Chapter 260
It was a bright sunny spring day. Serena slowly woke up.
"I wonder if they've got the school fixed yet," She muttered.
"They haven't. You're spared another day of learning Serena," Luna said.
"Aw..good.." Serena said.
"Serena..before you go back to sleep can I talk to you?"
"I guess what about?" Serena asked.
"Well..I was just curious to see how you were doing, it's been three days since you came back, I know that all that happened could be a bit overwhelming."
"I'm used to that kind of thing," Serena said. "Is that all?"
"Uh..I guess," Luna said.
"Good," Serena said. "Good night."
And Serena went back to sleep.
Luna sighed.
No..she's not affected at all.
Amy moved the mouse of her computer and clicked. She stared at the screen intently.
"I might as well do some research while school's closed," She said and put on a pair of headphones. Soon she was listening and surfing the web.
"Now..where can I find the top record sales this week I wonder," she said to herself.
There was a loud crash which penetrated through the music she was listening to. She jumped slightly and moved downstairs.
"I wonder what that was?"
She looked out into the street there was no sign of the problem.
She walked over to the door to the waroom and buzzed. She was soon let in. She looked to see Patterson and Greg staring at a video screen. Artemas was sitting on a table. On the screen was Juuban High School sitting lopsided into the ground.
"What happened?" Amy asked.
"They made a little mistake when they were working on it," Greg said.
"Looks like you guys are off a few more days," Artemas said.
"I see, so that was the crash?" Amy said.
The three nodded.
"Hmm..too bad," Amy said and headed out.
"Okusa just stopped by for a look," Patterson said.
"He doesn't look..happy," Greg said.
"Who can blame him, poor man," Artemas said.
"Artemas what were you up to while we were gone?" Greg asked.
"Oh I went over to Mina's house, her parents fed me," Artemas said.
"Good thinking" Greg said.
"And then the scouts from another dimension showed up, and I hung around with them. Patterson just how do you stand them?"
"They are a bit wild," Patterson said. "I'm thankful I'm not needed there at the moment."
"I'll bet," Artemas said.
"Listen.Mina.." Raye said.
"What?" Mina said. "You have something to say."
"I do," Raye said. "I've been a little hard on you with your singing, it's great that you're trying, I guess I couldn't accept that someone I knew had that much talent."
"Thank you," Mina said.
"And I'm sorry I've been that way, but Mina..if you try to take more shortcuts you'll get nothing out of me," Raye said. "Except criticism."
"I know Raye, I haven't been able to do much for the past six months, but I have a plan."
"You do?"
"Uh huh," Mina said. "I'm going to work hard. I mean what else do I do?"
"Chase guys."
"They'll plenty of time for that."
"Don't be sure," Raye said. "It takes hard work."
"You managed."
"I've been practicing for seven years."
"Oh..well..I must be advanced at some level, I mean considering my performance," Mina said.
"Don't get cocky," Raye said.
"I'm not, but I was good wasn't I?"
"You managed to sing a few songs well, but it takes more than that to be a great singer."
"I thought that was actually what you kinda needed."
Raye sighed.
"If you're not going to listen.."
"Fine, I'll listen I know..I'm just being myself."
"Right now you're being Mike.."
"Don't you ever say that again," Mina snapped.
"All right, all right," Raye said. "Come on..let's go get some shakes and we'll talk."
"You're paying right?"
"Yes...within reason," Raye said.
Mina grinned.
Elsewhere, Steve was putting the finishing touches on a cylindrical object in the his garage.
"Oh no!" came a shout. Steve whirled.
"Now..Steve..move away from the rocket slowly," Rick said.
"Come on...back up," Mike said.
"Guys..calm down," Steve said.
"No seriously," they said.
"It's not a rocket," Steve said. "It's a submarine."
The two looked at each other.
"Move away from the submarine," the two said in unison.
"This can't do any harm," Steve said. "It's a model, it has no engine."
"Most of your rockets have no engine.." Mike said.
"Of course that is after their launched," Rick said.
"True," Mike said.
"No, I've decided that the urge to build things was too great, so I build models now," Steve said.
"What ever happened to your sketching?" Mike asked.
"I do that too, but the urge to build is part of any normal mans cycle," Steve said.
"Cycle of what?" Rick asked.
"You know..manliness," Steve said.
"Right..right..building things!" Mike said. "Prove your masculinity by constructing things. Yes!"
