FOUR:Thursday Silly Girls.
Coardite sat in his throne room thinking and looking over images of the city of Tokyo, trying to come up with another plan.
"This stinks. I've got a bunch of idiotic minions and a limited supply of energy and I'm supposed to gain energy. How can I do it?" he said to himself then as he stared at one image he got an idea.
"Well..that might work....now I just need to find someone to do it." he said
and began to laugh.
Darrien and Serena walked along the beach together. Serena couldn't help, but smile.
"I'm so glad you're back Darrien, I was getting so worried," Serena said. "After all you didn't call or anything."
"Well I'm back now," Darrien said. Serena looked out over the water and to her shock saw something she didn't expect, a shark fin.
"Look at that, a shark!" Serena yelled. Darrien looked at it.
"Yeah, that's a shark all right," Darrien said.
"it's heading right for the beach," Serena said.
"Fortunately it can't come up onto land, so you shouldn't worry," Darrien said. Serena still back up a few paces and Darrien followed. The fin kept coming. Then to Serena's further surprise a shark didn't emerge from the waves, but a car with a fin on top of it. Inside were several beautiful women.
"There you are Darrien, we've been looking for you," one of them said.
"Hey, where have you been?" Darrien asked walking up to them leaving Serena to fume behind him.
"Get in, we're going to have some fun," The woman said.
"Hey all right," Darrien said and moved to towards the van.
"Darrien! Where are you going?" Serena cried.
"Don't worry, I'll be back....eventually," Darrien said and climbed in. The car then turned around and drove back under the water.
Then the dream ended.
Serena rose from her bed slowly and moaned.
"I'm going insane," She muttered as her alarm went off.
"Oh no, I'll be late for school again," She muttered. "Whoopdie doo," She
added drowsily and clambered out of bed.
"Listen Melvin, I'm sick of your gossip," Amy was saying that morning in Crossroads Junior High.
"Aw come on Amy, you know you're just as curious as I am. Don't tell me you aren't. I saw how you looked at him. I'm telling you there's more to that new kid then meets the eye.
"I don't want to hear I," Amy said.
"Ehh..suI yourself," Melvin said and headed back to his seat.
Serena's late again. Amy thought. Miss Haruna's coming back today. Serena better hope she's in a good mood. Serena's unlucky though. She was finally beginning to get her homework down and then that negacreature showed up. I guess we'll have to keep working at it.
Someone walked in the door, Amy didn't pay any attention to it since it was common for students to come in and sit down. After all it was a classroom. Melvin's reaction was somewhat different. He looked at the new arrival and his eyes widened.
"You," he said in fear. Amy turned around quickly to see what the threat was and standing there was D.V. Patterson.
"Well Melvin, you just can't seem to get away from me can you?" Patterson said and advanced on the nerd.
"See where gossip gets you? If it was the person you say I was I'd probably chuck you out a window right now, but I've changed so I'm just going to take the seat next to you," he said and sat down.
Melvin shuddered.
"Don't hurt me," Melvin said.
"I just said I wouldn't. At the rate you're going though. There are plenty of people that will hurt you if you're not careful," Patterson said. "Candy?" he asked holding a small bag out in front of Melvin.
"Uh...no," Melvin said.
The crisis averted, Amy returned to her own thoughts.
Fifteen minutes, with Serena still absent, Miss Haruna walked into the mostly full classroom and approached the front. There were various giggles among several of the students.
"Let's get one thing straight," Haruna began. "I don't want to hear another giggle, laugh or anything else like that for the rest of the day. I don't have to be a monster to be mean," she growled. The class immediately quieted down.
"That's good," Haruna said cheerfully. "Serena isn't here is she?"
At that point Serena dashed in the door, tripped stumbled a few steps and fell to the floor with a thud.
"Well it's good to see nothing has changed in my absence," Haruna muttered.
"Sorry Ms. H. I was working hard all night and I..." Serena babbled.
"Sit down Serena," Miss Haruna said.
"Yes Ms. H!" Serena said hurriedly moving to our seats.
Miss Haruna looked down at her desk.
