Chapter 196
"D.V. I've never had to confront anyone like this before.." Amy said.
"I'm not looking forward to it myself," Patterson said.
"But..this can only lead to more trouble," Amy said.
"What's a litle more trouble amidst this maelstrom?" Patterson asked.
"Poetic.." Amy said. "But we're going to need more then that to get us through this."
"I know," Patterson said.
The two looked at each other and then moved to the door before each knocking.
The door slid open and Raye found herself staring at the two.
"What is it?" she asked.
Rick appeared beside her.
"We need to talk," Amy said.
Raye and Rick emerged from the room and stood in front of them.
"Talk then.." Raye said.
"You knew there was an emergency and you didn't answer the call," Amy said.
"And now Greg's been crtically injured," Patterson said.
Raye and Rick's eyes widened a bit, the guilt they felt was obvious.
"We didn't know you two weren't around," Raye said.
"Yeah if we had, we would have jumped into battle," Rick said.
"That's not the point," Amy said. "We can't chose when or when not we fight. Raye you should know that especially. The two of you acted disgracefully, and Greg's injury is your fault!"
"How dare you accuse me, I've fought in so many battles! How can you blame me for not wanting to fight in another one! There reaches a a point when ....this isn't easy!" Raye said. "Don't tell me you've never been tempted!"
"Tempted yes, but never to the point that I didn't go!" Amy said.
"Liar, when you're parents were arrested you let Greg be beaten just feet away from you!" Raye shouted.
"THAT WAS DIFFERENT!" Amy screeched. "I had a traumatic experience held over my head, you two were just making out most likely!"
"My whole life has been a traumatic experience!" Raye shouted back. "You have no right to judge me, you're a girl who had everything she ever wanted, a loving family, all the money she could need, a highly intelligent mind, heck your brother here has done everything for you! You didn't have it hard at all!"
"The other scouts would have come!" Amy shouted. "You were selfish putting your own foolish romance about the lives of your friends!"
Raye said nothing but instead she slapped Amy across the face. The next few seconds seemed to happen faster then they should have.. Raye found herself propelled backward by another force a punch to her face. She hit the ground and fell unconcious, knocked out by the blow. Amy rushed to check on Raye by instinct. Rick looked over in surprise. Patterson withdrew his fist...and stared at it, not believing what he had done.
"You hit a girl Patterson! You hit Raye!" Rick shouted.
"I..uh.." Patterson said.
"How could you!" Rick shouted and threw a punch. Patterson jumped back.
Amy looked up to see Rick advancing towards her brother.
"Wait..don't you two!" she shouted.
"Patterson, you have done a dishonorable thing yourself today, you can't judge either of us you hypocrite!" Rick shouted.
"That was accident, I apologize," Patterson said. "However, I'm sure that is not enough for you."
"No..it's not," Rick said taking a fighting stance.
"You two stop it!" Amy shouted. "We don't need more fighting."
"He's going to attack me Amy..I have no choice," Patterson said.
"He's right. Whether he fights or not, I will," Rick said.
"If you intend to hurt me Rick you'll find yourself mistaken...give up now.." Patterson said.
"You don't have a sword Patterson, I'm not worried," Rick said. "You'll pay for what you did."
"So will you," Patterson said. The two's eyes narrowed as they got ready. Amy's eyes widened in fear. The two leapt forward. Rick threw a chop, Patterson slid under, whirled, and attempted his own blow. Rick flipped back and leapt throwing a drop kick, Patterson avoided it.
"I can avoid anything you have, and if I chose to go an offensive.." Patterson said sliding out of the way of another attack.
"Try me," Rick said attempting a spin kick. Patterson slid under it and came up under Rick knocking him to the ground. Rick quickly spun up and got ready.
The two's eyes narrowed again. Rick leapt forward and threw another attack, Patterson stepped out of the way, and kept moving as Rick threw attacks.
"Cowardly!" Rick shouted.
"Intelligent," Patterson said and threw his own blow. Rick was hit in the gut and he stepped back suddenly and stared at him.
