Chapter 409
"Ahem..Chapter One.." Mike began.
Greg sighed.
"Calm down," Michiru said. "It'll be all right."
Greg sighed again.
"It was a cold, windy, night...rain hit the side of a house tapping lightly against a window pane..wow...this is the kind of sentences you find in those books I hate to read..still..good effort," Mike said.
"No commentary is needed Mike," Michiru said.
"A girl woke up slowly, and looked around. Oh this is annoying, She said," Mike said. "I hate the rain. Especially at four o clock in the morning? Oh I need to go back to sleep. Thunder cracked! GEEZ! She shouted falling out of bed."
"Let me guess..this is the Serena character," Seiya said.
"Well.uh.yeah.." Greg said.
"Here name was Usagi-chan," Mike said. "Usagi huh...strange name.well let's roll with it."
"I don't like this," Greg muttered.
"Oh calm down, " Michiru said. "It's going well."
"We're only on the first paragraph."
In the War Room.
"Patterson.." Haruka said. "Do you believe premonitions?"
"Premonitions...no," Patterson said.
"Oh.."
"You've had them?"
"Yes.."
"I never claim to be an expert on anything. However in my experience I have found some things to be true."
"What?"
"Premonitions never tell the whole truth when they're right, and they can always be wrong," Patterson said.
"Oh..I see.." Haruka said. "So..you've had premonitions that haven't come true then."
"You foresaw your death didn't you?"
"Vividly."
"You foresaw your fear."
"That's how you see it?" Haruka asked.
"Yes, Haruka, I could be wrong of course, but I don't believe you're seeing anything but what you fear will happen."
"I don't know maybe."
"Don't you have things to live for?"
"I guess.."
"Did you before?"
"I always have. Though now...I have a lot more.."
"And thus you fear death."
"Do you fear death Patterson?"
"Only when I think about it," Patterson said. "Otherwise, no.."
"Interesting way of putting it," Haruka said.
"Yes, well..that is how the mind works. Can I pass along some advice I was once given Haruka?"
"Sure," Haruka said.
"...if you fear death, then there's a simple rule you should follow, don't die."
Haruka stared at him.
"I don't know if I should be annoyed or amused," She said.
"Usagi hurried down a street," Mike said. "She was late for school. Extremely late for school. And the sad thing was this happened every day. Yet she skidded to a stop, her pink ponytail swished from side to side as she noticed a strange looking frog starring at her.
"Ribbit," it said.
"Oh...you're ugly," Usagi said and hurried down the street.
The frog turned and stared at her.
"Now wait a minute..you're not suggesting that Luna is a frog are you?" Mina asked.
"Uh...well..I just thought I would.." Greg said.
"I'm not vain enough to care," Luna muttered.
"What'd you make Artemas?"
"Hang on I'll look," Mike said. "Ah...a bird..."
Mina started laughing.
"A bird.." Artemas said. "Dare I ask what kind of bird..."
"Oh..an eagle.." Greg said.
"That's not what you have written here."
"Typo," Greg said.
"Just keep reading the story," Seiya said.
Anyway. Usagi arrived at class.
"Did you hear..there's a new student arriving today, her name is Aya..and she's supposedly the smartest girl in the country."
"Really? Wow.." Usagi said.
"Where is this place?" Ai asked.
"This is a quiet place where we can talk..without the confusion interrupting."
"Weren't we in a place like that when we started."
"Yes but that was different."
"How?"
"It just was, look it's not need to know information and you'd have a better understanding if you were a mind like I was.."
"But technically aren't I?"
"Not at the moment."
"Oh..okay.." Ai said.
"I don't blame you for not understanding, but now we must just talk some more."
"Whatever you say."
"Whatever we say."
"Yeah..whatever we say..just get on with it."
"You're in no position to give yourself orders."
"Oh..."
"Anyway..let's begin."
Back in the story.
"Hmm..so you're the new girl aren't you?" Usagi asked.
"Sure am, name's Mako."
"Mako...neat," Usagi said. "Like the shark."
"A lot like it. I'm fast, sleek, and dangerous."
"Oh..uh...well..I've never liked sharks but you seem okay to me."
"You too Usagi..want some lunch?"
"YES!" Usagi shouted and dug in. Food flew everywhere.
"You got a little on my uniform there," Mako said slightly embarrassed.
"Oh sorry..I eat heavy."
"Yeah..I...who's that.."
"Who?"
"That..." Mako said pointing.
"Oh..he's Arkuro, a student."
"He looks like my old boyfriend...but who's that.."
"Masikoto, he's in my class."
"He looks like my old boyfriend too..in fact..wow..the entire school is filled with boys who just look like him...I'm in heaven." Mako said.
"The entire school.." Usagi said looking around.
"You got me there..." Lita said grinning.
"Hey, I see you eyeing the entire male student body.." a blonde said running up. "They're all mine."
"What?" Mako asked.
"Yep, I am Rica, the marvelous and elegant!"
The girl hopped onto a fencepost.
"If you dare stand in the way of my desire...I'll gut you!"
"Now..now..that is hardly an elegant way for me to deal with them," Mina said. "I would be much more clean about it."
