CHAPTER 57

"So...we're off to the amusement park," Mina said as she and Mike walked along the sidewalk.

"I heard it's a great place to go," Mike replied.

"Yeah..I've heard the same thing," Mina said and then grinned. "Of course there was the negaverse attack there a while ago...but I'm sure everything's fine now."

"Negaverse attack huh? That's all I need," Mike muttered.

Mina just giggled.

I'm not going to ask about what happened a few days ago. He seemed afraid to kiss me. But, I don't need to know about it right now. She thought.

"Well..here we are," Mike said as they rounded a corner and saw the amusement park in front of them complete with long line.

"Wow..this looks great," Mina said looking at the rides she could see over the fence.

"I hope it doesn't cost too much, I only have twenty cents," Mike said.

"You had better be kidding," Mina said.

"I am, I am..." Mike said. Still..taking her out is going to drive me into bankruptcy.

"He ran away from me!" Serena shouted.

"But Serena," Luna said.

"Luna, quit trying to take his side...for that matter...whose side are you on anyway?" Serena said.

"Don't start that Serena!" Luna shouted. "I'm here for you now and all you've done is constantly taken your frustrations out on me."

Serena paused and looked at the ground.

"I'm sorry Luna, I'm just upset," Serena muttered. "What is Darrien thinking? He knows I'm his girlfriend doesn't he?"

"I won't lie to you Serena. I don't know," Luna said.

"I wish someone could tell me...wait a minute...someone can!" Serena said and headed for the door.

"Where are you going now?"

"Raye's place," Serena said.

"But Serena..Raye has her own problems?"

"So...I'll cheer her up," Serena said overcome with the moment.

"Serena...I don't think that's a good idea! Wait!" Luna said.

"Don't worry Luna!" Serena shouted.

"As if things couldn't get any more messed up around here," Luna muttered and quickly followed.

Once again on the roof of the World's Largest Fertilizer Consortium, Rick Fujimori stood letting the wind blow his hair back and forth. It was no longer tied in a pony tail.

"I should have never gotten involved with Raye. She was going to be a little trouble. I knew what she was..but...then...I went ahead anyway. The truth is I still like her a lot. Her talent, her beauty. Sure she has a loose temper, but so do I....I mean...why not date her? She seemed reasonable enough...but then she went and did something stupid," Rick muttered.

"Well..looks like I'm not the only lost soul in this city," came Steve's voice from behind him. "Haven't seen you around much Rick."

"Steve...you have no idea..." Rick said.

"Sure I do...just not a great idea. Hey..I've got problems too..."

"Maybe," Rick said. "Steve..what would you do? What if your girl refused to choose between you and another guy?"

"I guess I'd have to leave her...but I also know I wouldn't like it," Steve said.

"But am I taking her too seriously? I mean we are still only children...relatively speaking."

"Yeah...well that fact let's you give her a second chance," Steve said.

"You really think I should give her a second chance?"

"Well...yeah..I mean...or think of it another way...so she likes you and this other guy..just be friends for a while..sooner or later she'll figure things out."

"I don't know...Steve..this seems to be all so soft...I mean...she effectively said she wasn't able to be loyal."

"I know Rick....I guess this is where the size of your heart kicks in," Steve said.

"Hmm...yeah...right," Rick said and stared off into the sky. "So what's made you Mr. Love all the sudden?"

"Nothing, and that's why Lita and I are in trouble," Steve muttered. Rick turned around quickly.

"But you two are perfect for each other," Rick said.

"That's what I thought," Steve said. "I mean we both like team sports, and um...beating people up...occasionally."

Rick managed a brief smile.

"Well..you are both good at that," Rick said.

"Still...it's the other things....you know..romantic things..that I fall short at," Steve said.

"Nobody's perfect," Rick said. His own problem was a lower priority.

"Actually I think...some people are..but it's not me."

"Well.it's not me either...still Steve...you've got a lot more to work with."