"Don't mock me. I'll punch you," Steve said.
"Fair enough," Mike said.
"All right, so you've got the urge to build," Rick said. "Fair enough, I've built things before. But what I'm here to talk to about is a little thing called relationships."
"No way," Steve said. "I'm out of that business for a while."
"Now come on, just because you stink at it is no reason to give up," Mike said.
"What I'm saying Steve, is that everytime you question yourself you start building things," Rick said. "That fact that they can't blow up is a plus, but I'm worried."
"Rick this has nothing to do with that," Steve said. "I like building things. I like drawing things too."
"Ah..but you see..I've noticed a trend," Rick said. "And believe me I don't pick up on these things often, but you see you do your drawing when you're eager to please, you do your building when you want to get away."
"Aren't I allowed?" Steve asked. "What do I care about relationships anyway? I'm a man. I can live without then."
"Yes, but the problem is.." Rick said.
"There's no problem," Steve said. "Rick..why can't you just accept I've got my own way of doing things. Trust me if I wanted you help I'd ask for it," Steve said.
"All right..fine..but there's something to you. You want it to work," Rick said. "I was trying to help."
"I know, but trust me, I'm on my own right now," Steve said. "It's good that way."
"Say guys while we're on the subject of all of this, is the fact I made out with Mina last night good or bad?"
The two glanced at him.
"See your problem Raye is that your too self oriented," Mina said casually sipping a milkshake.
"Oh is it?" Raye muttered.
"Uh huh," Mina said.
"And what about you huh?"
"Me...I'm just too amazed at the prospect of myself."
"Exactly what are you talking about?"
"Hey, it's good to see you two getting along again," Lita said walking up.
"Oh..Lita you're just in time, Mina was just about to explain something to me," Raye said.
"Really? What?" Lita asked sitting down.
"Go ahead Mina.." Raye said.
"No..no..maybe we're both being a little too nit picky."
"Hmm...yes perhaps we are," Raye said.
"I hope I'm not interupting anything," Lita said.
"Nothing at all, we wer ejust learning to live with each other again," Raye said.
"Oh..well Mina I'm just wondering if you're over that little identity crisis you had?" Lita asked. "I ask because I'm your friend and...."
"Say no more, yes I am, I realized the real me and I like it," Mina said. "Worry not, I am ready for the real world."
"That's good," Lita said.
"She seems to pretty happy right now," Raye said.
"Well I have you to thank for that partially," Mina said. "I mean if you guys didn't help me out, I might really feel bad, but I know that there must be some redeeming characteristics to me, or else we wouldn't be friends right?"
The two nodded.
"Can I ask you guys something though?" Mina asked.
The two nodded.
"Do you think that Mike and me have a future?"
Raye and Lita practically fell out of their seats.
"What?" Mina asked.
"Well...let's just start from the beginning," Lita began. Raye nodded.
"I'm listening," Mina said.
"So..Hotaru..what did you think of that world you were in?" Doctor Tomoe asked.
"I prefer here," Hotaru said. "I could survive either place, but here suits me."
"Why's that?"
"I'm not sure, I just feel like I like here," Hotaru said. "I feel comfortable."
"Well that's good. It's good you feel at home," Doctor Tomoe said.
"I suppose it is," Hotaru said. "Do you like it here?"
"Sure do," Tomoe said. "I've got a great job, in the six months you've been gone we've been developing an anti-negaverse grenade."
"How are you able to create so much energy for your purpose?"
"Oh it's easy, we don't have a lot, but we use a lot of complex physics and such. I mean I do know something about working with this energy after all."
"So...my disapearance did not hinder your work?" Hotaru asked.
"I would't say that. But I figured that you were involved in something sailor scout related and that I'd simply wait for you to come back. I passed the time working," Doctor Tomoe said.
"I see," Hotaru said. "I guess that was the correct choice to make."
"I thought so," Tomoe said. "So how do you feel?"
"I am not very good at analyzing my state of existence," Hotaru said. "It changes too much there isn't a pattern."
"I mean right now."
"I am confused by why I have no pattern, why there does not seem to be consistency."
"I guess this was the wrong time to ask," Doctor Tomoe said.
"Apparently so," Hotaru said. "I must think this through, unless you have an answer."
"No I don't think I do."
"Very well," Hotaru said. ":This will take some more thought."
Elsewhere.
"Health food," Setsuna muttered.
"What about it?" Michiru asked.