"I've got a notice here. it says that we have a new student in our class, oh..it's you Patterson. Why do I get all the strange ones?" She muttered aloud. She looked at the new arrival and stared at him.
"You throw a chair at me and you're in trouble."
Every student in the class's jaws all dropped.
"My chair throwing days are over," Patterson replied.
"Good, then we'll begin," Haruna said.
Chair throwing? Amy, Melvin, and Serena thought at once.
"Now, the time has come to begin what I call, the character builder," Mina's English teacher said. The class all moaned.
"Hah. Boy you guys are so gullible." the teacher said and laughed. "it's really nothing, everyone will have a partner to produce a presentation of any kind about the book you read. it's an easy assignment if you put some effort into it. Now, choose up."
Mina was a bit nervous about making pursuing the issue with Mike. She hoped he would make the first move. it was her understanding that he didn't have any good friends, and thus no competition, in the class.
"Um...Mina," Mike said.
"Yes," Mina said bubbling with excitement.
"Well..it...um...I'd ask you to be my partner, but.."
"But?" Mina asked her hopes drooping.
"Well there's this little problem..."
"I don't understand."
They hadn't noticed the teacher had appeared next to them.
"Are you two together?" he asked.
"I don't know," Mina said depressedly.
"Let me solve your problem. You are. There's no one left in the class for either of you to be partners with." the teacher said.
"Uh oh," Mike said.
"What is it?" Mina asked.
"it's not you Mina. it really isn't, but..there's something you need to know."
"Huh?"
"I can't tell you about it here though."
"Uh..all right," Mina said unsurely.
What could this be about? Don't tell me he's not interested in girls. That
would be annoying.
Raye once again found herself distracted from her work and fixated on the head of Rick. She was intently studying how his hair trailed down into a ponytail that was swung over his right shoulder.
I should get my hair done that way. She thought. She felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Ed, a blonde haired student. He was holding a small paper note.
"Raye, could you give this to Rick for me?" he asked.
"Um..well..I guess..." Raye said and took it.
"Thanks," Ed said.
She didn't know what the note said and it didn't really mattered. What mattered now was that she had to get that note to Rick. She waited for the teacher to turn back to the board and speak while writing. She picked up a small piece of paper and rolled it into a ball. With careful aim she threw it at Rick's shoulder. it hit, but to her disappointment it had no effect. She made a bigger piece and prepared to throw it. The teacher continued to drone on. She threw it across the floor. it was on target again, but Rick showed no sign of responding. Raye glanced up at the teacher. He was still continuing to talk.
"Rick," she whispered. This time he heard and he turned towards her. She reached out with the note with her left hand and motioned to Ed with the right to signal who it was from. He nodded and reached out to take it. As his hand took hold of it they both heard a stern voice at the front of the room call to them.
"Rick, Raye...I doubt that's relevant to class. You know what though. Since we're all in a spirit of note passing. Let me pass you two a note," The teacher said. He scribbled down something on two piece of papers and handed one to each of them.
it Read. DETENTION.
"Slick move Raye. Do you plan on getting me into trouble," Rick said angrily.
"Jerk," Raye snapped. I don't have to settle for you. She thought. it only
took her two minutes to become fixated on his hair again.
When History came around, Amy was only minorly surprised to see the enigmatic Patterson arrive too. He seemed to be smart enough to be in the classes she was in and she had already figured out that he would be in most of hers. The teacher pointed him to the seat in front of Steve and he took it. Amy looked at Lita a seat away from her and wasn't surprised to see her friend already enamored in some sort of thought, either about history, her old boyfriend, or Steve. In fact Lita hadn't noticed the new arrival, which could have changed things since she knew a little already about Patterson's lifestyle.
"Hey, the kid with the initials right?" Steve asked as Patterson sat down.
"Yeah..Steve.isn't it?"
"Uh huh. So after a couple days ago life must seem pretty boring now right?"
"Hmm...you could say that," Patterson said. Both of them were referring to their exploits that involved the Haruna creature.
"All right quiet down. Well..well..well..looks like we have another victim," The history teacher muttered. "Patterson ehh...what's the deal with your name. Most people don't go by their first and middle initials," The teacher said with a bit of an edge.
