CHAPTER 32
"Hey girls," Mike said cheerfully as the three approached table.
"Don't give me that," Mina said.
"What?" Mike asked.
"Go away Mike. I don't want to talk to you," Mina said.
"But Mina...I.." Mike began to say.
"I said go away," Mina replied.
"But..."
"GO!" Mina shouted.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Rick asked.
"Rick, shut up. You go with him!" Raye shouted.
"Have you girls lost your mind?" Rick asked.
"Rick, I'm dumping you, now leave," Raye said.
"You're..you're...what?" Rick said in shock.
"I said I'm dumping you. You must have heard those words enough times in your life to know what they mean," Raye said.
"But we were out at the dance last..."
"Shut up Rick!" Raye shouted.
"Hey, is there a problem here?" Steve asked.
"Yeah, it's you," Lita said. "Buzz off."
"What."
"Go away," Lita said.
"Lita...what is the matter with you?" Steve said.
"Nothing at all, now take a hike," Lita said.
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on," Mike said.
"Me neither," Rick said.
"That goes for me too," Steve said.
To everyone in the lunch plaza's shock, who by now had turned their attention to this squabble, Mina, Raye, and Lita all slapped their now former boyfriends across the face.
"We said go!" they shouted.
The three boys, now angered and confused walked away to where a recently arrived Patterson was sitting. Amy, and Serena were speechless.
"We had to do it," Lita said.
"I know we did," Mina said.
"What choice did we have," Raye said.
The tears were welling up in each of their eyes and they all hurried inside the school to find some privacy.
"Amy....." Serena began.
"Serena...I don't know what just happened here, and I don't think it would be a good idea to try and figure it out right now," Amy said.
"I know that....but what do we do in the meantime? You've got the 300 IQ."
"I don't think it helps in situations like these," Amy said solemnly.
"Patterson, you seem to know everything. What's going on?" Rick asked to Patterson who was grasping his cane much more tightly than usual. D.V. had several acorns sitting on the table in front of him. He picked up one with his free hand and threw it over his shoulder. Then he responded.
"Do you guys remember what happened last night?" Patterson asked.
"Yeah, it was the school dance, those jerks from the negaverse showed up and trashed the place, we got zapped. Then we woke up minutes later and the negaverse was gone," Rick said.
"Where'd you wake up?" Patterson asked throwing another acorn.
"Umm....outside the convention center, where we had taken our dates out for a walk, before the negaverse struck," Mike said.
"Oh...really," Patterson said his eyes narrowing. "Is that what you remember?"
"That's the truth," Rick said angrily.
"I know, I know," Patterson lied and tossed another acorn. "Um...maybe the girls have a problem or something...
"We know all about their cycle," Mike interrupted..
"Uh..I don't think it's about that," Rick said.
"Well what is it?" Steve said.
Patterson frowned, and tossed another acorn.
"I really don't know about any of this...." he said.
"Then we're just wasting our time," Rick said and lead the others off.
Of course I know why the girls are doing it. But what could I possibly say?
Nothing...this is something I shouldn't even get involved with, if I know what's
good for me. Patterson thought.
A few hours later.
"You're kidding, they dumped them?" Luna asked.
"But I told them it wasn't the boys fault," Artemas said.
"Well they did it," Serena said. "And I don't think they're in very good shape either."
"We're in deep trouble right now," Luna said.
"If the negaverse should attack, how would we be able to handle it?" Artemas said. "We only have two scouts."
"Three if you count Saturn," Serena said.
"We can't Serena. Saturn has only one leg and his power is limited. He's of more use coordinating with the army," Amy said.
"Amy's right. We need Patterson to keep the army moving," Artemas said.
"So do you girls have any idea what to do about this?" Luna asked.
"No clue," The two replied in unison.
"Well than it's unanimous," Luna muttered.
"We don't know what to do either," Artemas said.
Jaedite stood by his window looking out over the city.
