ELEVEN
Serena walked along the sidewalk thinking.
Well, nothing's gone wrong yet today, but that can always change.
At that moment, it did. Raye, clad in purple body armor flew out of the trees in front of her and hovered there.
"Well...Serena, now you're mine!" She yelled.
"What? Raye? What are you..." Serena started to say before several missiles flew out of Raye's arm plate and towards her. Serena dived out of the way quickly.
"Help me Serena," came a cry from beside her. There stood Rini, Serena's younger relative from the far future, as if things weren't strange enough. A missile exploded above them.
"Come on!" Serena said and grabbed the small girl's right arm. She then started to run down the street and found herself moving much faster than normal.
"What the....hey this ain't bad!" Serena yelled and sped up.
"You can't escape me!" Raye yelled and followed.
"How do we stop her, that's the question," Serena asked herself.
"Look up there," Rini said. Serena looked up to see a massive Starship falling towards them.
"Uh oh," Serena said before the dream ended.
"These dreams have gotta stop," she muttered waking up.
His fingers flew across the keyboard as he searched for the information he was looking for. Another screen came up. It said:
PASSWORD?
He typed in the word,
NOTEBOOK.
The computer responded.
ACCESS GRANTED.
He smiled. He went through the database looking for the right file. He found it and retrieved it. A picture along with the personal data of the subject appeared on the screen. He read through it;
NAME:D.V. PATTERSON
AGE:15
MOTHER:LISA PATTERSON (DECEASED)
FATHER:VINCENT PATTERSON (DECEASED)
GUARDIAN:WILLIAM PATTERSON (UNCLE)
Hmm...that's interesting. He thought and continued to read. Then the really
interesting stuff appeared. He read through it all in surprise and then pressed
the print button. The entire file was printed out. He then carefully left the
database and went about his business.
"So what was today's nightmare?" Raye asked at lunch.
"Uh....it's not important," Serena said nervously.
"Why?" Raye asked.
"Oh..it was pretty boring actually," Serena said.
"You girls want to see something!" Melvin said appearing out of nowhere as he usually did.
"Don't to that!" the girls yelled back. Raye bonked Melvin on the head.
"Hey...sorry..I thought you might be interested in this," he said producing a few pieces of paper.
"What is it?" Serena asked being the first to snatch it out of his hand. The others gathered around.
"Hey. This is a school file," Amy said.
"On...Patterson? Melvin. Where'd you get this?" Lita said reading it.
"I have my ways," Melvin said.
"Isn't it illegal or something to do this?" Mina said.
"Guys. Quit moralizing. Look at all this," Serena said.
"Yeah. You see, his parents were killed when he was young and he became very violent. He attacked half the boys in his first grade class. After that, they moved him out of regular classes. He has a history of showing no respect for authority. In third grade he got in another fight with students outside of class. So he's classified as mentally unstable. Or he was until a couple weeks ago," Melvin said.
"It was wrong to go into this file," Amy said.
"Yeah, it doesn't matter whoever he is," Lita said.
"Hey, this means you can go into any of our files. Doesn't it!" Raye said.
"Um...well...sort of," Melvin said and took the file back.
"Get gutta here before you lose some teeth," Raye said. Melvin hurried off. Amy noticed out of the corner of her eye that Patterson had been staring at the group continuously for the time that Melvin had been there.
If he knows....she thought.
When she arrived home from school that day, Amy was surprised to find a message on her answering machine. She played it, wondering who it could be. The voice surprised her.
"Hi. Amy? This is Greg. My father's had to travel to the city today and he's brought me along. I thought I'd come by around 3 if that was all right. Maybe we could have some time to talk about things. Bye."
"Greg's coming. This is a nice surprise after all that's been happening," Amy said. "I said I'd help Serena study for that test, but I'm sure Lita and Mina can handle it. After all. I helped her out today. It's up to her to read the material. I'll call Lita up and tell her."