"I do," Patterson said.
"Hmm...all right Mr. D.V. Patterson, let's see if you know anything about history..." the teacher began. Patterson's eyes narrowed.
"Where will you find the ancient hanging gardens?" the teacher asked.
"Babylon," Patterson answered without much effort.
"Hmm...that's correct," the teacher muttered. "Here's another one. Who was a famous British leader during the crusades?"
"Which crusades?" Patterson asked.
"What?"
"Well...which one? There were several crusades?"
"Ehh...so there were..." The teacher muttered. "Take your pick."
"Richard the Lion Hearted," Patterson said.
"That's correct. Now here's another one since you seem so up to date with the crusades. Who was head of the Ottoman empire and considered to be their greatest leader?"
That's a hard one. Amy thought.
"Suleiman the first," Patterson replied.
"Heh..so.." the teacher said. Now I'll nail him to the wall. He thought.
"And who did Suleiman defeat during the crusades?"
"What do you mean?" Patterson asked.
"Give me the exact name of the crusaders that attacked Suleiman."
That's impossible. Steve thought.
"The Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem. Anything else?" Patterson muttered.
"You!" The teacher shouted and pounded on the desk. "All right..enough about that. Today we're going to do a little project. Each of you will work in groups of four. By the end of class today you will turn in a report on Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. I'll give you a work sheet with the details. Now about the groups."
The teacher paused for a minute obviously thinking things through. Well this will be an interesting project...no one will pass this one. What should I do about our little geniuses. I've got it. I'll put that idiot Steve with Lita. Lita's pretty good in the class, but she obviously can't stop looking at him..so those two will be distracted. Furthermore if I put Patterson with them...he'll be stuck with a couple nonentities to work with and to add to the drama I'll but Amy in the group too.. We'll just see if two people can do the work of four.
The teacher announced the groups and the four partners were shocked to find
themselves working together.
"I'm not looking forward to this one," Steve muttered under his breath to Patterson. "That girl Lita can't keep her eyes off of me. I think she's a stalker or something."
"Ehh...it's just a crush...you probably look like her old boyfriend," Patterson said nonchalantly.
"What?" Steve asked not understanding.
"Just an idea," Patterson muttered.
"Ehh..." Steve said and turned his chair. Soon the four's desks were arranged in a square. Steve sat to the left of Patterson and in front of Amy. Lita sat to the right of Amy and thus in front of Patterson.
Drat. I wanted to sit across from Steve. Lita thought to herself. Well maybe this is better. I can keep an eye on him without him noticing.
The teacher left the worksheet on the desk. Amy immediately picked it up and read through it. Lita commenced her looking at Steve. Patterson slumped in his chair boredily.
"This is tough," Amy said after a minute. "If we're going to do this all four of us will have to put in some work."
"Just great..." Steve muttered. "Hey Patterson, you ready?"
"Wha?" Patterson asked.
"You ready to work here?"
"I'm never ready to work in the morning ahem...I.... I'm naturally a night person," Patterson replied.
"Well get your butt in gear, I want a good grade," Lita said sternly. Patterson merely nodded. Well at least I can turn the tables on that teacher. Patterson thought.
"So what's the plan Amy?" Lita asked.
"Steve. Look up the geography of Constantinople. You can handle that right?" Amy asked.
"No problem," Steve said.
"Patterson, trace it's history during the roman empire," Amy said.
Patterson merely nodded again.
"Lita, look into the influence of the Ottoman empire into the city," Amy said. Lita deeply entranced by the flow of Steve's hair didn't respond.
"Lita?" Amy asked and noticed her friend's distraction.
"What'd I tell ya?" Steve whispered to Patterson.
"Doesn't surprise me in the least," Patterson whispered back.
"Lita, snap out of it," Amy said and snapped her fingers.
"What? I'm awake," Lita stammered.
"Lita...it's nice and all that you seem fascinated by me..but it's not helping either of us for you to be doing this," Steve said.
"Uh....no..I guess it isn't," Lita said humbled.
"All right then," Steve said.
"And now for the test," Serena's math teacher said.
"I've studied, but I fell asleep, I can't be ready for this," Serena said.