"You're just the beginning," he said. The door opened and Argosante walked in.
"Sir," he said.
"What's the situation?" Jaedite said.
"Well sir, our army is still recovering from yesterday's battle. Despite the fact that the army already knows our escape route we may have to continue to use the sewers again to move troops due to our lack of transport trucks," Argosante said.
"It is a risk. What is the status of our warriors?" Jaedite said.
"They are ready for combat," Argosante said.
"So...what happened at their school today?"
"According to our spy...well..." Argosante said showing rare nervousness.
"Well what?"
"Apparently the Sailor Scouts dumped them sir," Argosante said embarrassed he had to deliver that kind of news.
"They did? Well...that won't save them."
"Yes sir. If I may make a suggestion."
"Go ahead," Jaedite said.
"Why not hold the warriors in reserve? After all, they've used quite a lot of energy, and if they were to be injured fighting the other scouts, their usefulness would be even less. We shouldn't use them unless absolutely necessary I mean. And furthermore, we can give those girls time to think about things. They'll get more confused, wonder if they made the right choice, be torn apart by the dilemma, and made even more emotionally weaker. Then we strike."
"Not a bad plan," Jaedite said. "Very well, hold the warriors in reserve for now. After all, we have very little energy reserves left. I want you to replenish our supply and I know a place to do it."
"And that is?" Argosante said.
"Well, what better place to drain energy from than a hospital?"
"A hospital?"
"Yes, just because someone's sick only means that their life energy is a little lower than normal doesn't it? An active person would be an ideal target, but these people are sitting ducks and who would ever think to look for us in a hospital? Those who do not understand the way our energy works would think we would be disenchanted from stealing energy from the weak."
"Yes sir."
"I want you to go alone Argosante. There will be no room in that hospital for the army. Stealth is the key here. Take the hospital over before anyone realizes it. Then move on."
"Yes Jaedite," Argosante said. "Oh...Jaedite. Our spy also reported a curious thing."
"Yes?"
"Well...apparently, he kept getting hit by a form of Earth nut, called an acorn during his mission."
"What?"
"He couldn't understand it, but as he was spying on the scouts and the warriors, they just kept landing on him."
"That's strange," Jaedite said.
"Oh, there you are Amy," her mother said standing by one of the family cars.
"I know I'm a bit late," Amy said. "I had something to do. It was important."
"Okay, get in."
After she had done so, her mother backed the car out of the driveway and headed down the street.
"So..you looking forward to this?" her mother asked.
"Yes, I've been waiting to follow you on your rounds for a while now," Amy said solemnly.
"You don't sound excited."
"Things have happened..well..that are a bit worrying."
"Did you get a bad grade?"
"No, no..nothing like that..my friends are having some trouble."
"Oh. What kind of trouble."
"It's complex."
"Oh..I see...you just don't want to tell me," her mother said.
"No, I mean I could try, but it wouldn't be easy," Amy said.
"Oh, I see, one of the world's leading pediatricians couldn't understand. I gotcha."
"Mom, don't get sarcastic," Amy said. "You know I don't hide things from you."
"Then how about telling me how your boyfriend showed up last night?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well he came several miles didn't he, without you even calling him?"
"Yes that's true."
"Well..what happened? He didn't just telepathically figure it out did he?"
"Well, no," Amy said. But Greg ironically was one of the few people on Earth who might have been able to. She thought.
"Well what happened?"
"He had help."
"Help? From who?"
"Why do you care?" Amy asked abruptly.
"Are you becoming a rebel on me here? I didn't think you would become a trademark teenager."
"Mom, it's not like that," Amy said. "I..uh..I'm worried about my friends, it's put me under pressure."
"Pressure's never bothered you before?"
"Pressure's always bothered me, but not this much."
"Well then maybe you should tell me about your problems."
"I don't think I can."
"I see, your old mother doesn't need to know about things. I get it. Well that's fine."