She dialed the number and soon heard Lita's familiar voice on the other end.
"Yes?" she said.
"This is Amy. Something's come up. Would you mind watching over Serena with Mina without my help tonight?" Amy said.
"Sure I guess. Is everything all right?" Lita asked.
"Yes. Greg's in town for the day," Amy said.
"Ooh..Greg. Well you shouldn't pass up the chance to see your boyfriend, I'll handle Serena," Lita said and hung up.
"He's not my boyfriend," Amy said into an empty receiver.
Is he? She thought.
Fifteen minutes later there was a knock at the door. She opened it joyfully to see Greg standing there.
"Hi Amy," he said.
"Greg. I haven't seen you since summer. How are you?" Amy said.
"Still at the top of my class," Greg replied.
"That's great," Amy said.
"I saw you on TV last night. Tough game huh?"
"In more ways then one," Amy said with a grin.
"Oh yeah..I must admit I didn't enjoy getting knocked out, but it happens," Greg muttered.
"Sorry," Amy said.
"That Patterson guy knew his stuff and that Mercury question. Woah.." Greg said.
"You know the fact that he knew the answer so speedily worries me...but we shouldn't be talking about that," Amy said. "Believe me Greg, that kind of stuff is the last thing I want to have to deal with."
"You're right. Would you like to go for a walk?" Greg asked.
"Of course," Amy said and they headed out.
"Is your father here on business?" Amy asked.
"Yes. His corporation has a branch office here. He's in to consult on a project they've been working on," Greg replied. "How have things been for you Amy. I mean with the negaverse showing up again and stuff."
"They've been tough, but we've learned to deal with them. It was only during the last month that they returned. We were rid of them for months. That time was so great. So peaceful. But here we are again, fighting them. I don't know if it will ever end."
"It will. Someday. Aside from that. How have things gone?"
"I'm still the best student at Crossroads. I've been trying to help Serena get her act together. If she doesn't fix her problems this year, she'll be in big trouble academically."
"You're too mature to be only 15," Greg said.
Amy blushed at the complement.
"I still have my moments," she replied.
"How are the other's doing?"
"Oh..they're the same. Except they've all got boyfriends now," Amy said and then realized she didn't want to get onto that subject. She blushed.
Good move Amy. You've just made yourself very uncomfortable. She thought.
"That's great," Greg said and blushed slightly. "It's so lovely up here. I wish I hadn't had to move. After all we were just getting to know each other too."
"Yes we were," Amy said nervously.
"You seem troubled," Greg said.
"With all there is to be troubled about. How can't I be?"
"Amy. It doesn't take my telepathy to see it's something else."
"Can we talk about it later?"
"Sure."
Amy sighed in relief. That feels better. I can handle this in due time. She
thought. Now enjoy yourself before you regret it. It was a strange case of Greg
being more confident then Amy in this encounter. Most of the time Greg was the
shy timid one, but Amy had a lot on her mind.
An hour later across the city. Mike had arrived at Mina's house for the meeting with her father. If he could make him laugh, he could date her. If not....
"Here I am Mina," Mike said as the blonde opened the door to her house.
"Oh..good..you ready for this?" Mina asked. "Remember our relationship hangs in the balance." Please don't blow it. She thought. That would happen to me. Mike walked into the family room where Mina's father sat holding a beer.
"Ehh..so you're Mike?" he asked.
"Yep, at least that's what I've been told," Mike said. The man scowled at him.
"So that joke stunk. I can do better," Mike added.
"Then try," Mina's father said. Mina watched nervously.
"Well...hmmm...well I can see that you see me as a pesky little man who wants to sweep his daughter away from you right?" Mike asked.
"I see you as a guy who might go and marry my girl and leave me with the bill," Mina's father said.
"Hey, I wouldn't do that, I'd at least pay for the food," Mike said. To both teen's surprise the father began to chuckle and then burst out laughing.
"You're all right boy!" he said. "Go ahead and marry her," he said.