"So you accept that characterization?" Lita asked in surprise.
"Sure do.." Mina said.
"Whew.." Greg said.
"We haven't met," Usagi said.
"I'm Rica the perfect girl....how are you?"
"Uh..what makes you think you're perfect?" Mako asked.
"Well..just look at me...and I have this beautiful pet...pidg...eagle..." Mike said continuing to read.
Artemas sighed.
"Lord Ircanite.." Visinite said.
"You are feeling better?" Ircanite said.
"I should be ready for battle soon, yes."
"Good, the scouts are proving to be more formidable then I expected."
"They are easily underestimated."
"I didn't underestimated, merely misjudged."
"Oh..but..Ircanite, why are some of them remaining in Tokyo."
"I suspect because they somehow know that city is the real target, and that even without the crystals I would attack it undefended."
"But what's there?"
"I will tell you sometime, but not today," Ircanite said. "Needless to say it is quite important."
"Yes sir.."
"Recover. These scouts should not be allowed to run free for long."
Ircanite headed out.
Yes scouts you are clever, but ignorant.
"We are the Warriors of Love! I am Lady Lunar!"
"Lady Lunar?" the group of scouts asked.
"It might need work," Greg said meekly.
"And I am Lady Hermes!"
"Lady Aphrodite!"
"Lady Zeus!"
"Lady Ares!"
"Ah..clever.." Seiya observed.
"We will right wrongs, and triumph over injustices. That by the way means that you are going back to the slime which you came from you bad people!"
"We never sounded that corny," Mina said.
"Actually...we were pretty bad for a while," Lita said.
"Oh..lookee..here...a bouquet of tulips fluttered in the wind," Mike said reading.
"It's the gentleman soldier!"
"Yes..where there is danger and pretty girls I will appear to defend the night from those that would steal it from young hearts..." The gentleman soldier said appearing on a precipice.
"I'm satisfied," Darrien said.
"See..it's going fine," Michiru said.
"I know.."
"I just want to see how he handles..himself," Seiya said.
"Oh..uh.well..that's another story..really.." Greg said.
The group all glanced at him.
"We won't get to it tonight," Mike said.
"Skip ahead!" Mina said.
"Uh.wait.. Greg said"
"No..the irrational cry of Mina overcomes all other lines of thought. We will skip ahead and then go back.."
"But.."
"Ah..here we go.."
Up on the roof. Ai continued her psychic journey.
"Now here is what you must do..You must provide balance. You must draw together the fragments of your mind and connect them. To gain psychic power you must gain mental prowess."
"Right..right..I can do that..just tell me how."
"I can't tell you how..that's the whole point. You must learn."
"Oh....that sounds hard," Ai said.
"Well it is, that's the whole point. What'd you expect. To just waltz into your inner sanctum and have it handed to you?"
"No, I was just looking for a few pointers."
"Typical. I don't know why I put up with you."
"But you're my mind," Ai said.
"Yes...so I am.."
"Quit fooling around, I'm ready to listen."
"All right..we'll try this again," her mind said. "Now pay attention will you? Then you're on your own."
"Okay..okay..I'll get it," Ai said.
"Why am I not so sure?"
"Oh be quiet..show a little support for me will ya."
"Yes..sorry..I don't know what came over me."
Ai growled.
"Calm calm down..let's move ahead with this.."
"I'm all ears," Ai said.
"You feeling any better Serena?" Amy asked.
"Yeah...a little," Serena said. "It's just painful."
"Well it will go away in time," Amy said. "I'll stay with you."
"You're going to make a good doctor you know."
"Oh.."
"Sure...you know just how to make someone feel better."
"Well I am a friend."
"It's more than that. I mean you really seem to know what you're talking about. You haven't gone to med school yet and I'm sure you're right."
"Oh..uh..well thank..you," Amy said. "But rest..you might as well."
"I can't..as much as I want to...the pain..it's just..I can't sleep."
"I'm sorry..don't worry..it can only get better."
"Yeah..I know," Serena said. "Amy..can I ask you something? Did you apply all the real good colleges?"
"Yes...why?"
"Just wondering.."
"Why?"
"It's just that..if you go off to them and get real busy, I might not see you as much.."
"I guess that's possible, but we'll remain friends, I'm sure of it. It's not like that could pull us apart."
"Well....I've heard it can happen," Serena said. "I don't want it to Amy."
"Don't worry Serena..I would never.."
"But they say..that when you get to college, it's a whole new world. More people around, different people...more chances to make friends, more people like you to talk to."
"Yes that's true, but Serena, you're a great friend, I would never give you up willingly."
"Oh..."
"It doesn't matter where I go to school."
"Oh..all right," Serena said. "That's good..I don't think I'll be going anywhere as good as you will be?"
"That's all right Serena. You still have a chance to improve your grades."
"Forget about high school, can't do much studying here can I?"
"No I guess not," Amy said. "But then again we have important things to do here."
"Yeah," Serena said. "Amy I'm proud of you you know."
"What?"