"Mom, I.."
"Okay, I'll just stop caring about what my daughter does. Would that work. You're depressed over some complex reason. Furthermore your boyfriend just appears like that with help. Shouldn't I be curious?"
"I don't mind that...but I've given you all the answers I can," Amy said.
"Fine, fine."
Nearby in a park.
"You know we can't be together as a couple," Maxfield Stanton said.
"Yeah, I know," Molly said.
"But we can still be good friends."
"That's fine with me," Molly said. "But Maxfield, what's going on with the negaverse?"
"I'm not totally sure Molly, but I'm trying to stop them. I'm working with the army now. If we can stop them. Then I can settle down in peace here on Earth."
"That's a noble goal," Molly said. A beeper went off. Maxfield glanced at it.
"Uh oh, I have to go, can I meet you here same time tomorrow?" Stanton asked.
"Sure," Molly said blushing.
"See you then," Nephlite said and hurried towards his car.
I don't care if we can't have a relationship, any time I can spend with him
is worthwhile. She thought.
"How am I supposed to be a leader in times like this," Serena mumbled as she walked along the sidewalk. She looked up for a second and saw a familiar figure leaving the park and moving towards a red sports car.
"Hey, that's Nephlite," She said in surprise. He must be up to something. I've got to follow him. She waved down a taxi and climbed inside.
"Follow that car," she said.
"Not another one of those, " the driver said. "Do you know how many of those I got this week alone?"
The taxi began to move.
"So who do you work for? The Police? The Military?"
"Actually I'm just chasing this guy I have a crush on," Serena said surprising herself with the explanation.
"That's what they all say," The cabby said.
Weird. Serena thought.
At Tokyo General Hospital.
"This is too easy," Argosante, in human form, but carrying an energy crystal said, as he absorbed another patient's energy. The energy crystals were convenient. objects. Since not all negaverse creatures could be given the power to drain energy and store it inside either them or another object, the crystals were useful especially to people like him. Argosante was wearing a pair of scrubs he had stolen and was trying to blend in with the surroundings long enough to zap people. So far things were working out. He had successfully stolen energy from two floors worth of people and there was still a long distance to go.
"Heh, this is a big hospital," he said.
"Hey who are you?" A nurse asked in surprise appearing from around a corner.
"I'm not a real doctor..." Argosante said and blasted her with his crystal
laughing as he did so.
Serena jumped out of the back of the taxi.
"That's ten forty two," the guy said.
"Here," Serena said and gave him a ten dollar bill. "Take it or leave it."
"Hmm....I'm letting you go only because you have a cute face," the cabby said and drove off. Serena looked around to where Nephlite had driven to. A dilapidated apartment complex on a street corner.
"Why would he come here?" Serena asked herself and then she noticed that just down the street was the menacing headquarters of Jade Corporation. She crept into an alley.
"Moon Crystal Power!" She shouted and transformed.
"Better safe then sorry," she said and crept over to the building where Nephlite had entered. She slowly crept inside. The first floor was dark and empty. She stepped lightly and headed for the stairs. Slowly she made her way upward. She could hear Nephlite's voice as she hid in the shadows.
"So..it was just Argosante?" he asked.
"Yes," came another voice.
"All right. Did you follow?"
"We sent someone after them. Argosante went to Tokyo General Hospital."
"I see. Then I must move quickly. Have you found the Sailor Scouts?"
"That's just it sir, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter haven't left their houses, we can't find Sailor Moon, and Sailor Mercury is already in the hospital," the man said.
"Doing what?"
"We don't know, but she was in human form."
"I'd better hurry," Nephlite said and moved towards the stairs.
Sailor Moon gasped and decided her only escape was to run. As Nephlite neared the steps she began to dash down them, only to slip on the last step and fall forward.
"Why me?" She screeched.
"Sailor Moon!" Nephlite called in surprise.