"But you see Rick, Lita and I both see our relationship as a friendship we're trying to turn into more than that, that kind of stuff is dangerous..at least it's supposed to be. I think we're both worried that if we keep trying to date and fail, we won't be friends either."

"That's always a risk," Rick said. "But Steve...I'm about to slip into a depressed state again so I'll make this short, you and Lita are right for each other. You have to be. I mean..it just makes sense. Now..if you'll excuse me...I'm going to be come dark and brooding," he said and a scowl appeared on his face as he turned away and looked out at the city again.

"Hmm..see ya Rick," Steve said and walked away. Hmm..I hope he's right. Then again...how clearly can he be thinking?

Back at the amusement park.

"So I just have to hit the target and I win a prize?" Mike asked.

"Yeah," the guy running the booth said.

"Mike, don't bother, it's probably rigged," Mina said.

"Ehh.....we'll see," Mike said and handed the guy a dollar. He then picked up the toy gun sitting on the booth's counter. He aimed it at the target and fired. A small dart hit off center.

"Dang it," Mike said.

"Heh heh, you loose sonny," the guy said.

"Yeah..well it must be rigged," Mike said.

"Wait a minute, I know how to check," Mina said.

"How do you know how to check?" Mike said. Mina grabbed Mike and pulled him over to a table at one of the restaurants was none other than D.V. Patterson reading yet another of his War magazines, this one entitled. "Outnumbered Ten To One."

"Ahh.I see..." Mike said.

"Hello Patterson," Mina said with a cheerful smile. Patterson tensed up and put the magazine down.

"What are you doing here?" Mike asked.

"Merely existing," Patterson replied. Mina and Mike glanced at each other. Patterson wouldn't have said that much in the presence of a girl. He was receiving confidence from the fact that Mike was there. He knew if he made a fool of himself, Mike would probably bail him out of it somehow.

"Uh..Patterson..could you do us a favor?" Mina asked.

"Yeah..we want you to help us prove this booth is rigged," Mike said.

"You get to shoot something, and we'll pay for it," Mina said.

"Ah..I see...you think my entire meaning in life is to shoot things," Patterson said.

"Uh..yeah" the two said nervously thinking they had offended him.

"Well you're not far off," he muttered and stood up.

He's so weird. Mina thought.

"Over here Patterson," Mike said and walked back towards the booth. Patterson and Mina followed.

"So...Patterson...what are you doing here anyway?" Mina asked. "I mean...this isn't like you."

"Uh...well.....I...was given...a ticket...and didn't feel it would be courteous...to refuse it.." Patterson said.

"Hey, if it were me, I would have taken it and sold it to someone else," Mike said.

"I'd believe it," Mina snapped

"The people who gave it to me..insisted on my actually using it...so I thought I'd humor them..." Patterson muttered.

"How would they know?" Mike asked.

"Because they've been spying on me for the past few hours..don't you hate spies?" Patterson said. Mina noticed a small grin on his face for less than a second as he glanced over to one of the rides. Mina followed his eyes and saw Amy and Greg standing in line.

"Oh...I see," she said. "Spies? Patterson? You should talk!" Mina said sarcastically.

"What?" Mike said.

"Long story," Mina and Patterson said in unison.

"Ooooo-kay..." Mike said and rolled his eyes.

"Here's the place," Mina said pointing out the booth.

"Aw...so you're back," the booth guy said.

"Here," Mike said giving the guy some money. "Let this guy take a shot."

"Weren't you that kid in the tank?" the guy asked.

"Probably," Patterson said.

Mina and Mike glanced at each other again.

He is so weird. They thought in unison. If such a thing were possible.

"Go ahead, take a shot," the booth guy said. Patterson aimed and fired and hit the bulls eye straight on. The guy looked at it in shock.

"See kids, not rigged," the guy stammered.

"Of course it's rigged," Patterson said. "I just know exactly how these guns are made and compensated my aim and trajectory. If it hadn't been rigged I would have missed by several feet," Patterson said.

"What?" the other three said.

"Heh," Patterson said. "I suggest you stop rigging the game or I'll just tell my local police officer and then prove it..or better yet, I'll come back and try your game..with live ammunition."

