Chapter 186
The sun rose on the morning of June 30th. The birds were squawking instead of chirping, but that's another story entirely. Serena slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Luna's eyelids slid open too and she glanced up at the girl.
"You know what Luna.." Serena said.
"What?" Luna asked.
"I"M SEVENTEEN!" Serena shouted and leapt up on the bed, only to land back on it and propel Luna off of it and into the wall.
"Whoops...sorry.." she said.
"I'll seventeen you!" Luna said leaping forward her claws drawn. Serena quickly flopped out of the way, slipping on her blanket and crashing to the floor.
"Hah.." Luna said and stood regally on the bed.
"Oh..so you meant for me to fall off.." Serena muttered.
"Of course Serena..." Luna said.
"You're mean," Serena muttered. "But that's all right, because it's my birthday, and not yours."
"How do you know it's not mine?" Luna asked.
"Well is it?"
"How would I know, I'm a cat? Luna said.
"Then...what was your point?" Serena said.
"Point?" Luna asked and walked out the door.
Serena looked around.
"HEY! It's my birthday you shouldn't uh...do whatever you did like that!" Serena shouted.
"Who are you talking to?" Her bother Sammy asked sticking his head in the door.
Serena through a pillow at him. He ducked.
"Jeez...you've gotten irritable in your old age," Sammy muttered.
Serena leapt at him. Sammy pulled the door shut quickly and listened to the satisfying thud.
The door swung open and Serena, bruised, lunged at him. He wasted in no time in racing away. Serena growled.
"I should expect this kind of stuff by now..." she said to herself.
Meanwhile at the Crown Restaurant, Darrien sat staring at a cup of coffee. For some reason he couldn't stop picturing the face of Furuhata Sagara in the liquid as it sat in it's circular container.
Serena turns seventeen today. He thought and took a sip. And I'm in my twenties. Does this work. She's still a girl. She's older then she was..but...I do love her..that's not the issue. But...she doesn't understand the concerns I have now. The pressure I'm under, I've got to carve out a future...I have to stay concentrated. What am I saying? I do love her..I'd make it work...but....I don't know anymore.
He put the coffee back down and stared at it. Then there's Furi. He thought thinking of the nickname Sagara had told him to address her as. She's nice, she's very smart, and she knows what I'm going through. I can sit down and have an intelligent discussion with her. Serena's wonderful..but she just doesn't care about science. I can't fault her for that, science is a lot of work. Takes special people to get enthusiastic about it. Then again she is a math prodigy. She's not stupid. Absolutely not, just not focused, and she may not be ever. Furi though...
He sighed.
Furi and I haven't been through the things Serena and I have been through. It's just...
He was cut off in mid thought.
"Something wrong Darrien," Andrew said appearing at the table.
"You could say that," Darrien said.
"Really?" Andrew said. "Anything I can help with?"
"No...I don't think so.." Darrien said. "Thanks for asking though."
"You sure...you aren't having problems with Serena are you?"
"Why would you think that?" Darrien asked a bit sharply. "I could have other problems."
"Fair enough..it's just usually you can talk about the other problems.." Andrew said. "But you look like you need some time..so..I'll leave you to it."
"Wait Andrew..." Darrien said. "It's not that I don't trust you..it's just...it's just some thoughts..I don't know what to make of it yet though. My imagination's been a little weird lately. I'm under some stress."
Andrew grinned slightly.
"Okay...but you know where to find me," Andrew said and walked off.
Darrien sipped some more of his coffee.
I think I've had enough thinking for today. Serena wouldn't like it if I
showed up like this for her birthday. I'll figure it out later.
"What exactly is that?" Mina asked staring at a strange wooden sculpture sitting on the desk in Mike's room.
"This...is exactly what Serena was looking for," Mike said.
"That wasn't on her list," Mina said.
"Ah...yes...that's true, But you see this is exactly what Serena wanted."
"You were supposed to get her several hundred sticks of bubble gum," Mina said.
"I did that too," Mike said.
"What?" Mina asked.
"Sure...but you see...Serena is a girl filled with troubled emotions."
"That's it, I'm out of here..." Mina said.
"Wait. Why?"
"Because Mike, what do you know about a girls emotions?"
"Enough to get you to date me," Mike said.
"Oh....I guess you could see it that way," Mina said.
"How else would I see it?"
"Hmm...never mind," Mina said.
Mike glanced at her.
"Listen..I just mean Mike, I hate it when you're serious, because you're not," Mina said.
"Huh?"
"Mike...it's just that when you start talking, you never make any sense. I just don't want to hear that every time I talk to you."