"You've stuck with it, I mean even facing all this torment, and surrounded by your friends who really aren't that hard workers, you've kept up doing your best. You've done all you wanted to and you're going to succeed, I know it," Serena said.
"Yes..well..I hope so," Amy said.
"There shouldn't be any doubt," Serena said. "Also I'm glad to see you back to normal?"
"Normal?"
"You were a little crazy there for a while."
"Oh..there you are Amy.." Taiki said. "How are you dong Serena?"
"She's doing fine Taiki. Are you all right?" Amy said quickly.
"Amy," Serena muttered.
"I'm fine.." Taiki said.
"That's great," Amy said. "I'm glad you're not hurt. It's always a shame when you are."
"Uh..so it is," Taiki said. "Setsuna and I are going go get something to eat.you had best keep an eye on her."
"You bet," Amy said.
Taiki headed out.
"Wow.." Amy said.
"So much for being back to normal," Serena said.
"What?" Amy asked. "What are you referring too."
"You've got it bad," Serena said.
"What?"
Serena laughed and then coughed.
"Shouldn't have done that," she muttered.
"You gotta watch yourself Serena," Amy said.
"So I've noticed," Serena muttered. "I'm fine, I'm fine."
"So what were we talking about?" Amy asked.
"Amy's at it again," Taiki said.
"Oh?" Setsuna asked.
"Yeah, she's goes completely bonkers every time she sees me now."
"Of course she does. That's just a how a fourteen year old should act."
"But she's eighteen."
"Taiki...if you hadn't noticed, Amy is one of the most complex people you can ever meet," Setsuna said. "She's that way because of the environment around her. She didn't have much of a childhood considering all the work she did. The past four years have been eventful to say the least. She's reacting differently to things. Right now she's experiencing true love."
"Yeah..I guess..guess it's a good thing I really love her back, or it could be trouble."
"That is true," Setsuna said. "She'll get through it."
"That's what everyone says."
"And they're right."
"Yeah I guess."
"Trust me. I know. Believe it or not."
"Oh..all right."
"You still don't believe me?" Setsuna asked.
"It's not that..it's just.."
"Taiki, don't try and cover it up, you think I don't understand, I do, I used to be young once..too...though that was a millennium ago."
She laughed.
"I've experienced love too," Setsuna said. "I know the innocence one feels. Though I could never feel that again."
"Oh..I'm sorry to hear it."
"It's not a big deal. When you've lived as long I as I have you learn things.."
"But..still.." Taiki said. "Don't you ever want to fall in love?"
"Of course," Setsuna said solemnly.
"I guess I'm really not the person to ask..It's no big deal...none of my business."
"Taiki.I have other duties. Pray you never have to assume such things."
"Ever thought of retiring?"
"Eternal..contract..can't.." Setsuna said. "Can only take breaks..."
"Oh..I'm sorry."
"Don't be...the next a thousand years will probably be the same as the first a thousand," Setsuna said.
"What an extraordinary concept," Taiki said.
"It's not really, mostly a lot of boredom..and then things like this."
"Still......living for so long.."
"Yes well..it's not all it's cracked up to be," Setsuna said.
"Have you ever thought of writing up some memoirs?"
"For who's benefit? There's only twenty two people out there who would believe any of it."
"Oh..good point."
"Still it's an idea."
"Here we go...ah...it is the Lords now.." Mike said.
The group grinned.
"I am Lord Hades! Yeah! Feel it!"
"I am Lord Apollo and you gotta problem..I'm going to solve it."
"I am Lord Poseidon...and if you're still here..you've obviously missed the point.. I don't even know what that means."
"And I am Lord Cronos I still don't have a prepared speech."
"Well you nailed that one," Mike said.
"So..where's Maverick in all this?"
"I was afraid to add him..I thought he might get offended," Greg said.
"Now, now I'm sure he would have been honored," Ayeka said.
"The less anyone knows about me the better Ayeka," Patterson said walking by.
"Stop being so grumpy," Ayeka said.
"So does everyone like the book," Haruka said. "Sorry I missed it."
"It's all right," Greg said.
"Hey..you're just in time..the Guardian Scouts are about to fight."
"This shouldn't take long to break into a rout," Haruka said.
"Ah..one paragraph," Mike said. "Well..I guess there's always room for interpretation."
"No..I figured that about right," Greg said.
"I agree," Lita said.
"We're getting better," Mike said.
The group laughed.
"I think the book's a success," Michiru said.
"Good, I want to go to bed," Greg muttered.
"All right..I think I've got it," Ai said. Her mind was filled with blackness.
"Huh..is this part of the test?" Ai asked. She moved forward looking around. "Hmm..hey..you still around mind? That would be annoying..my mind just running off..what am I saying?"
She walked. She could hear footsteps.
"Anyone around....there's got to be more to it then this."
She kept walking.
"Hello?"
She heard a screech.
"What? In here of all places?" She asked.
Another scream.
Ai hurried forward.
"So glad you could make it Ai."
Ai looked around.
"That's not my mind's voice...who are you?"
"Oh come..on..can't you guess.."
"Wait...Caria!"
"Yes..surprise! I've invaded your mind!"
Ai let out a screech.
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