"Stay away Nephlite!" Sailor Moon said. Nephlite didn't listen and he jumped down the stairs landing right next to her. Sailor Moon screamed. Then she noticed Nephlite was holding his hand out to her.
"Let me help you up," he said. Sailor Moon backed off.
"Don't you remember? I'm changed now," he said. "Mercury is in great danger and so is Tokyo General Hospital. I can help."
"I don't know," Sailor Moon said.
"Sailor Moon, if I had wanted to attack you I would have already."
"Probably," Sailor Moon said skeptically.
"What have you got to lose? I could destroy now if I chose, but I'm not doing so"
"Ehh....let's go," Sailor Moon said realizing he had a point.
"This is Denny, he's got a small cold," Dr. Anderson said as she and Amy entered a room where a small boy was lying on a bed, his mother stood next to him.
"You wanted me to bring him in for a check up," his mother said.
"Yes, he looks like he's improving," Dr. Anderson said.
"He isn't crying as much," his mother said.
"That's a good sign. It should be another day or two on the medicine and then he should be fine," Dr. Anderson said. "You're going to be fine Denny, just hang in there," She said to the boy. The boy smiled back.
The two Andersons left the room and moved down the corridor.
"So what do you think?" Dr. Anderson asked.
"It's just like I expected it to be. This is what I want to do with my life," Amy said somewhat in higher spirits seeing the good her mother was doing.
"It has it's ups and downs, but it's very rewarding," Dr. Anderson said.
"Where to next?" Amy asked.
"We visit Timmy," Dr. Anderson said.
"Timmy?" Amy said.
"Yes, he's recovering from having his tonsils out on the fifth floor," Dr. Anderson said.
"Uh..Mom, I'm thirsty, can I just get a drink," Amy asked in response to a sudden onset of a dry throat.
"You'll miss the elevator."
"I'll take the stairs and meet you there," Amy said.
"Okay," Dr. Anderson said and hopped inside the elevator. Amy walked to the drinking fountain and took several gulps.
I needed that. She thought and walked to the stairs. She climbed them and opened the door only to see to her shock her mother standing between a crying child and a man holding a glowing crystal. A blast of energy hit her mother and the child. Amy gasped and barely managed to restrain herself from rushing into the corridor. Instead she backed into the stairwell and pulled out her power stick.
"Mercury Star Power!" She yelled.
The red sports car skittered to a stop in front of Tokyo General Hospital.
Sailor Moon jumped out and turned to Nephlite.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
"Keep an eye out for trouble outside" Nephlite said.
"All right," Sailor Moon said and rushed inside. He picked up a cellular phone from inside his car and dialed a number.
"Hello, General Nagumo please. It's urgent," he said.
An energy blast flew by Mercury's head.
That was too close for my liking. She thought.
"Hah, this is too easy," Argosante said. It was true, Mercury had very little room to maneuver in the hospital corridor and Argosante could hit her with the crystal the minute she tried to execute her attack. She ducked into one of the rooms as another blast flew by.
"You're not getting away that easily," Argosante said and readied his sword as he charged towards the room.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" Mercury shouted. Her weaker attack smashed into Argosante as he turned into the room and while doing little damage did spread a mist through the air.
"Hah, such a weak attack," Argosante said a second before Mercury barreled into his leg. His knee buckled and he fell forward. Mercury rolled out of the way and came to a kneeling position. She quickly dived over the knight and out into the hallway still filled with mist. Argosante emerged from the room angrily and looked around for her.
"Come out and face me," he said as the mist began to clear.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" She shouted from behind him. He whirled around in time to be hit with the attack. Once again a mist spread over the room.
"Oh no you don't!" Argosante shouted and slashed forward with his sword. He felt no impact. Then he felt a massive weight on his head for a split second as Mercury jumped off of it and over him, barely clearing the ceiling. He turned quickly and swatted at the mist with his arm. It began to clear. The hallway was empty again.