"Uh...we're not at that point yet sir," Mike said. Within a second the father was out of his chair and grabbing Mike's shirt.
"I said marry her," he said.
"Uh...all right," Mike muttered.
"Dad! Don't do that," Mina shouted. Her father let go and returned to his chair.
"Heh heh," he said.
An hour after that fateful encounter.
Amy and Greg were sitting in the restaurant eating dinner. They had had a wonderful afternoon and Amy's worries about their social status had evaporated, at least temporarily.
"It's funny. This is the same place Serena gave me that picture of you," Greg said with a smile.
Amy had noticed, much to her satisfaction, that Greg had grown quite assertive around her.
"Oh, that thing. I don't know why Serena even kept it. It was such a bad shot," Amy said.
The picture had been of her with her mouth wide open about to bite a cheeseburger.
"Heh heh, well it was better than the one I had cut out of the newspaper," Greg said.
"Hmm...I guess that's true," Amy said.
"We should go to the park after this. It looks lovely at night," Greg said.
"Yeah. We both know that," Amy said.
The park had been where Amy had discovered Greg's interest in her and where
Greg had subsequently been turned into a negaverse monster which the scouts had
to defeat.
"Come on guys, you know me, I'm your pal," Serena said.
"No," Lita and Mina said. "Amy says you have a test tomorrow and we're going to make sure you study for it."
"I'm appalled. Look at you two, taking orders from her like that. What are you? Slaves?" Serena cried.
"Cut the gab Serena and get to work," Lita said.
"Stupid test," Serena said and opened her book.
"It's for your own good Serena," Mina said.
"Hmmph," Serena said and began to read.
"The good news is I think I've got my..um..talent..under control," Greg was saying as he and Amy walked through the park.
"That's is good news. It's an amazing power, but I can see where it could be troublesome," Amy replied.
"I just don't want to know the future. And I don't want to know what other people are thinking either. I don't want to know someone's secrets. It's just not fair to them or to me. The mind is where we keep everything, and if that barrier is broken down. Well it just isn't good."
"It's very noble of you to believe you shouldn't use your powers like that. I'm sure they could be of use, when they're not abused."
"I know," Greg said and picked up a rock. They were now standing in front of a pond. Greg flung the rock at the water, it skipped several times before plunking into the pond.
"You're good at that," Amy observed.
"Yeah...well.." Greg said.
Amy picked up a stone herself and flung it. It splashed right into the water.
"Hmm..it's just a matter of utilizing surface tension. I thought my descent angle was right," Amy said.
"It's more than descent angle. It's the follow through," Greg said. "Watch," he said and flung another rock. It skipped a few times before splashing into the water again.
"I get it," Amy said. "You're wrong about the descent angle. It's important enough, but without the follow through it doesn't matter. Fortunately...." she said and flung the rock. It skipped all the way across the pond.
"I know both now," She added.
Greg's jaw dropped.
"I have to go to the bathroom," Serena said.
"You've got to be kidding," Lita said.
"No. I'm not. Would I lie about this?" Serena asked.
Mina and Lita glanced at each other before replying.
"Yes," they said.
"I really gotta go," Serena said.
"Hmm..what do you think Mina?" Lita said.
"We'll just have to keep an eye on her," Mina said.
"All right. Come on," Lita said.
The three girls headed out to the bathroom. Serena walked in while her two friends waited outside. She did what she had to and then noticed the open window.
Hmm...well that's convenient. She thought and began to climb out. She was on the second floor, but there was a row of bushes below for her to fall into. She hung out of the window before slipping and crashing into them less than gracefully. She suppressed a whine for fear of being heard. She then picked herself of the ground and brushed herself off.
"Ahem..." came a voice.
"Oh no," Serena said.
"I knew you'd try something like this," Lita said standing over her. "Back to your cell."
"Have a heart Lita," Serena said.
"That's what I am doing, now move," Lita said.