"But I'm serious, Serena is complex."
"No she's not, that's why she's Serena, and not me."
"You're not complex," Mike said.
"I'm incredibly complex!" Mina said.
"Couldn't tell.."Mike said.
"Just why do you think I'm not?" Mina said.
"I really don't want to explain it," Mike said.
"Why not?"
"Because I've said enough all ready and don't want to see you angry like this."
"Oh.." Mina said. "Well it's your fault."
"I guess it is," Mike said and shrugged.
"Huh?"
"You're right..."
"Oh...so what were we talking about?"
"The wooden thing here on my desk."
"Yeah? What is it?" Mina said.
"No idea," Mike said.
"So did you finally find the dress?" Steve asked.
"We think so," Lita said. "Thanks to...uh..never mind..."
"What?"
"Uh..never mind.." Lita said. "You really don't want to know."
"Okay," Steve said.
"So did you find that CD Serena was looking for?" Lita asked.
"Yeah I did," Steve said and sighed.
"What?"
"It was not my finest hour."
"Why?"
"Well..for starters, Serena decides to chose to adore a band that hasn't existed for eight years, and even when it existed it only made one CD...naturally the odds of finding it were slim in the first place."
"Well Serena's been hooked on a song she heard on the radio eight years ago and never heard again. She spent years just finding out the band that made it. But you got it?"
"Yes, but let's just say I first had to visit several exotic locations pointed out to by Mike, and that was so absurd...." Steve stopped and clenched his fist.
"Who did he think he was attacking me with flamingoes!" he shouted.
"Uh...." Lita began..
"Sorry..sorry.." Steve said. "This whole chase was practically traumatic."
"Well that turned up no leads, so I told Mike to go shoot himself. He did.."
"WHAT?"
"With a water pistol...just to spite me!" Steve shouted.
"You're holding anger in, I can see that.." Lita said.
"I usually take it out on video games, but I've been so busy finding CD's that I haven't had the time."
"Oh..." Lita said.
"Anyway..so I decided to comb the music stores, looking for clues. Eventually
a guy at one of them told me to check this place out over in Shinjuku, so off I
went. And I found it. Lo and behold there it was, so I was happy, and it was
cheap too..dirt cheap. But then this guy's ringing me up at the register and he
looked awfully weird. Then he's like 'hey buddy that's an interesting CD you
picked out there' and I'm like so? And he's like so is it for your girlfriend?
And I said no..because it wasn't, and he's like then who's it for. And I said
none of your business. He shot this grin at me and then leapt over the counter
and stood there...." Steve trailed.
"That CD is for the purposes of making girls feel the spirit of love running through them, I should know, I created it! I cannot forgive you for this sacrilege" the clerk said.
"It's for a girl, a gift..." Steve said.
"But you just said...it's not for your girlfriend...you are a two timer then and I shall vanquish you."
"No you idiot she's a friend of my girlfriend!" Steve shouted.
The clerk leapt at him. Steve stepped back. The clerk threw a kick. Steve stumbled back from the blow. He wasn't that agile. The figure stood staring at him
"Had enough?" the clerk asked.
"Who the heck are you?" Steve muttered.
"I am Tom the Seventh Rose!" the clerk shouted.
"Wait a second!" Lita shouted. "Did you just say Tom the Seventh Rose?"
"Uh..yeah...you know him?" Steve asked.
"Actually yeah.." Lita said. "What happened next?"
"Anyway.." Steve began.
"Idiot...I'm buying this CD for a girl, it's her birthday, and my girlfriend sent me to pick it up.."
"Hmm...you can only prove your truth by defeating me in combat," Tom said. Steve put the CD on a counter nearby.
"I've looked over the city for this stinking CD because a girl I know has
wanted it for eight years and you force me to fight you....you're going to pay
for this pal," Steve said. "I had to run from a flock of flamingoes looking for
this!"
"What is going on with the flamingoes?" Lita asked.
"Never mind!" Steve said.
"En garde!" Tom said and leapt forward. Steve lunged forward and threw a punch right into Tom. Tom gasped and fell to the ground.
"Get up so I can hit you again," Steve said.
"You've proved your point," Tom muttered. "Just leave the money on the
counter..."
"So I did that, took the CD, and left," Steve said.
"I'm sorry that had to happen, he seemed like a nice guy when I met him, though he was hanging out in a woman's clothing store," Lita said.
"Why was he doing that?" Steve asked.
"How should I know?" Lita asked.
"Good answer," Steve said.
"Did you find another copy of that Comic Serena wanted?" Raye asked.
"Yes Raye, but I'll have you know that you and Serena will have exhausted the supply of that comic for a ten square mile area," Rick said.