"I don't know..you'd thinking eating could at least have no strings attached," Setsuna said.
"Yes..well..nothing is that way," Michiru said.
"It's annoying I know," Setsuna said. "Worrying about everything. Whoever said ignorance is bliss knew what they were talking about."
"I agree," Michiru said. "But with ignorance comes other dangers."
"Even ignorance is not the solution you say," Setsuna said. "So it is."
"Setsuna, I know I said it was good for you to let out your true feelings on things, and not try to maintain just an air of responsibility, but you seem to be complaining about everything."
"I'm just getting it out of my system while I have the chance," Setsuna said.
"Uh..that's good," Michiru said. "But maybe there's another way to deal with this."
"If there is I'm up for it," Setsuna said. "See this is the thing, it's not just that I have thes worries and that I'm occasionally annyoed it's that dealing with the problem is almost as depressing as the problem itself."
"I've noticed," Michiru said. "What I think I need to do is help you see the upside of things."
Setsuna sighed.
"They work and they work, and they mess up, how long is this going to take?" Principal Oksua muttered wandering outside the school.
"Ah..Principal Oksua," General Patterson said walking up.
"Well hello General, what can I do for you on this glorious, glorious day.." Oksua muttered.
"Nothing, as usual," Patterson said and grinned. "However, I figured that you would benefit from the army corps of engineers assisting with the fixing up of the school."
"You're kidding," Oksua said.
"Nope," Patterson said as several trucks rolled up and people climbed out.
"There you go," he said.
The engineers moved towards the school and started to work.
"Exactly why are you doing this?" Oksua asked.
"We felt like it," Patterson said.
"Oh..thank you," Oksua said.
Patterson grinned.
"Darrien. I'd just like to applaud you on the bang up job you did on the project," one of his professorssaid.
"Oh..uh thank you," Darrien said nervously.
"Yes, your work has sped us up by days," The professor said."You should be commended."
"Yes..well I try," Darrien said.
"Hah..good man," the professor said and headed off.
Guess I did a good job while I was gone. He thought and smiled. Not bad
actually.
"Aw...geez they're actually going to fix it!" D.V. said.
"It was fun while it lasted," Greg said.
"You two are some of the best students in the school, you shouldn't be disapointed," Artemas said.
The door buzzed and Amy soon walked in.
"Hey you two what's happening?" she asked.
"They're going to get the school fixed so your brothers are depressed," Artemas said.
"We have every right to be," The two replied.
"Greg..why are you so annoyed?" Amy asked.
"Well..I guess I just don't like school," Greg said.
"Here here," Patterson said.
"You two are silly," Amy said. "Anyway..I'm going out."
"Where ya headed?" Greg asked.
"Music store. The new Three Lights CD's coming out today," Amy said. "See you all later."
She headed out happily.
"She's never been that excited about a CD before," Greg said.
Patterson shrugged.
"Aren't you curious?" Greg asked.
"No," Patterson said. "It's none of my business."
"I suppose you're right..but.."
"No."
"All right..you're right," Greg said.
"Still it is curious," Artemas said.
"No," Patterson said.
"Hey Darrien!" Serena said jumping into his arms.
"I can't hold that weight!" Darrien shouted as the two fell to the ground.
"You're saying I'm fat?" Serena asked.
"No..no.." Darrien said. "Just heavy."
Serena stared at him.
"Uh...uh..I'm a wimp.." he said. "Can't hold even sixty pounds."
"That's better," Serena said. "So how was your day?"
"I got credit for all the work I did over the past six months."
"Oh...lucky you..slacker."
"Hey...I came after you didn't I?"
"Sure, I guess you did. But my sailor scout duties have never been an excuse not to do my work. Not to Luna anyway..so you'll get no sympathy from me."
"I wasn't looking for sympathy," Darrien said.
"That's good because you're not getting any," Serena said. "Let's go to dinner."
"Uh..all right..where do you want to go?"
"The palace of the golden chicken," Serena said.
"I see," Darrien said. "All right.."
"Where even the chicken is treated like a king!" Serena shouted happily.
Darrien sighed.
"I don't know Haruka," Michiru muttered sipping some tea. "How do we solve this problem? I think we need the girls to help us."
"You think?" Haruka said. "I had figured that out days ago."
"Nice of you tell me."
"Well..I was letting you give it a shot, I didn't want to insult your ability," Haruka said.
"My ability stinks," Michiru said. "I mean I never thought we'd have to break Setsuna of all people out of depression."