"Lucky," Rick said.
"Hardly..." Patterson said. "You are predictable Rick.."
"Will you two stop it!" Amy shouted.
"What's going on?" Raye said woosily getting up.
'Raye are you all right?" Amy asked.
"A little groggy.what happened?" she asked.
"Uh...it's a uh..long story."
"Why are they fighting?"
"Uh..well uh.."
Rick unleashed a rapid fire martial arts attack, Patterson qucickly and adeptly dodged or block all of the blows, but Rick kept coming.
"I can do this for hours!" Rick shouted.
"What makes you think I can't!" Patterson said and suddenly flipped backward landing on the balls of his feet and jumping. Rick slid under the attack and spun around. Patterson turned to face him.
"You..you're better at this then I thought," Rick said.
"I warned you," Patterson said.
"Rick! Be careful!" Raye shouted.
"Raye are you all right?" Rick asked.
"Sure.." Raye said. "Haven't you figured it out though! He's holding back!"
"Of course he is," Rick said. "I know that, but then again, so am I."
"Well..duh.." Patterson said.
"Will everyone stop fighting?" Amy said.
"This is a matter of honor," Rick said.
"You're going to regret it," Patterson said.
Rick leapt forward again, Patterson dived out of the way and spun around. The two both through kicks which collided, they both flipped back on one foot and landed ready to make their next attacks.
"Now I'm going to get serious," Rick said and unleashed a combination of moves with incredible speed. Patterson once again blocked them all.
"That's only the start!" Rick said and kept going.
Go ahead exhaust yourself. Patterson thought, and following Rick's latest combo he sidestepped grabbed Rick's right arm and flipped him over. He then stepped back himself and waited for Rick to stand up.
"Rick! Stop messing around!" Raye shouted.
"You still don't know why they're fighting do you?" Amy asked.
"That's not the point," Raye said. "And why don't you tell me?"
"Uh..you really don't want to know."
"Why?"
"Uh..I can't say."
"Why?"
"Raye...I'm still mad at you. For many reasons."
"That's no excuse."
Rick and Patterson continued their fight. Patterson stumbled back from Rick nicking him. Rick leapt forward.
"No," Patterson said and stepped aside. Rick landed awkwardly. Patterson spun kicked. Rick sidestepped it and lunged forward. Patterson quickly recovered.
"Amy tell me!" Raye said grabbing her.
"It would only make it worse, Rick can tell you later..." Amy said.
"Rick!" Raye shouted.
"What?" Rick said barely avoiding an attack.
"Why are you fighting Patterson?"
"You don't remember?" Rick asked avoiding another blow.
"Are you going to fight or talk?" Patterson muttered.
"He punched you out Raye!" Rick shouted.
"He did what!" Raye shouted rising.
"So much for this fight," Patterson said.
Raye advanced across the plaza. Patterson stared at her.
"Rick..step aside.." Raye said.
"Uh..oh..right..we'll settle this later," Rick said and returned to the porch.
"You hit me?" Raye asked.
"You hit Amy."
"That's different."
"I know."
"Well as long as you do..it's my turn..." Raye said taking a fighting stance. "You can hit me all you like now..but you won't get the chance."
"Raye..I don't think so.." Patterson said.
"You're refusing to fight me?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll just beat on you then.."
"I won't allow that.." Patterson said.
"You won't have any choice," Raye said getting ready. Patterson took a defensive position.
"Rick isn't as skilled as I am, and I am also very mad," Raye said.
"Anger is not always a useful weapon," Patterson said. "Unless you can master it's use."
Raye let out a shout and leapt forward throwing a fist, Patterson avoided it. Raye tried again, Patterson dodged it again. Raye threw a combination of moves toghether, Patterson countered it.
"I'll show you! I've had years of training!" Raye shouted and tried even more flourishes of punches and kicks. Patterson avoided all of them.
"This is accomplishing nothing," Patterson replied calmly avoiding everything she threw at him.