The paper hit her desk and she tensed and then glanced at it as the sweat began to form.
Wait a minute....hey..this is easy. She thought.
"Lita. I don't mean to be critical, but I think we would have gotten a better grade if you had put more effort into your part of the essay," Amy said as the two walked to lunch.
"I tried Amy. it was a hard subject," Lita said.
"Don't give me that. You're a bright person especially in history who has a little problem with her impulses. Every chance you had you were looking at Steve, even after he told you not to."
"Well...he's just so...so...desirable."
"That's not the point. Self control is important. Are you willing to sacrifice your future for a foolish crush."
"it's not a foolish crush. I see Steve in my future."
"He didn't seem interested."
"I intend to change that."
"Well then do it instead of staring at Steve all day."
"Maybe you're right. I should do something. Say Amy..on a different subject...I recognized that other guy, D.V. today."
"Recognized? From where?"
"You remember the little ruckus here a few days ago?"
"Right. What about it?"
"Well..Steve helped me out..but it was that D.V. guy who first drew Haruna away."
"Are you serious. He actually baited her? How long did he last before she nailed him?"
"I don't know, I was already hiding, but I didn't see him lying on the floor anywhere and there was that broken window. I think he escaped."
"Woah..that is strange. Keep it to yourself for now. it's probably nothing."
As the two walked towards their table they saw their three friends waiting there. Raye had a huge scowl on her face. Mina looked depressed, and Serena was asleep.
"Uh oh," Amy said.
"Looks like we've got another happy bunch here," Lita said.
"Hmph," Raye replied.
"So what's eating you Raye?" Lita asked.
"I tried to help Rick out again today, but he wouldn't let me and in the end we both ended up with a detention. What a jerk. Here I am. The perfect girl for him and he doesn't even give me a chance." Raye said.
"I suggest you let him go Raye," Lita said.
"You should talk," Amy muttered.
"What?" Lita snapped.
"Nothing," Amy said.
"If he doesn't see anything in you there's no point in trying," Lita continued.
"He just needs to get to know me better that's all. But, I'm not going to bother right now. If he doesn't shape up he could lose his only opportunity to get me."
The three other girls sighed at Raye's arrogance.
"I've got my own problem," Mina said. "You know that cute guy I told you I met. Mike?"
The others nodded.
"We were getting along great, but today we were choosing partners for a project and he was afraid to. We're going to work together on it anyway, but there's some secret he's going to tell me. He was really nervous about it."
"Do you think he's..." Raye said.
"No!" Mina yelled back. "That's what worries me. What could be so horrible that he's nervous about working on a project with me?"
"I guess you'll find out," Amy said.
"You're no help," Mina muttered.
"Sorry. You're the ones who spend all your time flirting with guys that you have a slim to none chance of going out with," Amy muttered. The three others all glared at her.
"What do you mean?" They said.
"Uh...nothing," Amy said.
"Wait a minute Amy. Are you saying we don't have a chance to get with these guys?" Raye said.
"I didn't say that," Amy said.
"Sure you did," Mina said.
"Well let me put it this way. Raye spent that time trying to get involved with Darrien."
"So what? Serena did," Raye said.
"That was a longshot," Amy said.
"Hey!" Serena cried waking up.
"Go on," Lita said.
"Lita and Serena both were interested in Andrew even when he had a girlfriend," Amy said.
"There's nothing wrong with flirting," Lita said.
"Now Mina, Lita, and Raye, you all have crushes on guys, but you're afraid to ask them out. The best you can do is get them thrown into detention. That's not a way to a man's heart. I know that for certain. Maybe you do have a chance with these guys, but you're going to have to change your strategy," Amy said.
"Well..thanks for that advice," Raye said snidely.
"Actually...when you think about it. Amy is the only one who's kept a steady boyfriend," Mina said.
"Hey! Greg's just a friend!" Amy shouted.
"Whatever!" The other four girls replied.
"Serena. Why were you asleep?" Lita said.
"Well I had a rough night, and I didn't sleep well and that test I took today was exhausting. These dreams I've been having have been troublesome, I just had another one," Serena said.
"Dreams?" The other four asked.