Then the enigma walked off.

"His insanity has it's uses," Mike said.

"Uh huh," Mina said.

"How you doing Raye?" Serena asked peeking in Raye's door.

"How do you think I'm doing Serena?" Raye snapped.

"Um..well..you know being the great friend that I am and all I came along and thought that the best thing for you to do was take your mind off things," Serena said.

"What do you mean?" Raye asked agreeing with Serena, but not sure of her motives.

"Uh..well...just that maybe you might feel better if you did a fire reading or something," Serena said.

"You...want me to do a fire reading. Why?" Raye asked suspiciously.

"Um....well..you know...Darrien and I..." Serena began.

"You selfish arrogant girl!" Raye yelled. "Here I am...going through a major crisis in my life..and you come over here expecting me to help you with your problems too! What kind of person are you?"

"Uh...." Serena only managed before she had run out of Raye's room and down the temple steps.

"Doesn't she possess any common sense!" Raye shouted.

Serena reached the bottom of the steps in record time.

"Okay..that was a bad move...now what do I do?" Serena moaned and began to weep again.

"That was expected," Luna muttered watching from a safe distance.

"You have a fifth warrior?" Axseon asked.

"Yes..and quite a fun one too," Richter said. Out of the shadows came a creature that resembled a hyena, but was humanoid.

"He's a former stand-up comedian. I thought for irony's sake I would give him the traits of a hyena," Richter said. "Meet Cletus."

"Cletus?" Axseon asked.

"Yeah..my mother was named Cletus," the hyena creature said and began to laugh.

"This is a warrior?" Axseon muttered.

"Of course, he's very strong and agile," Richter said. "And I love his personality."

"Well that makes one person then," Axseon muttered.

"Ehh...you're just jealous because I've got better looks than you do," the Hyena said.

"Yes, that must be it," Axseon said.

"Heh heh...this guy's all right," Cletus said and put his arm around Axseon.

"Do not do that...or I will kill you," Axseon said.

"That's what they all say..and am I dead?"

"Not yet," Axseon said.

The hyena laughed.

"Ehh..that Ferris wheel was nothing," Mike said.

"What do you mean?" Mina asked.

"Well..I mean I've been on scarier rides."

"It's not supposed to be scary, it's supposed to give you a view of the city," Mina said snidely.

"Gum?" Mike asked holding a package in front of her.

"Don't try to avoid the issue," Mina muttered.

"Okay, so I misunderstood what a Ferris wheel was meant for, big deal. Anyway..enough about me, let's talk about me..ahem..you."

Mina frowned. Should I bring up the kissing? She asked herself.

"By you, I mean you...just for clarification," Mike said.

"Oh..me..well..I'm having fun.." Mina said.

"Good..but are you okay with all of this?" Mike asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well..Mina..some day my sister will get let out of jail..and well..she'll come looking for you."

"I can't worry about that now."

"But your safety could be at risk."

"Fine, I'm not about to let the threat of personal injury interfere in our relationship."

"Really? Wow...ahem..I mean..um...well..I'm flattered," Mike said.

"Wouldn't you do the same for me?" Mina asked.

"Uh..funny you should ask that," Mike said.

Mina sighed.

"You wouldn't would you..." she muttered.

"Sure I would, but it would take some thought," Mike said. Mina sighed again.

"I thought she wouldn't be at the battle...but she was," Darrien said. "And I ran away....now she must think it's over...it's a lost cause. But..how can I give up so quickly. I can't do that..but...should I give up? What will Ellie think? This is just too complex..Why did Ellie have to think I loved her? If she hadn't...I would have never had to question whether I love her in return. But now...I should be able to answer this! Why can't I figure it out!" he shouted and looked for something to throw. The nearest thing was a vase full of roses. He picked it up and stopped and glanced at the roses.

"No..they don't deserve this treatment," he said and put the vase down. "Nothing does."

