and Greg all wore the traditional outfits of the time and Rick, Steve and Mike wore Bokken tied to their backs.
"Swinging party ey?" Rick said.
"I do believe it is," Mike said.
The Shinohara Auditorium was filled with various booths with games, exhibits and musicians. A large Taiko drum was set up in the center of it all, and a small pile of snow was in the corner. Streamers ran around everything.
"Don't you think I look cute in this outfit Mike?" Mina asked
"Oh sure.." Mike said.
"What? Don't you like it?" Mina asked.
"Well..it's not that..but...to be honest I really only care what a girl's face looks like."
"You mean I could be wearing any old thing and you'd find me as attractive as if I wore an expensive dress?"
"Yep."
"Well..that's uh...interesting," Mina said. "I don't know how to respond to that."
"So Darrien couldn't come huh?" Lita asked Serena.
"No..he had some..thesis or something..I asked him if he could finish it in the morning before class..he said things didn't work that way," Serena said. Lita and Amy glanced at each other.
"There you guys are.." Raye said..appearing in her bright red kimono, her hair was tied in a similar hair style to Serena's.
"Do you like it Rick?" she asked.
"Yeah..yes I do," Rick said trying to contain his enthusiasm.
"Uh..Raye.." Serena said sliding up next to her.
"Yes Serena?" Raye asked.
"Meatball head!" Serena shouted and dashed off down the row of games.
"Ehh...so what?" Raye said. "This look has a certain appeal to me."
"Probably because Rick likes it," Lita said.
"Though what would we know?" Mina said.
"Come on Rick..let me give you a personal tour.." Raye said with a grin.
"I'm there," Rick said and the two headed off.
"Are you guys just going to stand there..or should we actually go in?" Mina asked.
The others nodded and the group moved in to look at the booths.
Serena starred at the food being cooked up at one of the booths.
"Oh..hey Serena..nice to see you," came Andrew's voice.
"Oh..hello Andrew," Serena said turning to see him and his sister Lizzie standing there.
"I see you've found the food," Andrew said.
"Wherever food can be found and provided is good. I will find it, I have to. I swore an oath," Serena said.
"To who?" Lizzie asked.
"Myself," Serena said with a grin.
"Well enjoy," Andrew said and the pair walked off.
Serena turned back to wait for her food.
"Goldfish.. hey hey.." Mike said glancing at a pool full of them.
"You always go after the goldfish," Steve muttered.
"He does?" Mina asked.
"Whenever the opportunity arises," Steve said.
"But you don't have any fish Mike," Mina said.
"Not yet," Mike said grimacing.
"Mike..let it go," Steve said. "It's for the best."
"Okay..okay.." Mike said.
"Breathe with me.." Steve said.
"I got it.." Mike said.
"What's going on?" Lita whispered.
"What makes you think I know?" Mina replied.
Meanwhile Greg and Amy had found a bench behind a booth and were watching the snow fall outside.
"I've always liked the snow.." Amy said. "They say that no two snowflakes are exactly alike, but given the vast quantity of them you'd think you could find two exactly alike, just by probability. I guess..that's been a curiosity of mine..but I guess I overlook the beauty of them with my quest to find the two that match."
"That's okay..I overanalyze a lot of things," Greg said.
"Yeah..." Amy said.
The two just looked at the snow flakes falling. Then they slowly looked at each other, only to turn their heads away again.
"Oh.uh..sorry.." they both said to each other.
Then they slowly looked back at each other.
"Maybe we should talk a little," Amy said.
"Uh yeah maybe.." Greg said.
"What better time to.."
There was a loud shout, and soon there was commotion. Amy and Greg turned and hurried to see what was happening. There advancing and blasting the crowd was a figure in a traditional outfit just like their's. He blasted nearby people and advanced slowly up the row as people scattered to try and get to safety. The Sailor Scouts were all coming to the same conclusion in various parts of the festival area.
"We've got to transform," Raye said peering behind a booth.
"In this chaos we might be seen, there's no where to hide," Rick said.
"We'll have to find somewhere," Raye said.
Suddenly there was a pause and then a slight cheer. The enemy in the outfit turned to see a figure in the doorway.
"You.." the enemy snapped.
Maverick did nothing but draw his sword. The enemy let a sword appear at his waist and drew it revealing a metal blade. He then sheathed it again and took up a stance, his hand on the hilt. Maverick stood and faced him, he held his energy sword in the draw position as well. The two faced each other while the crowd snuck in behind Maverick or watched from the side.
"So..you are skilled in the art," The creature said. "But I am the Sensei."
"Why is Maverick even bothering to fight him traditionally?" Raye muttered. "If that guy does happen to be a sensei, he's toast."
"Raye..this is Maverick we're talking about here," Rick said.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" The Sensei said. "Some witty speech, or perhaps a warning for me to surrender or be killed?"
Maverick continued to stand there quietly. His eyes narrowed.
"Go ahead..attack.." the Sensei said.
Maverick said nothing.
"As you wish," the Sensei said and jumped forward with his skill and drew his sword outward. Maverick swung his out sword ward and ducked hitting the Sensei from the side and using the force of the sword to knock the Sensei over a booth. He hit the window. Maverick jumped over the booth and stood there his sword at the ready. The Sensei stood up slowly and held his sword out in front of him.
"Very wise..but I will not be so recklessly aggressive again," The Sensei said.
Maverick held his sword out in front of him and slowly walked towards the sensei. The enemy tensed and brought his sword to the ready, he pushed off and swung at Maverick. The crowd gasped.
The blade of the sword fell to the ground as Maverick finished his follow through. The sensei gaped at his broken sword and didn't see the kick come to his head at the end of the follow through. The Sensei fell to the ground. Maverick blasted him with his sword and he lay motionless.
"I'll take it from here!" came a shout. Everyone looked to see Sailor Moon standing on top of a booth.
"Sailor Moon..they're not very strong roofs!" Amy shouted.
Sailor Moon fell through the roof seconds later. She let out a moan climbed out of the booth and walked over brushing herself off.
"Ahem..Moon Crystal Healing Power!" She shouted and healed the sensei. Maverick nodded and walked off.
CHAPTER 141 CHAPTER 142 CHAPTER 143 CHAPTER 144 CHAPTER 145
CHAPTER 146 CHAPTER 147 CHAPTER 148 CHAPTER 149 CHAPTER 150
CHAPTER 151 CHAPTER 152 CHAPTER 153 CHAPTER 154 CHAPTER 155