"They're so weird. Darrien's in all of them, but he's not...Darrien..things just get out of hand, like in this one he was selling insurance, but...he we didn't need any because we were the only two people left in a post-apocalyptic horror, and..the ice cream melted too," Serena said. The other four's eyes widened.
"You're just thinking about him that's all," Amy said trying to figure it out.
"I don't know, I can't help thinking something's wrong," Serena said worriedly.
"You guys should be more upbeat and not let your imaginations run wild. I mean I've got my own crush, but I'm not going insane," Lita said.
Some would beg to differ. Amy thought.
"Whoopdy doo," Raye said.
"Darrien still hasn't called too," Serena said bluntly.
"Hmm...that's not good," Raye said.
"Obviously," Serena said.
"Maybe it's just taken him some time to settle in," Mina said.
"I better have," Serena said.
"Oh...Serena..are you going to do that English assignment tonight?" Amy asked.
"I guess I should," Serena said.
"Don't worry, I'll help you. We'll make a good student out of you yet," Amy said.
"There's another losing cause for you...." Raye said.
"Anything's possible," Amy replied.
Later that day, Mike and Mina left school at about the same time.
"Hey, Mike," Mina said.
"Oh, hi, Mina," Mike said.
"So what's the plan?"
"Plan?"
"For the project."
"Oh, that. I guess we should meet somewhere to discuss it."
"I wouldn't suggest my house. My parents can be a bit nosy," Mina said.
"I wouldn't suggest my house either. Um, it's being renovated," Mike said.
"Oh...okay. Where then? The park or something?"
"No! That's too high profile," Mike said nervously.
"What do you mean? Are you afraid of being seen with me?" Mina said with indignation.
"No, no. it's just that she can't see us."
"Who?" Mina said in surprise. Don't tell me he has an insane girlfriend. She thought.
"I know just the place," Mike said.
A few minutes later the two had arrived at a small restaurant. They walked in and sat down. The place was definitely traditional, ornaments of Japan's past were over the place. Ceremonial swords sat next to every table and colorful pictures lined the walls.
"My friend, Rick's father owns this place. We'll be safe here," Mike said.
"Safe from what?" Mina asked.
"My sister."
"Your sister?"
"Yeah. You see Mina, the reason I've been acting so weirdly is that I'm scared. My sister, Lara, is a bit of a nutcase. For some reason, I think it's jealousy. She can't stand me being with another girl for any reason. At school she can't do anything about it, but if she saw us together anywhere else. Well it wouldn't be pretty. She thinks I'm with my friends, but if she didn't she'd scour the city looking for me. I mean I have to pass all my activities through her."
Why does the boy I like have to have a catch? Mina thought and frowned.
"Don't your parents do anything about it?" Mina asked.
"They have no clue it's going on and frankly they wouldn't believe me if I told them. So I've been trying to keep low key."
"I'd assume confronting her is out of the question."
"I wouldn't dare."
"Well then I guess we'll have to work on this project in secret. Are you sure this is safe?"
"I hope it is. She doesn't know this place exists and it's sort of out of the way."
"All right. So let's plan this thing."
"Okay, so what's the project about again?" Mike asked.
"That book we read, about the guy and all the trouble he went through to earn his true love's heart," Mina said dreamily recalling a book she loved to read because of it's romantic content. Mike sat there and watched the spectacle skeptically.
"Right, that book, the boring story of a guy doing all the wrong things in his pursuit of a woman who wasn't worth it," Mike said.
"What are you talking about?" Mina asked.
"The book," Mike said.
"Oh come on, didn't you find it enjoyable."
"Not in the least, though that County Sheriff was a nice touch."
"The Sheriff put the guy in jail and kept him away from his true love."
"Exactly. He was cool," Mike.
"You have no appreciation for good literature," Mina muttered.
"Ehh..." Mike said. What is with these girls anyway? He thought.
Raye sat in detention quietly studying the various things that were attached to the wall in an attempt to avoid staring at Rick as he fiddled with his fingers at the front of the room. At the sight of a poster of a cartoon monkey juggling some textbooks with the caption.."don't monkey around with your studies," she lost her nerve. Her eyes became fixed on the dark haired boy once again.