"Serena...that jerk...coming over here....now..and....what an idiot!" Raye shouted. "Doesn't she have the least sense..of...well...at least she's trying to help herself..but what a stupid way...what an idiot...all because she's in love...." Raye said and started sobbing. "We do so many stupid things when we're in love."

"Amy, Greg...didn't think we'd see you here," Mina said once again seeing her friends by the long line for an ice cream shop.

"Well..it's a nice day...and we thought we'd come out here," Amy said.

"Uh..yeah.." Greg said.

"The old ball and chain huh.." Mike said. Mina bonked him on the head.

"See what I mean," Mike said. Mina bonked him on the head again.

"So...you enjoying yourselves?" Amy asked.

"Yeah, but to tell you the truth, I've been waiting to pop the question.." Mina whispered.

"You don't mean marriage?" Amy said in shock.

"No, no, no! Heck no!" Mina said. "I meant why he doesn't want to kiss me."

"Oh..." Amy said relieved.

"Don't act so hyper," Mina said.

"Sorry," Amy said.

As the two girls chatted. Greg and Mike's attention had been drawn away to the dunking booth where Patterson had just hit his tenth bulls eye.

"Take the prizes kid and get out of here," the barker muttered handing Patterson a bag. Patterson let another slight grin form on his face and walked off.

"Heh heh..easy.." the next guy said and picked up a baseball..threw it and completely missed the target.

"Lucky you..ehh.." Mike said as he and Greg walked up to Patterson.

"Luck has nothing to do with precision firing, anyway..here.." Patterson said and handed each of them a plush doll. Turns out Patterson's prizes were a whole bag of them. The plush doll given to Mike was of Sailor Venus, and to Greg, a Sailor Mercury doll.

"Make's a good gift for your girlfriends ehh..I'm leaving now.." he muttered and walked off.

"Hey all right..a gift for Mina, and I didn't have to pay a cent," Mike said.

"And what's wrong with that?" Mina said predictably popping up behind him.

"Ehh...nothing dear..." Mike muttered. "Have a Sailor Venus doll," he said.

"Oh! How cute!" Mina said and started hugging it.

Mike gave a thumbs up to no one in particular.

"Uh..here you go Amy," Greg said handing her the mercury doll.

"Oh..thank you Greg...it looks just like me," Amy said with a grin.

"We'll see you two later," Mina said. "Come on Mike, let's go get a drink."

"Uh..sure.." Mike said and the two walked off.

"Hmm..wonder what's that about," Greg said.

"Mina's going to probably pop the question," Amy said looking to see Greg's reaction.

"Oh..doesn't Mike want to kiss her?" Greg asked.

Amy glanced at him. Greg smiled her nervously.

"Do you have something on your mind Mina, you seem to..." Mike said.

"Me..no..of course not..well..maybe..no..it's nothing...well not really anything..kinda.." Mina said.

Mike picked up the soda he was drinking and dumped it on his head.

"Why did you do that?" Mike asked.

"Because girls are weird that's why...now..why don't you ask me? I don't care..I'm cool with anything."

"Okay..fine...why is it that..."

A person smashed into the table they were sitting at, which usually happens when a key plot point is reached. Regardless of that the two looked to see a strange animal like creature standing several feet away holding a man over his head.

"Heh heh! Fly like an eagle!" Cletus the Hyena creature said and threw another person into the restaurant area.

"Cletus you idiot! Drain their energy!" Axseon shouted from nearby.

"Oh..sorry.." Cletus said.

"Looks like duty calls. Hide," Mina muttered. So close to asking him too.. She thought as she rushed off to find a place to change.

"I'll just disappear," Mike said and leapt behind a bush.

"Hiding human?" hissed a voice. Mike turned to see Serpetan standing there.

"Hey..I was just looking for you.." Mike said.

"Really? Why?" Serpetan said.

"Check this out," Mike said and stuck his tongue out and touched his nose with it.

"Yes..so.." Serpetan said.

"Well that's it," Mike said and jumped over Serpetan and raced off.

"He is not worth it," Serpetan muttered.