"Coward!" Argosante shouted.
Sailor Moon raced down on of the many areas of the hospital.
"Where are they?" She asked. The sound of a crash a floor up seemed to answer her question.
"Oh, there we go," Sailor Moon said and dashed up a flight of stairs and into the hallway. Argosante had just smashed a glass window.
"Sailor Moon? Here!" he yelled and charged at her. Sailor Moon screamed and ran down the hallway, Argosante followed trying to slice at her with his sword. Mercury's leg shot out from a door way and tripped Argosante up. He fell to the ground and Sailor Moon turned to face him.
"What I need is a sword," Sailor Moon said and suddenly a vision filled her head of her scepter and it became clear. She made her scepter appear.
"It probably won't work with him still strong," Mercury said hurrying to her side.
"It's not what you think," Sailor Moon said. "Moon Sword!" she shouted. The red bulb on her scepter disappeared and was replaced by a band of white light. Argosante stood up and swung at her. She met it with her new light sword. Argosante stepped back in surprise.
"This is not good," he said and raised his energy crystal to attack. Sailor Moon acted quickly and used Mars' aura to kick it out of his hand and thrust forward with her sword. Mercury slipped under the two combatants and grabbed the crystal. Argosante pushed Sailor Moon with his free hand. She fell backwards and slipped, falling to the ground.
"I'll get you someday!" he shouted and dashed into a stairwell.
"Woah....that was some fight...you know this is a big hospital," Sailor Moon said.
"Yes it is. Would you do the honors," Mercury said and placed the energy crystal on the ground. Sailor Moon swung her light sword down and shattered the crystal. The energy then began to spread back to its original owners.
"Nice sword huh?" Sailor Moon asked.
"It certainly was useful," Amy said.
As the hospital parking lot filled up with Self Defense Force vehicles, Amy and Serena walked outside. Nephlite was standing by his car.
"So you beat them. That's good," Nephlite said.
"Nephlite!" Amy said in shock.
"Calm down Amy, he's on our side now, supposedly," Serena said.
"Don't worry, you don't have to trust me yet," Nephlite said and walked back to his car which.
Dr. Anderson came walking out holding her head.
"Ow, that hurt. You sure you're okay Amy," Dr. Anderson said very relived the ordeal was over.
"Yes, I'm fine," Amy said.
Another car rolled up next to Nephlite's car and General Nagumo and D.V. Patterson stepped out of it. Nephlite was leaning against his vehicle.
"You called us Stanton. What happened?" Nagumo asked.
"Couldn't tell, some battle up on the fifth floor I guess," Stanton said.
"The negaverse?" Nagumo asked.
"Yes apparently," Stanton said.
"I'll go up and have a look, you coming Stanton?"
"Sure," Stanton said.
"Patterson, you stay here. If anyone's looking for me you send them up," Nagumo said.
"Yes sir," Patterson said and walked back up to Nagumo's car. He opened the passenger seat door and pulled a bazooka out.
"Guess I won't be needing this," he said and put the weapon in the back.
"That's Patterson isn't it?" Dr. Anderson asked.
"Yes mom," Amy said.
That's him. I've seen the picture's. Guess he's changed since I last saw him.
Dr. Anderson thought. Well..he looks successful enough. That's good to see.
At the Leslie household.
"Woman..more green peas!" Mr. Leslie said.
"But you hate the taste of them dear," Mrs. Leslie said.
"I know that, but the texture is intriguing," Mr. Leslie replied looking at his plate.
"Mike, are you all right?" Mrs. Leslie asked. Mike was eating his peas one by one, slowly with a glum look on his face.
"No, I don't think so," Mike said.
"What's the problem? You finally realize you aren't funny?" his father asked.
"I don't need that right now," Mike replied snidely.
"Sorry...so what is the problem," his father said.
"Mina dumped me."
"Mina dumped you? Well the girl has standards after all," his father said.
Mike stood up and walked away.