You know Raye. Maybe this is the time to break the ice. She thought to herself. Could it hurt? Probably, but when was I one to show much common sense? She paused for a minute. What an odd thing for me to think. Is that my conscience talking? Oh...I hope not.
"Hey Rick," Raye said. Rick slowly turned his head around to look at her.
"What is it? Have another way to get me into trouble?"
"No you jerk," she snapped. "Haven't you ever had a girl attracted to you before!" She screamed letting emotion overcome all her mental boundaries.
"What?" Rick said in surprise. He had expected such bluntness from her.
"That's right," Raye said. "I'm not trying to get you into trouble, I'm just..."
"Just what?"
"I'm just a girl..and you're a guy...and well...."
"So you're strategy so far to get me to like you has been to get me thrown in detention?"
"No! I told you I didn't mean to. it was an accident. it's just I think you're..." she tried to come up with the right words.
"Romantic, handsome, god on earth?" Rick volunteered with a grin.
"Take your pick," Raye said.
"Well that's nice and all Raye. I appreciate it really, but come on, all you've been is trouble from the start, and from what I hear and see, you don't have much of a temper either. The last thing I need is a hot head as my girlfriend."
"I am not a hothead!" Raye yelled predictably.
"Heh...whatever you say," Rick said and turned away.
Raye just stared at him, the anger boiling inside of her.
"Toying with a girl's emotions is a capital offense!" she yelled and rushed forward. She grabbed Rick's pony tail and dragged him out of his seat. With a mighty heave she flung him towards the wall. He let out a brief yell before slamming into it and collapsing to the ground.
"Oooops," She said realizing that her use of force was a bit extreme. Rick picked himself off of the ground slowly.
"Can I sit back down...." he gasped. Raye nodded and actually found herself smiling at seeing him in heap. Rick crawled back to his seat and sat down breathing heavily.
Hmm...she may be all right after all. He thought. Raye merely sat down and
tried to think about other things.
"I'm home!" Serena yelled swinging the door open. it slammed into the wall and knocked a plant onto the ground shattering the pot and spraying dirt all over her shoes.
"Drat," she said.
"Oh...Serena, when are you going to stop being so mean to potted plants," her mother said emerging from the kitchen. "They have feelings too."
"Heh...heh..any calls while I was out?" Serena asked.
"No," her mother said.
"None huh..I wonder why he hasn't called yet," Serena muttered.
"Who's he?" her mother asked. Serena hadn't exactly told her parents she was involved in a relationship. Her father didn't exactly approve.
"Oh..he...he's just this homework help line guy," Serena said.
"it's good to see you're finally taking control of your studies," her mother said.
"Mom! The phones dead!" came a cry from another room. it was Sammy, Serena's brother.
"What do you mean the phone's dead?" her mother asked.
"I was talking to Nina then it just cut off," he said.
"That won't help your relationship with her will it. Has she forgiven you for that bit with the roses?" Serena asked.
"I didn't know there was a hornet in them!" Sammy cried.
"Serena, stop it," her mother said and picked up the phone. "You're right it's dead. Check the other one's in the house."
A quick check proved that all of them were dead.
"You mean we can't get any phone calls!" Serena said hysterically.
"Calm down Serena!" Her mother snapped.
"I need a phone!" Serena screamed. The door opened and Serena's father walked in.
"I'm home early," he said.
"Dad the phone's don't work!" Serena yelled.
"The phone lines are down a block from here. That would explain it," her father said calmly.
"Well when are they going to fix them!" Serena yelled.
"I don't know," her father said. "What's the problem?"
"Uh...nothing," Serena said.
"it's just a homework help line person she was expecting a call from," her mother said.
"Homework help line?" her father said and paused. You're seeing a guy aren't you!" he shouted.
"No!" Serena yelled.
"Hah..I don't have anything on you yet, but when I do!" her father said and stormed off.
"Mom can't you call the phone company and get them to fix this?" Serena asked.
"Serena. Think about what you just said," her mom said.
"Oh...right," Serena said realizing her stupidity. "Well can't we go down there and ask them to fix it."
