Tashande reached down and grabbed Jurei-Jurei,
pulling her to her feet and holing her there until he
was fairly sure she would stand on her own.  He took a
moment to study the pitiful expression on her face,
before turning away again.
   "Don't worry about it," he said grimly, and started
to walk off.

*

   Kunzite slowly shook his head as he stepped into
the shower.  "Not right now," he said softly, his
mouth slowly curving into a cruel smile.  "When the
time is right, then we'll get rid of all of them and
rule the Dark Kingdom unchallenged."

   Jurei-Jurei nearly took off after Tashande, trying
to think of more to say.  All that came out was,
"Thanks!"
   Then she heard metallic clanging from an afar.  She
saw a hoodlum taking a tire iron to her ATV taxi.  She
cried out, "Hey!  Get away from there!"  The crook
took off down the street running.
   With a sigh, she stepped behind an ad signboard,
changed back to Jakurin, wished she'd thought of
turning her Lance into a spring-loaded boxing glove
against the guy, and resumed her love-hate
relationship with her vehicle.

   Joey's time with his 280 Z was much less eventful.
He pulled up to the hotel where Melvin's mom was
staying.  "Catch you later, Ace.  And don't let anyone
else jerk you around," he said.  After his charge
hopped out, he drove down the road, mulling his stance
in the Dark Kingdom.  All in all it had been a good
night, but the Dark Bug's shortcomings were the least
of his bugbears.  He was sure that Zoisite and Kunzite
would have been more receptive.  Maybe even more
helpful.  But they hadn't even stirred to get any
energy for themselves.  "If they'd put half the effort
into winning this war that they do in fornicating with
each other," he muttered, "we'd rule this entire
planet now, not just Tokyo."  A sigh and a shrug; it
was just as well.  He'd managed without them so far.
And once his minions were all in place, he'd manage
without them forever.
   He reached inside the glovebox, pulled out and put
on his Dr. Forrester "I'm Evil" ball cap.  It was on
top the data book he'd stolen when he teleported and
ransacked Melvin's room during a movie "bathroom
break."

   Melvin headed for the lobby.  His brain was still
in a mess over what all just happened.  Maybe he just
hallucinted the whole thing.  Wishful thinking coupled
with fantasies...
   Then his mom rushed down and got him.  "Where were
you?!" she pleaded.  "Didn't you see the news?!"  And
she pointed to the lobby TV.  A report of the movie
theater and the aftermath played in glorious
Trinitron.
   His stomach turned a little.  How badly did he want
Joey's "friendship?"
   Then his mom ushered him up to their room.  He
spotted an exterminator's invoice poking out of her
purse.  His jaw hardened.
   "You're wrong about next time, Argo," he whispered.
"It'll be easier."

The End