"Yeah what about it Meatball Head?"
"That is so true about your car. Oh sure, it looks nice, but this is the third time today it broke
down!"
Darien purposely ignored her as he poked around in the engine.After about five minutes of
nosing he slammed the hood down and said,"C'mon Meatball Head, looks like were walking. I can't
seem to figure out what it is this time."
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?!?! Besides, where could we walk
to? I haven't seen anything for miles." And these woods are dark and scary, but I wouldn't tell you that if
my life depended on it.
Darien opened the trunk and threw Serena her duffel bag. After grabbing his own, he pointed
back down the long stretch of highway toward the last town they had passed. It didn't look like they
were going to go skiing tonight.
*Oh, great. I'm stuck with the most conceited jerk in the world, I'm starved , and Raye is
somehow going to turn this around so that it looks like it's my fault! What could be worse?* Thinking of
Raye made Serena remember that she hadn't seen any of her friends in hours. Ever since they left the
arcade, Serena only had Darien to keep her company. Yep, the most conceited, annoying, infuriating,
dreamy, idiotic...what? Dreamy? How'd that get in there? Yeah he was kinda cute, but his personality
was a total zero. And because of that, he couldn't hold a conversation for the world. Which, in turn, left
her bored out of her mind the entire trip.
Darien turned at a slight sound by his side, and saw Serena mumbling and shaking her head.
She looked cute, all flushed from the walking and the cold... Whoa! Back the train up a sec! Cute?!?!
Naw, she's just Meatball Head. Besides it could never work out between them. He was much too old for
her. Why would he want it to work out anyways? It's not like he liked her or anything, did he?
"Is that a cabin?" Serena asked, pointing.
Darien woke out of his reverie to see the cabin in question (For it was a cabin! It wasn't a
mirage or anything...heh anyways go on.)
It had flowers growing in pots on either side of the door. In fact it had flowers growing just
about everywhere. Staring in awe at the quaint scene, Serena and Darien walked up to the door. Serena
paused with her hand halfway up to the bell when the door just... fell open. They looked at each other
in surprise before walking inside.
Serena let out a small yelp of surprise when she saw the little old lady passed out on the floor.
Running over, Serena and Darien examined her only to sigh with relief when they saw she was still
alive. But Darien grew concerned again when he noticed how shallow her breathing had become.
"Serena, this woman is deathly ill. We have to get her in bed. She's dehydrated too... we need
to get some fluids in her."
After finding the bedroom, Serena helped Darien get the little old lady to bed and then ran
back to the kitchen to prepare some tea. Darien walked in just as the tea kettle's whistle was going off.
Without saying a word, he grabbed a cup and filled it with the hot tea, then returned to the bedroom
with Serena close behind.
"Do you know whats wrong with her Darien?"
"Yeah, I've seen it a couple of times at the hospital. It's some form of bug bite."
"Well? Is she going to be alright? Can I do anything to help?... .... Darien?"
"She might, but it's rather soon to know for sure. If you want to help, you could go make some
more of this tea, and maybe some food. If she does wake up anytime in the next two hours, she'll be
starved.And Serena, don't eat all the food!"
After sticking her tongue out at him, Serena ran out of the room, and back into the kitchen.
Surprisingly, there was an abundant amount of food. As Serena started preparing some sandwiches,
she spotted the phone. Looking at her watch she realized the rest of her friends would already be at the
skiing lodge.
"Hey Darien? Do you think it'd be okay if I used the phone to call the others? They must be
pretty worried about us by now. I also want to make sure they got there safe too, the roads are pretty
icy." Serena had just finished talking when they both heard a groan from the bed. Looking over, they
saw the little old lady sitting up in bed.
"Oh no, please, don't get up! You'll just feel worse." Darien said, rushing over.
"Who in the world do you think you are young man? What are you two doing in my house?
What happened?" The old lady was starting to get agitated.
"Calm down ma'am. I'm Serena and this is Darien. Our car broke down on the highway and
when we came up to the door it fell open, and we saw you lying on the ground. It's a good thing Darien's
here, because I wouldn't have known what to do."
"Oh, well then, uhm, I guess in that case you can stay for a little while. But would you mind,
maybe, getting me something to eat? I'm starved. Oh and by the way, I'm Ellen."
"Well it's nice to meet you. Darien said you would be hungry so I already had some sandwiches
prepared. And would you mind terribly if I used your phone to call my friends? They're probably worried
about us." After getting permission, Serena headed back into the kitchen to use the phone. It took a
minute to register in her mind that the phone was dead. *Hmm* thought Serena, *I could swear it
worked a minute ago... oh well. I'll just have to call from town, or something.*
"Hey Ellen did you know your phone is dead?"
"Of course it's dead. I wouldn't want you two to escape, now would I?" While saying this, sweet
old Ellen turned into a horrifying monster. With it's grey fur, red eyes, and sharp fangs, it reminded
Serena of the wolf in 'Little Red Riding Hood.'
Lunging at Serena, it only stopped short when a bright red rose was thrown at it. Gasping,
Serena looked up at Darien, who was pulling another rose from his jacket. "No, not you. Anyone but
you!"
In a melee of lights and colors, Darien transformed into Serena's crush, Tuxedo Mask. "Now
get out of here Serena, while I take care of this monster." But he saw his warning was too late, for the
monster was already pouncing onto Serena again. Tackling Serena to the ground, Tuxedo Mask
grimaced in pain. Taking one look at the deeep cut on his arm, Serena knew what she had to do.
Turning to the monster she whispered,"Nobody hurts my friends and gets away with it." (Corny, I know.)
"No, Serena. Please don't..." His voice trailed off weakly, images in his mind of all the horrific
things that could happen to her. "Just run, Serena, leave me."
"I couldn't do that, even to you. Besides, I know what I'm doing." Throwing her hand in the air
she yelled out "MOON PRISM POWER!"
*Oh no, the girls gone nuts from all the excitement.* Darien's jaw dropped in shock when
Serena started floating a foot off the ground.*Oh my god! Serena's Sailormoon!* But before Serena
could finish the transformation, the evil wolf monster said, "Oh the hell with this!" and started towards
Serena again.
"Ohmygod! What the hell is that?" Succeeding in distracting the monster, he next yelled out,
"Sailormoon, throw your tiara now!"
"Moon tiara magic!" Her aim being precisely on target, the monster died with nothing more
than an anguished cry.
"I bet you're really good at frisbee, huh Meatball Head?" With those words Darien fell onto the
floor in a dead faint.
"No! Darien, just don't die on me..." Fishing around in his pockets, she came out victoriously
with the car keys.
>>>>next day<<<<
"Hey I'm surprised we made it alive! I woke up at one point and we were on the wrong side of
the road!" Darien was lying in the hospital bed, surrounded by all his friends.
"Hey it's not my fault they make those arcade games so unrealistic.And I wasn't that bad,
Darien was hallucinating from the pain."
"Hey guys? Could you come back later? I have to talk to Serena alone." After a bit of teasing, all
their friends piled out into the small waiting room at the hospital. "Serena, are we going to be fighting
like this the rest of our lives?"
"Yeah I guess, it's just part of our nature or something."
"Well, just promise me one thing."
"What?"
"Don't argue with me in front of the guests at the wedding. I wouldn't want to be refused at
the alter for calling you Meatball Head." Looking down on her startled face, he realized he had all he
could ever want.