"The phone company's busy Serena, they'll do it when they can," her mom said and walked out.
"We'll see about that," Serena said and walked out the door.
Serena raced down the street towards the phone company's main headquarters.
If my phone doesn't work Darrien can't call me. If Darrien can't call me, he'll think I'm seeing someone else or something, then he'll start seeing someone else, then It''ll be over. She thought as she finally reached company HQ. She walked up to the front desk where a burly security guard sat.
"I have a complaint, where do I go?" Serena asked.
"Oh..you mean customer relations, down the hall take a left. Second door on your right. What's your problem anyway?" The guard asked.
"Someone knocked over a telephone pole near my house and no one has fixed it," Serena said.
"Join the club. We've had a couple hundred people in here complaining about that from all over the city. Don't be surprised if you have to wait in line a while. I sent a group of twenty people up there five minutes ago."
"I see. Thank you," Serena said and hurried down the hallway. When she arrived at Customer Relations she was surprised to see the room deserted except for a large counter.
Where is everyone? If there are telephone poles getting knocked over all over the place wouldn't they have people here?
She began to get nervous.
"Can I help you?" A deep female voice asked as a woman emerged from a back room.
"Yeah. A telephone pole got knocked down and my phones are out. I want it fixed," Serena said.
"Do you?" the person asked.
"Yeah."
"Well it's going to take a few days."
"A few days! No! I need it now."
"I'm sorry but it will be a few days. Now if you'll excuse me I'm very busy."
"No I won't! I want my poles fixed and I want it done now!" Serena yelled.
"That's it. Get angry." The woman muttered to herself.
"All right, if you come into the back room here, I'll see if I can do something about it," The woman said.
"Good," Serena said and followed the woman into the room. it was a bleak room with only a single chair.
"Wait a minute!" Serena yelled and instinctively ducked. A red energy blast flew over her head and slammed into the wall. She rolled around in time to see the woman morph into a she-devilish creature with red skin and long blonde hair.
"The negaverse! it figures!" Serena yelled.
"So....you want to do it the hard way!" The creature yelled and sent another bolt flying at her. Serena rolled out of the way.
"You repulsive human scum!" the creature screamed.
"What's your problem?" Serena asked.
"Hmm..interesting question isn't it? Well I'll tell you since you're not going anywhere," The creature said. "You see, the negaverse is really a male's only club."
"What?" Serena asked.
"Yes, it's true. Queen Beryl was the exception, the rest of us are just a bunch of drones serving our male masters. Do you know how degrading that is?"
"Um...no," Serena said.
"Stupid human," the creature said. "What do you know? How can you understand...the pain..."
The creature buried it's head in its hands and began to weep.
This is strange. Serena thought.
"Oh..why do I even bother?" the creature said. "Even if this does work I'll just go back to being second fiddle to some other joker. I've spent the whole day sapping people of energy and for what? I mean really?"
Serena found this scene almost touching, but she also knew that this creature had attacked her and would probably attack others. She didn't hesitate pulling out her compact.
"Moon Crystal Power!" She yelled. In seconds she had transformed. The creature looked up in shock to see Sailor Moon standing there.
"You're all I need," the creature muttered and didn't move a muscle.
"Are you just giving up or what?" Sailor Moon asked in a baffled tone.
"You know what..." the creature said and paused. "NO!" it shouted and leapt at her. Sailor Moon was slammed into the wall with such force that the both of them flew through it and into a store room.
"Woah...phone central," Sailor Moon said looking at the stacks of telephones lining the room.
"Hah! I'll show you!" the creature yelled and blasted a shelf. it began to collapse. Sailor Moon dashed down the aisle and barely missed the crash. She still was showered with phones as she dived out of the way though.
"Reach out and crush someone," The creature muttered picking itself out of the debris.
"Do you have to use the dumb slogans? I hate it when villains do that," Sailor Moon said.
"Hmm...well..I'll tell you what? I'll just destroy you and then it won't be a problem," The creature said.
"What's with the personality change all the sudden?" Sailor Moon asked.
"I'm a complex creature!" the creature yelled shooting two bolts of energy at the heroine. She leapt into the air and landed on top of a shelf.