Greg and Amy had settled down from their rock skipping and were sitting on a park bench just watching the still pond.
"Hmm..this brings back memories," Greg said.
"It wasn't that long ago," Amy replied.
The park bench had been the site of Greg's revealing of all of his surprises to Amy. His telepathy, his crush on her, and the fact that he knew her double identity. It was also where he told her to destroy him should he turn into a monster. She had made up her mind not to do that.
"Amy, there was something that was bothering you.." Greg said.
"Yes, there was," Amy said. Might as well get it settled now.
"It's about...us.." she continued.
"What about us?" Greg asked innocently.
"Well...." she started to say before their was a crash behind them. They whirled around to see the negaverse cyborg racing towards them after destroying some bushes.
"Get down Amy!" Greg said and pushed her to the ground. The cyborg hit Greg
full force and knocked him into the shallow pond. The cyborg immediately turned
his attention to Amy.
"Gee..I'm getting thirsty," Mina said as their vigil continued.
"Why don't you go out and get a drink?" Lita asked.
"Hmm...I'm broke," Mina said.
"I'd lend you some money, but I'm broke too," Lita said.
"Why don't you just borrow some of my water here," Serena said producing her water bottle she had been using to keep herself from being thirsty.
"Hmm...there's no harm in that I guess," Lita said.
"I even have cups," Serena said pulling some paper cups out of a drawer.
"Why do you have cups in your drawer?" Mina asked.
"Come now Mina. It's in case of emergencies," Serena said.
Mina and Lita just looked at each other and shook their heads.
Serena set about pouring each of them a glass and unnoticed she slipped a little bit of powder into each of them.
I knew this stuff would come in handy some day. She thought.
"Here you go," she said and gave each of them the water. They took it and began to drink.
"Get back to work Serena," Lita said and a minute later collapsed along with Mina.
"Sleeping powder. I love it! Rini really did know her stuff," Serena said. Her ancestor had given her some neat tricks before she had returned to the future. Among which was a harmless sleep powder that made anyone fall asleep for a few minutes. Serena had gladly found a use for it. As Serena got up to head out she heard her communicator beep. She snatched it up hurriedly.
"This is Amy! The cyborg is attacking me and Greg. Hone in on my location! Hurry!" came Amy's terrified, but still professional voice.
"Oh no. I really blew it this time!" Serena whined looking at the limp forms of her two friends on the floor.
"I'll have to explain that later!" she said hurriedly and raced out the door.
The still human Amy leaped out of the way of an energy attack. It slammed into a tree behind her and set it aflame.
I have to transform, but I can't if it keeps up it's attacks. She thought.
"Come come, Sailor Mercury, you can't escape," the cyborg said.
"Hey you jerk! Leave her alone!" Greg cried emerging from the pond.
"You again. You're quite annoying," the cyborg said and he turned towards the boy.
"Run Amy!" Greg yelled.
"Greg no!" Amy cried. The cyborg readied an attack. Amy gasped.
Maverick appeared out of the air in front of the boy. His sword was drawn and he fired quickly. The cyborg had no time to react and it was blown backwards into a cluster of bushes.
"What is it with you and forests anyway?" Maverick asked the robot. Then he turned to Greg.
"Get out of here. They're not after you this time. You can't help her by staying here. Leave the fighting to the experts," Maverick said.
"You're right of course," Greg admitted and ran away. Amy meanwhile had taken her opportunity.
"Mercury Star Power!" She yelled and had transformed. The cyborg had recovered in that time too and he was prepared to attack her. He unleashed a beam of energy that flew at her. She wasn't ready for it. She readied herself for the pain, but it didn't come. Maverick had intervened again and pushed her aside. Only this time he hadn't had been lucky enough to avoid the blast himself.
"Why can't you scouts just duck," he muttered dropping to one knee.
"Get gutta here!" the cyborg yelled. "Negaverse Ice Storm Blast!" he cried and blasted Maverick backwards into the a cluster of trees with a icy black wave.