"She's just burn out," Haruka said. "Maybe just the lack of anyone to fight will help."
"Sure it will, just look at how healthy she is right now?" Michiru muttered.
"Let's go talk to the others then," Haruka said.
"Good idea," Michiru said.
Later.
"Setsuna? You're kidding?" Mina asked.
Haruka and Michiru had managed to find the five girls and get them to sit down.
"She's burnt out," Haruka said. "After all she does have a lot of responsibility on her shoulders."
"I guess you're right," Serena said. "But that's okay you came to the right place, because we can cheer up anyone!"
"Right!" the girls said.
"Uh..girls..just don't embarrass yourselves," Michiru said worriedly.
"Like that ever happens," they replied.
"Ta da!" Mike said sliding up.
"To what do we owe your prescence?" Haruka muttered.
"Ah..bad news..tommorow we start school," Mike said.
The group sighed.
"It's about time," Amy said.
Everyone stared.
"Sorry...it's just the way I am."
"Then we must move quickly," Serena said. "Let's think of a plan."
"Do we usually have a plan?" Mina asked.
"No, but this is a good idea," Raye said.
"What exactly..are you up to?" Mike asked.
"Cheering up Setsuna," Mina said. "I suggest you stay out of it. You have a way of.."
"Message recieved," Mike said. "Hah hah!" he said and hurried out the door.
"What is his problem?" Haruka muttered.
"The blood test proves it's not drugs," Mina said.
"What blood test?" Everyone asked.
Setsuna sighed as she stared at a newspaper.
"And how pathetic is it, for me to get depressed like this," She said. "I'm not supposed to have weaknesses. Well..so much for that," She muttered and tossed the paper away. The door opened.
"Surprise!" the girls said.
Setsuna litterally started.
"Uh..girls...what brings you by?" Setsuna said.
"You'll see!" They said.
"Uh..all right," Setsuna said worriedly.
Minutes later.
"See..these are all the reasons why you should be happy," Serena said. The other nodded.
"Thank you girls, but I really don't think it's going to help," Setsuna said. "I've got too much responsibity to handle."
"Well we can help," Serena said. "I mean..we can right?"
"I don't think so," Setsuna said. "I must bear this burden myself."
"Now that's no way to think about it," Raye said. "We're here aren't we?"
"I've already tried complaining. That just makes others feel worse," Setsuna said.
"I didn't exactly feel worse it was just not right," Michiru said. "Ahem...
"Yes..but complaining's good, I think," Mina said. "I mean how else can you let out your frustratons."
"I don't know, trying to do something about them," Raye said.
"Yes..that's a good idea too," Mina said.
"I think you're trying to do too much Setsuna. You're worrying about us when you don't have to," Serena said. "We'll manage. You just look out for yourself and handle that kind of stuff, we'll be the scouts for a while. You just be Setsuna."
"It's not that easy," Setsuna said.
"No it's a good idea," Haruka said. "If something comes up we'll handle it. You can worry about the other things, we'll handle the battles."
"I don't know," Setsuna said.
"Don't worry we can handle it," Amy said.
"All right," Setsuna said. "We'll try it out."
"Now it's dinner time," Serena said.
"Oh.." Setsuna said.
"That's right..we're taking you to dinner," Lita said.
"Uh..but.." Setsuna said.
"Let's go," Serena said. "To your favorite restaurant."
"I don't even have a favorite restaurant," Setsuna said.
"That's okay, we'll pick one," Lita said.
"Oh..okay.." Setsuna said.
The next morning.
"So did dinner set well Setsuna?" Serena asked.
"Yes..Serena it was good, thank you," Setsuna said. "Class is about to start."
"Uh..right," Serena said and sat back down.
"Well here we are again," Setsuna said.
The rest of the class had their mind's blanked as to the scout's identities, but they still rememebered what had happened.
"Anyway..I have a letter here from the school board. It says that due to the fact that our school was in another dimension.." Setsuna said.
"Does it really say that?" Mike asked.
"No," Setsuna said. "But..anyway.."
"It would be cool if it did."
"Mike detention," Setsuna said.
"Yep, I deserved that," Mike said.
"Anyway, it says that to make up the lost time and taking into account the schooling we did in the other dimension we'll spend the summer in class so that the time is made up."
"WHAT?" everyone shouted.
"Uh..guess that isn't good news," Setsuna said.
The class all sighed.
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