What am I doing up here? Sailor Moon thought.
"Dumb move!" The creature yelled and blasted the shelf. it began to sway. Sailor Moon yelled and jumped off of it onto another shelf before it fell. The creature scowled and jumped up onto a shelf itself.
"Now you're in for it!" The creature yelled staring at Sailor Moon.
Maybe I should call for help. The heroine thought.
"Yahhh!" the creature yelled and leapt through the air towards her. Sailor Moon let out a scream and then on impulse ducked. The creature flew over her head and hit the far wall. Crumpling to the ground and out of sight.
"Hah!" Sailor Moon yelled when the creature didn't appear a whole minute later.
"Hah yourself!" The creature yelled leaping into the air directly in front of her.
"Go away!" Sailor Moon yelled and kicked out with her right foot. The blow connected and the creature fell down onto the floor again. Sailor Moon smiled, before beginning to lose her balance. She fell forward and landed right on the creature's damaged figure. The creature threw her off quickly.
There's not much room in here anymore. But what am I going to do alone? Wait a minute. I can use my Tiara. Why didn't I think of it before? Sailor Moon thought. She dashed through the hole in the wall and through the door into the next room. She was surprised to see the wall to her left floating wispily in the air.
it isn't real. She thought. She could make out behind it the unconscious forms of several people.
That's where's she been storing her victims. Sailor Moon thought.
"Come, and fight me you jerk!" she heard a cry from the store room.
"Uh oh," Sailor Moon said and dashed out into customer relations and out into the hall. To her shock the creature exploded through the store room wall.
"Hah!" She yelled.
"I've had enough of you!" Sailor Moon yelled and charged forward. She threw a strong right. it connected knocking the phone creature to the ground.
"Wow," Sailor Moon said confidently until she felt her legs fall out from under her as the phone creature tripped her. The heroine crawled backwards away from her foe. The phone creature hopped up quickly and a sinister red aura formed around her body.
"Now I'm mad!" the creature yelled. Sailor Moon in fear couldn't stand, but backed away down the hall. The creature followed slowly.
"You will not go unpunished," the creature said.
This isn't going to work. Sailor Moon thought and pulled off her tiara.
"Moon Tiara Magic!" She yelled. The golden disk flew at the creature and bounced off it's shoulder aura.
"How dare you!" The creature yelled and let it's attack go with a fury. A red misty wave flew down the hall ripping the wallpaper from the wall. Sailor Moon screamed. The creature laughed before the tiara disk hit on it's return trip slamming into the creature's back. The phone creature yelled. Sailor Moon rolled into a nearby doorway and the wave slammed into the stairway at the end of the hall. A crowd began to gather. Sailor Moon quickly stood up and prepared to face her foe no in agony from the disk embedded in her back.
"Woah..that can't be comfortable," Sailor Moon said appearing out of the doorway.
"This is not over," The phone creature yelled staring down her enemy.
A multicolored blast flew through the air and hit the creature in it's wounded back area causing it to scream again. Maverick appeared from a hallway behind the phone creature his sword out and engaged.
"This is just pathetic. The negaverse draining energy from angry phone customers. Although it does explains a lot about my phone service," Maverick muttered. The creature whirled around to face him.
"That wasn't very smart," Maverick said.
"I'll show you smart," The creature said.
"Moon Scepter Elimination!" Sailor Moon screamed brandishing her weapon.
"Sucker," Maverick said as the creature died in the white light of scepter.
"Not the prettiest battle I've fought, but hey..I won," Sailor Moon said with
a smile as the crowd behind her began to clap.
"Well Artemas, we know what we have to do know," Luna said as the two cats stood up on the roof of Serena's house.
"Yeah...business is going to pick up around her real soon and we need to be prepared," Artemas said.
"Do you think they'll be able to handle it?"
"Well we've seen that they can do it haven't we? That's why we haven't been around these past few days right?"
"Right. Serena's got her tiara power back which means she can fight if she needs to and the others are always ready."
"That Maverick person if he's who I think it is, will be of help to them too."
"You're right. So when do we tell the scouts we're leaving?"
"Soon."