Raye let out another scream and leapt at him with the intent to tackle. Patterson leapt away, Raye landed on her hands and flipped forward spinning and leaping forward, Patterson slid under the attack, beginning to get a little tired himself, from having to fight off the best attacks of two well trained martial arts fighters.
"Come on! You can't keep this up forever!" Raye shouted.
"Neither can you," Patterson said. Raye growled and leapt into the air.
"STOP IT BOTH OF YOU!" Came a familiar voice. Raye became distracted in mid air and flew into a pile of bushes. She popped with annoyance covered with leaves.
"SERENA! What are you doing here?" she shouted as she saw the familair blonde standing at the top of the temple steps.
"I came back..." Serena said. "Please stop fighting."
"He hit me.." Raye said.
"Really?" Serena asked.
"He knocked me out!" Raye shouted.
"Oh...good for you Patterson..anyway...shouldn't you guys be trying to stop these evil robots?" Serena said. "That's why I came back. My own problems have to wait, we have to stop these things."
"I'm glad to hear you're so focused Serena," Amy said. "Welcome back."
"It's good to be back," Serena said. "Now..where's everyone else?"
"Well I'm here if that means anything.." Lita said walking up behind her.
"That's convenient," The rest found themselves saying.
"Oh..uh..I'm over here too.." Steve said walking up tot he top step.
Everyone gaped.
"Well this place got crowded quickly.." Rick muttered.
"Now we just need to get Mike and Mina toghether and we'll be ready," Serena said.
"That could be a problem," the others said.
"Did I miss something?" Serena asked.
The group all nodded.
"What?" she asked.
"Why are you following me?" Mike muttered.
"Because I'm sorry," Mina said.
"Sorry? You wouldn't have been sorry if Johnny left you."
"Sure I would, Mike, I was wrong," Mina said.
"I don't care," Mina said.
"Please at least accept my apology."
"No, not yet, you are much too two faced for me," Mike said. "I should have seen this coming."
"Why?!" Mina shouted.
"It just fit," Mike said.
"What do you mean, you were in love with me?"
"Being in love doesn't prevent someone from being suspcious."
"You didn't trust me?"
"You cheated on me didn't you!" Mike said.
"Oh..good point," Mina said.
"Mina, go away," Mike said.
Mina sighed.
"This isn't going to be easy," she said.
"It's not supposed to be," Artemas said appearing above her.
"How long have you been there?" Mina muttered.
"Long enough," Artemas said.
"I really am sorry Artemas."
"Mina, you have to give him time, then you have to prove to him that you didn't mean it, besides, your chances with him are over anyway."
"I don't want to go back, I just want him to forgive me."
"So you'll stop feeling guilty?"
"Yeah."
"Well..you're supposed to feel guilty, deal with it."
"Isn't anyone on my side here? I made an immature mistake."
"Well..accept the immature consequences," Artemas said.
Mina just glanced at him.
"I'm no good at that," she said.
"Not my problem," Artemas said.
"Easy for you to say," Mina said.
"Yeah, it is, then again I didn't cheat on someone," Artemas said and ran off.
Mina sighed again.
"Guess he's right," she said.
"Serena are you feeling better?" Amy asked.
"Guys..right now..it doesn't matter how I feel. Darrien, is a problem..but...I have other friends, you guys...and I can get along with him, for now. You know me I bounce back...for some reason," Serena said and smiled.
The others smiled back.
"We're glad to hear it Serena," Lita said.
"So how was your trip Lita?" Amy asked.
"Enlightening," Lita said. "But it didn't really help..still..I'll manage...how have things been here? I heard about Greg..."
"I really should go visit him.." Amy said.
"Yeah..that's a good idea," Serena said.
"I'm sorry Amy," Raye said with genuine guilt.
"We'll talk later Raye," Amy said and hurried out.
"Why didn't you answer the call?" Lita asked.