"Burn baby burn!" Infernon shouted as he set fire to the dunking booth. The fire raged around the water, since it obviously couldn't set the water on fire, and soon the booth was collapsing. A blue blast flew at him. He sensed it and immediately floated out of the way. It smashed into a booth and a fog began to descend.

"Hmm..normally I would be scared, but.." Infernon said and sent fire flying out from his hands. "Fog evaporates quite quickly around me."

The fog disappeared. Mercury stood facing him.

"You know Sailor Mercury it's quite ironic that you and I always end up fighting each other," Infernon said.

"I really don't care," Mercury said. "You're ruining a special place for me..." she said recalling the first and second times she and Greg came there under different circumstances.

"Oh..well..that's nice..and all..but you must understand you can't beat me," Infernon said and launched a fire attack which she jumped out of the way of.

"Just as I can't beat you," Infernon said. "So..why don't we just try to work something else out..like..hey! Dexseon..why don't you fight Mercury for a change!"

"I am collecting energy you imbecile! You take care of her!" Dexseon shouted.

"Jerk!" Infernon said.

"Mercury Ice Storm...." Mercury began and called forth her power.

"Now see that just won't work.." Infernon said. "Go ahead...attack."

"Blast!" Mercury shouted and let loose her attack. It flew at Infernon, a little bit off center Infernon moved to the left.

"Hah!" it said before getting hit with a lightening blast from behind. It shouted and flew forward from the impact.

"Very slick," it muttered before vanishing.

"He got away," Mercury muttered.

"Ehh..so I got him good," Jupiter said from across the park. "Looks like the negaverse is trying to trash your favorite park, we going to let them do that?"

"No," Mercury said with determination.

"Heh heh! I'm Cletus...feel my wrath!" he shouted blasted an energy draining pulse out of his ears, of all places, and knocked several people down.

"Venus Love Chain Encircle!" Venus shouted and let her attack fly. Cletus saw it and ducked out of the way at the last second.

"So that's how it's going to be," Cletus said and turned towards her.

"Never mind Cletus, return to base," Axseon said.

"What? Now?" Cletus said.

"Yes...we have enough energy, and there are two more Sailor Scouts here...I'm not taking changes," Axseon said.

"Very well," Cletus said and the two vanished.

"Mercury Ice Storm Blast!" Mercury shouted. The attack flew at Serpetan who turned into a small snake to avoid it. Jupiter lunged forward grabbed him and flung him at a brick wall. Serpetan turned back into full form before smashing into it and letting out a shout of pain. Dexseon jumped in front of his wounded ally.

"Now you will face a true warrior," Dexseon said and a second later he frowned and he and Serpetan disappeared.

"How do you like that?" Jupiter muttered.

"They still had something coming to them," Mercury said.

"I know exactly what you mean," Jupiter said.

"Are they all gone?" Venus said jumping up next to them.

"Apparently," Mercury said.

"You girls all right?" Greg asked walking up.

"Yeah..are you?" Jupiter asked.

"Sure..for once," Greg said.

"I wonder where Mike got to," Venus said.

"Hmm...I actually ran a mile in this short time..wow..." Mike said looking back at the amusement park blocks away.

"Come to think of it..maybe a mile was too far," he muttered.

"Luna..I know it was stupid to see Raye..but I'm desperate..why can't anyone tell me what's going on, I thought Darrien and I were together...how can he doubt that?" Serena asked.

"You doubt it don't you?" Luna asked.

"I have a right too," Serena said.

"Perhaps..he does too..." Luna said.

"Why? Why could he?" Serena whined another set of tears welling up in her eyes.

"I don't know...but I can't lie to you...not now," Luna said.

"Well..at least I can trust you," Serena said. "For all the good it will do me."

CHAPTER 51 CHAPTER 52 CHAPTER 53 CHAPTER 54

CHAPTER 55 CHAPTER 56 CHAPTER 57 CHAPTER 58

CHAPTER 59 CHAPTER 60 CHAPTER 61 CHAPTER 62

CHAPTER 63 CHAPTER 64 CHAPTER 65

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