"Mike where are you going?" his mother asked.
"Wherever you two aren't," he said.
"Hmm...maybe you should have been more considerate dear?" Mr. Leslie said.
"Do you know how many times I've been dumped in my life?" Mrs. Leslie said.
"Forty eight."
"Hah, shows what you know, it was sixty five, anyways...he'll have to deal with rejection."
"But they were doing so well. They went to that dance last night remember?"
"Oh...yeah..I almost spilled root beer on her dress," Mr. Leslie said. "Now
that you mention it that is one quick break up. Wonder what happened."
"She must have gotten fed up with my unromantic way of doing things," Steve muttered standing alone on the roof of the world's largest fertilizer conglomerate.
"But the way she dumped me...I mean...she was dumped herself with more
courteously...why did she? There has to be another answer...there just has to
be...I mean..if she disliked me..she would have said so..but instead...no..this
doesn't make sense...or am I just deluding myself, trying to convince myself
that I wasn't at fault? How would I know? She was my first relationship. Oh I
don't know."
Lita was sitting on a park bench near a pond trying to put things together.
"I can't believe all this...my boyfriend..a..one of them...maybe he didn't
know,but what I was supposed to do? I had to be forceful..he had to know I
wasn't joking..but what have I done to him? I've never been so cruel...and..this
is the guy I liked so much...I should have found some other way..but I was so
worried about protecting myself..that I...how stupid...now I can't go
back...I've probably lost him for good," she said and started to cry putting her
face in her hands.
Mina had found herself at the spot Mike had shown to her. She was glad to see he wasn't taking solace there as well.
"I dumped the only guy who ever considered going out with me. I dumped
someone I really liked, someone who meant a lot to me. And why? Because of the
negaverse, and because I was afraid to find another answer...maybe there wasn't
one, but no..I couldn't even try. Never mind that he couldn't help it, or at
least that that was a possibility, no..I had to get away from him....who cares
how he felt? Now I feel worse, and he's probably devastated. Things shouldn't be
this way," she said and began to cry herself.
At the Fujimori household.
"You look a bit troubled," Kino Fujimori said.
"A bit?" Rick growled.
"Uh..okay, maybe not just a bit..care to talk about it.
"Raye dumped me."
"What? Why?"
"That's the problem I don't know."
"You don't know..well maybe that's why."
"Kino, it isn't a matter of that. We got along fine. I mean..sure I annoyed her once..but I didn't think she'd just dump me with no explanation, and it wasn't a matter of that either. Mike and Steve got dumped too."
"All on the same day."
"Within minutes, maybe seconds."
"That's odd...that's very odd."
"I mean we had been at the dance just last night."
"Rick..could this be a joke of some kind?"
"It seemed a bit too forceful for that."
"There has to be an explanation. I have had quite a lot of experience with women..ka ching..but this is a new one to me."
"You're not much help Kino."
"Sorry Rick..but I'm as baffled as you are."
"You know what...maybe..this is some complex girl thing."
"Like what?"
"Well..maybe Raye...yes, maybe she was cheating on me.."
"What do you mean."
"Yeah, she was cheating on me, with that ingrate who lives with her,...and then..she decides to dump me..but she wants to cover for it, so she convinces her two friends to dump their boyfriends too."
"That's a stretch...but a junior high school girl is capable of anything," Kino said. "But..I'd be careful about making that accusation."
"The time for being careful is over Kino," Rick said.
"Oh...since when?"
"Since this very minute. I will find out about this."
"Maybe it's all a misunderstanding. I mean..Raye wouldn't cheat on you."
"I wish I could believe that."
Late that night at the Cherry Hill temple.
The door to Chad's room slid open.
"Chad are you asleep?" Raye asked.
"I was," Chad moaned looking up off of his futon.
"Sorry, I need to ask you something," Raye said.
"Which is?" Chad asked.
"Will you be my boyfriend?" she asked