"Before this turns into an inquisition...I had my reasons, none of them were good..but...after all of this..I thought that the blue team could handle it..I didn't want to leave Rick then..it was one of the moments of romance..that...I.." Raye said. "I was wrong."
The other two looked at her with concern.
"I..never thought.." Raye said. "Guys..I really didn't.."
"Raye...I understand," Serena said.
Raye looked at her mystified.
"You do?"
"Yes..we don't want to do this...heck..I'm in one of the worst times of my life...but we have to..and it takes all of our resolve to fight the battles...to answer the calls...and...I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner...I've been tempted..and..I...Raye..it was wrong..but...I don't know if I can pass judgement."
"Me neither," Lita said. "Raye...I think you'll be able to sort through this yourself and it's up to you.." Lita said.
Raye nodded.
"I think you're right."
There was a thud as something slammed against the door. The three girls opened it in surprise. Rick was lying there on the porch, he stood up slowly.
"What happened?" the three girls asked.
"Well I uh..wanted my rematch with Patterson.." Rick said. "He warned me what would happen if he went on the offensive."
"He did," Steve added leaning against a post.
"Where'd he go?" Raye asked.
"Had to go..find those robots..you know." Rick muttered. "Dang he can hit.."
"That he can.." Steve said.
"What move did he hit you with?" Raye asked curiously.
"I don't know.." Rick said bewildered.
The three girls glanced at each other.
Later at Tokyo General Hospital.
"So..how's it going Greg?" Amy asked.
"Ehh..I've felt better," Greg said lying in the bed trying not to move too much.
"I don't doubt it," Amy said.
"So how are things?"
"Uh..don't ask," Amy said.
"Why?"
"Uh..Greg...wouldn't telling you defeat the purpose of me not telling you," Amy said.
"Sure, but I'm curious."
"It's really not important," Amy said.
"Oh..okay.." Greg said. "But have you found the robot?"
"Uh...we're working on it," Amy said. "There are three of them you know."
"Oh...can you guys handle it?"
"We have no choice," Amy said. "But the scouts are all back together, except for Mike and Mina of course, and Darrien."
"Oh....how's Serena?"
"She's not in good shape, but she knows she has to stop these robots."
"She can be surprising some times can't she?" Greg asked.
"Yeah," Amy said. "That's all out lives are, big surprises."
"Not all the time," Greg said.
"Yeah..I guess...has your father come to see you?"
"Both my parents have, the custody hearing's been postponed until I get better."
"Well there's some silver lining."
"I guess, but I am getting annoyed with my parents fighting over me like they are," Greg said. "My mother was gone for years, what right does she have?"
"Don't worry about it right now...tell you what..I'll hang around for a while, I'm sure the scouts can get along without me," Mercury said.
"Without their voice of reason? Maybe you should go," Greg said.
"They can handle it, I think..." Amy said.
"And just how are we supposed to fight three of them, you figured that out yet?" Raye snapped.
"Hey! I'm not the tactician!" Serena said.
"None of us are," Steve muttered.
"Well. Someone had better figure it out," Raye said. "We can't just rush into his."
"We rush into everything else," Lita said.
"Good point," Rick said.
"Serena come on. Be a leader," Raye said.
"Raye, you know this is out of my league," Serena said. "Do you have an idea?"
"Uh...no..why?"
The group all sighed.
"We're doomed," they all said.
"Where are the people who are supposed to tell us what to do?" Serena muttered.
"It's good to see you're not completely independent of us," Luna said jumping onto a table. Artemas followed.
"Is it really a good thing Luna?" Artemas said.
"I was being sarcastic," Luna said.
"Oh.."
"Uh..Luna..what do we do?" Serena asked.
"First of all you have to find the Outer scouts, they know more about this then they're saying," Luna said.
"But Patterson already went off to find them," Lita said.
"Oh..well then that's good, you're next move is to somehow get Mike and Mina to call a truce so they won't be distracted in the battle," Luna said.
"That we can do," the scouts all said and ran out of the room.
"Wait..." the two cats muttered.
"That job didn't need all of you," they muttered.
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