"When did you get sarcastic?" Raye asked.
"I had a lot of time to change my attitude on life while visiting seventy nine comic stores because you had to have the first copy we found! That was hard enough!" Rick said.
"You didn't have to keep searching," Raye said calmly.
"Of course I did," Rick said.
"Why?" Raye asked.
"Because you girls are manipulative as well as beautiful, good day," Rick said and walked off.
"I wonder if he's angry," Raye asked herself. "More importantly will he get
over it?"
At the Anderson, Patterson, Thomson house.
Amy was sitting in the living room staring at a newspaper. The headline read.
ANOTHER UNCONSCIOUS CRIMINAL FOUND.
POLICE, SDF, and SAILOR SCOUTS BAFFLED.
"That's unfair, the Guardian scouts are baffled too," she said and started giggling not sure why she found that funny.
The door opened and Greg walked in.
"Hey Greg, did you get the picture?" Amy asked.
"Yeah..right here.." Greg said holding a rolled up poster under his arm.
"That's great," Amy said. "Serena said she wanted a big picture of all of us..you had it easy "
"Did you find her book?"
"Yeah...it's very..uh..steamy.." Amy said unsurely.
"Oh...is that a good thing?" Greg asked.
"It..uh..can be...sometimes.." Amy said.
The glanced at each other and started laughing.
"Where's D.V.?" Greg asked.
"Where else?" Amy said beckoning to the door to his war room. "Still we should get going soon if we don't want to be late."
"I'd better wrap this," Greg said.
"You do that and I'll get D.V.," Amy said and headed for the door.
Greg hurried upstairs. Patterson learning of Amy's approach opened the door before she even called him on the intercom.
"It's almost time to go," Amy said.
Patterson was deeply enamored in his work. He was surrounded by computer screens all flashing lists and pictures. His hands flew across his key board. He finished inputting and command and then stopped.
"I guess it is," he said.
"Any luck?" Amy asked.
"I'm close," Patterson said.
"You think so? That's good," Amy said. "You're nervous about this aren't you?"
"What?"
"The party."
"Oh..that...uh...it's uh not something I'm looking forward to."
"I know..don't worry...you're among friends," Amy said. "But come on..Serena probably wouldn't want us to be late."
"There's irony..." Patterson muttered.
The party was going to be at Raye's since that was the most convenient meeting place for the scouts and Raye felt that it was very appropriate for her to call a truce between her and Serena on her birthday and offering to let Serena have her party here was the best way to make peace, at least for now.
Darrien walked towards the steps leading up to Raye's temple and sighed slightly hold his gifts for Serena under his arms. He paused for a minute and then began the climb.
This is a special night for Serena. I have to treat it that way. I love Serena, that's true. I want Serena to be happy. That's true too. So I've got to be happy. Got it? Who am I talking to? He thought.
He soon reached the top and found many of Serena's friends hanging around the temple yard. The scouts were there of course with the exception of the four outer scouts. Molly was there, Melvin too. Melvin was causing Molly to scream about something, Darrien didn't really care to know what. Andrew and Lizzie were looking at the large charm tree sitting near Raye's room. There was a large yell as Chad swung out of one of the trees on and rope and jumped landing in the yard.
"That's nothing!" Rick shouted swinging on the same rope, jumping, flipping over once and landing.
"That's how you do it Rick," Raye said as she, Serena, and Mina were sitting on the porch.
"My turn!" Mike shouted, swung off, held onto the rope and swung back. He began to laugh.
"I claim this rope for Mike, it shall be my own country, and I shall be the king!" he shouted. Everyone looked at him. Steve took the chance to jump off a tree branch grab him and pull him off. The two hit the ground with a thud.
"Didn't you realize you'd hit the ground too!" Mike shouted.
"Sure.." Steve said and grinned at him.
"My turn!" Lita said and swung on the rope. Unfortunately it wasn't firmly tied to the tree and she went flying into a pile of bushes.
"MIKE! This is your fault!" Lita said and leapt out of the bushes in rage flinging the rope at him as she did so.
"But..I uh..tied the knot.." Chad said.
"Oh..." Lita said and stopped. "Sorry..Mike.."
"Glad you see that I had nothing to do with..." Mike began and then stopped as Lita lunged at him. Mike took off at a run Lita racing after him.
"Whatdya chasing me for?" Mike shouted.
"I come up with a plan and I stick to it!" Lita shouted. "Where's your rope kingdom now?"
"I abdicate the throne!" Mike shouted and raced off into the forest.
"I hope she catches him..and kills him," Mina said.