"Enough of this. Mercury Ice Storm Blast!" Mercury yelled and sent her attack through the air. It hit the cyborg and froze the robot in it's tracks. As Mercury was controlling her power she kept the usual mist that accompanied the attack from appearing.
Now what? she thought. I could use Venus or Jupiter's power about now.
"Mars fireball Encircle!" came a cry from nearby. The red bolts of flame shot through the air and crashed through the ice and melted it, but it also left marks on the cyborg's arms and legs, singeing them badly.
"I'll be back!" The cyborg said and vanished.
"You came just in time," Mercury said. "Though it was a risk, you're the only power we had."
"Yeah. I was worried about what melting the ice would do, but I didn't see we had any choice," Mars said. Mercury turned to the tree that was on fire.
"Mercury Ice Storm Blast!" she yelled. The fire was doused by the power.
"We've gotta find Greg," Mercury said and the two turned back towards the
path Greg had taken in his escape.
Greg had gotten into some trouble of his own. In his rush to get away he hadn't seen himself heading towards a sewer drain. He tripped over the side and was hanging onto the railing to prevent him from falling in. A hand reached down and grabbed his.
"Hold on. I'll help you," the voice said and pulled.
"Woah...you're pretty heavy," the voice said and then Greg felt himself slipping.
"Hey watch it," Greg said.
"Sorry," the voice said and figure of a boy tumbled over the side, the two fell momentarily before the second boy caught a hold of a crevice in the drain.
"Sorry....I'm sort of tired," the second boy, Mike Leslie, said.
"Great," Greg muttered.
"Hey! You all right!" came another voice and Rick Fujimori's head appeared over the side.
"Hey Rick, fancy meeting you here," Mike said.
"Stay there I'll help ya," Rick said and tried to reach down to grab Mike's arm.
"Okay, just reach up and grab my arm," Rick said. Mike did just that, but with too much force, Rick soon tumbled over the side and grabbed onto the railing with his hands.
"Idiot!" he shouted.
"Hey, you should have been able to handle that," Mike said.
"I haven't eaten dinner," Rick said.
"Well I only got four hours of sleep," Mike said.
"I hate to break up the conversation, but could we try to get uhm..out of this?" Greg asked.
"Hello down there!" Came another voice. Steve Carlin's head appeared over the railing.
"Oh, I see. Okay, I'll grab Rick and I'll try to pull you up," Steve said.
"This had better work," Mike muttered. Steve grabbed Rick's Right arm.
"Pull up with your left arm as I do this," Steve said.
"Okay, are you sure about this. There are three people here," Rick said.
"I have to try, besides I'm on level ground," Steve said and pulled. It began to work. Rick began to be pulled from the pit and the others came with him.
"AHH!" Steve shouted and suddenly the group tumbled forward, Steve managed to hold onto Rick's arm, but Rick caught himself with the other.
"What was that!" Mike shouted.
"Muscle spasm! I just spent the last two hours lifting weights!" Steve yelled back.
"Just don't go," Rick said. "I'm having some grip troubles here."
"I can't hold on for very long," Steve said.
"Looks like this is some trouble here," another voice could be heard.
"Patterson! Get your butt over here!" Steve shouted.
"Help me pull Fujimori up," Steve said.
"All right," Patterson said and grabbed onto Rick's other arm.
"On three we pull," Steve said.
"Got it," Patterson said.
"One. Two. THREE!" Steve shouted and the two pulled.
"AHHH!" Steve yelled again suffering another muscle spasm, He fell forward,
Patterson let go of Rick and reached out for Steve, the weight carried them
towards the edge.
But something stopped them. Namely the fact that five girls had grabbed onto Patterson before he fell in what could be interpreted as great irony. With a great effort, the girls and the still somewhat stable Patterson pulled the rest up. Steve grabbed onto the rail and Rick soon reached it too. Gradually the group was all up.
"I don't know how you five got into that predicament...but..." Raye trailed off.
"If they hadn't been along, I wouldn't have been around for you guys to come along and save," Greg said and glanced at the four guys who were all sitting down form exhaustion.
"We could have gotten him only were all exhausted," Steve said. "I've been lifting weights for the past two hours."
"I haven't eaten yet," Rick said.
"Four hours of sleep," Mike said.
"I just couldn't pull up four guys by myself on any day," Patterson muttered. Greg looked at them then he felt a strange feeling. A vision coalesced into his head.
"You all right Greg?" Amy asked noticing.
"Fine. We just can't get a break can we?" Greg said.
"No. We can't," Amy said sorrowfully.
The truth was the two hardly ever had a get together in which the negaverse didn't show up at it.
"Well it's good to see we had such a happy ending," Serena said nervously and moved to sneak away.
"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Mina and Lita said and grabbed her.
"Heh heh, I'm dead," Serena muttered.
"Let's get out of here. These girls look like they're going to go on a rampage," Rick whispered and the four guys snuck off.
"What's this all about Serena?" Raye asked.
"I just was grabbed by five girls," Patterson muttered to himself.
Minutes later.
"I can't believe you!" Raye was yelling.
"You really went low this time Serena!" Lita was yelling.
"What where you thinking?" Mina was yelling.
"You endangered the lives of your friends!" Raye said.
"All because you didn't want to do your homework!" Lita yelled.
"What kind of person are you!" Mina yelled.
"Uh...sorry," Serena muttered meekly.
Amy and Greg were standing off to the side.
"I'm curious. Why aren't you over there?" Greg asked.
"Those three are expressing my feelings adequately. Besides we still have something to talk about and you have to go home very soon," Amy said.
"Which is?" Greg asked.
"Greg? I'm confused. Are we really good friends or we more than that?" Amy said.
"Hmm..." Greg said, letting some sweat bead on his head.
"In my opinion..we're more than that, of course it's up to your interpretation too," he finished.
"You think so?" Amy asked.
"I do."
"Then I think so too," Amy said with a smile.
"My father's waiting at the train station."
"Well I better make sure you get there safely."
The two walked off hearing the shouts of the others as they went.
"I should pound your cute little face in for that!" Raye was yelling.
"We could throw her in the harbor and make it look like an accident. No one would ever know!" Mina added.
"Yeah. That would simplify our problems!" Lita agreed.
"You guys wouldn't want to do that really. Would you?" Serena whined.
"Yes!" the three replied.
"Couldn't you just wring my neck instead? It would be quicker," Serena muttered.
"Well if you say so!"
"Amy...I..." Greg said as they walked along.
"What?" Amy asked.
"I don't know...you'd think we could have a conversation without...you know....I'll be back though."
"I know. Um...Greg?" Amy asked.
"What?"
"I know you had your power under control, but when Maverick showed up...did you..um...sense anything?" Amy asked nervously. She knew she was asking Greg to infringe on someone else's privacy, but she needed to know who Maverick was.
"No, but I sensed something later. Amy...I don't know if I should tell you this, but..those four guys.....when I looked at them...well...I sensed that one of them was Maverick. I don't know which one and that's probably for the best, but...well. I've said too much," he said.
"No, Greg it's all right. To tell you the truth, I was beginning to suspect them anyway."
"Oh. I also felt something else."
"What?"
"Well..when the ten of us were there..the five girls and then the five guys us. There was something. I can't explain it. It seems like that we're supposed to be together."
"You mean it?"
"I could be wrong. It was an abstract vision. But...I don't know. We'll just have to see."
Amy just nodded. Now she was really curious.
"Throw her in the pond on three!" Lita yelled. Mina, Lita, and Raye held the whimpering Serena and were about to dump her into the park's pond.
"Come on guys! Have a heart!" Serena yelled.
"Three!" Lita shouted and Serena was soon drenched.
"Friends...." Serena muttered as she emerged from the pond.