Raye and Serena looked at her.
Mina said nothing.
The two other girls shrugged.
"Uh..glad to see I didn't miss anything," Darrien said walking up and putting down his packages.
"Oh..hey Darrien!" Serena said leaping up to hug him. "I'm so glad to see you. Did you bring me some nice things."
"Of course Serena...I wouldn't bring you a box of rats would I?" Darrien asked with a laugh.
Raye and Mina leapt up and grabbed Darrien by the collar.
"That was a joke wasn't it?" they asked. Darrien surprised could only nod.
"You don't joke about boxes of rats!" Mina and Raye shouted.
"Sorry..." Darrien said.
"All right then," the two girls said and let him go.
"They have a point Darrien," Serena said and hugged him again.
"I get the message..." Darrien said.
In part of the forest behind the shrine, Patterson and Greg stood leaning against some trees.
"So...we haven't really talked since the court day..." Greg said. "I uh...I don't know.."
"You're curious as to how I'm reacting?"
"Yeah...sure..I am."
"Greg..picture my reaction to anything else and there you go."
"You're wrong D.V. Amy isn't like every other situation...for you..she's different, or have you forgotten that you bought her house for her, and there's the other stuff you've done for her."
"That makes sense, I 'm her brother," Patterson said.
"Why am I thinking that doesn't change things as much as it should?" Greg asked.
"Greg? Please.."
"Fine..okay..no problem...fair enough..you're introverted, I'm introverted, I understand. But D.V. she's your sister, you can trust her."
"Greg..I can't trust anyone..." Patterson said.
"There you two are," Amy said coming out of the forest. The two froze.
"What?" She asked. She hadn't heard anything about what they were saying before hand.
"You two really shouldn't just go off alone like this," Amy said. "But then again you two are...."
There was a beeping. Patterson pulled his cellular phone from his pocket, looked at the caller ID on it, and received the message.
"Patterson here," he said.
"D.V...guess what?" came William Patterson's voice.
"Another one?"
"Yep."
"I..uh...."
"D.V. is there another victim?" Amy asked.
D.V. nodded.
"Then you go...Serena will understand," Amy said.
Patterson nodded.
"I'm on it," he said and headed off into the forest.
"I want to open my presents," Serena said.
"Well wait a second so we can get everyone together," Raye said. Amy and Greg returned from the forest.
"Where's "crackpot a toa"?" Raye asked.
"That's clever..." Greg observed.
"He got called away on business..." Amy said. Raye nodded.
"Hey everybody..come on we're opening presents.." Serena said. Her friends clustered around her.
"Where are Mike and Lita?" Steve asked the assembled group.
Lita at that point was tied to a tree in the forest. Mike was standing nearby.
"Let me be clear about this I did this for my own good.." Mike said.
"Untie me before I get really really really angry," Lita said.
"Lita...where's the logic in that? If I untie you you will attack me and hurt me.."
"You have a point," Lita growled. "How did I end up like this anyway? You couldn't overpower me in a fight."
"Ah..Lita..how little you understand the powers I possess."
"What are you talking about?" Lita asked.
"I transformed into Guardian Neptune, stunned you with my sword and tied you up with the very rope you claimed I hadn't tied properly. See the knots are pretty secure now aren't they!"
"Cheater," Lita said.
"Mike..how'd you pull this off?" Steve asked walking up.
"Oh...hello Steve, uh...it was for my own protection."
"Yeah..I know.." Steve said.
"Uh..Steve..why don't you be a dear and..." Lita said.
"Of course.." Steve said and moved to untie her. "Mike..you've got a ten second head start. Ten..nine...."
Mike turned and raced away.
So aside from the fact that Lita tried to throttle Mike several times, Serena
was given all her various gifts and she appreciated every one of them a nd
thanked her friends. The dress Mina and Lita found for her was the right one,
and she loved Darrien's gifts which included a ceramic red rose encased in
glass. It was probably true that she would break it before long, but it didn't
matter. So it was a happy night for her and her friends all came toghether to
celebrate it.
Several blocks away though the mystery was still unfolding.
"Well here's one for the books.." General Patterson said pointing at the unconsious victim. "The one and only former LDP Party Chairman Katsugi. Maverick glanced at Katsugi and sighed.
"That figures," he said.
CHAPTER 181 CHAPTER 182 CHAPTER 183 CHAPTER 184
CHAPTER 185 CHAPTER 186 CHAPTER 187 CHAPTER 188
CHAPTER 189 CHAPTER 190 CHAPTER 191 CHAPTER 192
CHAPTER 193 CHAPTER 194 CHAPTER 195 CHAPTER 196