When we get back to the mansion, I notice two huge ravens seemingly stationed in the trees on either side of the entrance to the mansion.
I blink. "Umm...d'you know if those two are there for a reason?"
I give the two birds a little wave as they seem to glare down at me.
Neph chuckles softly, kissing the top of my head.
"Don't worry, M-chan, they're Rie's, they won't hurt you," he tells me.
"Rie?"
"Hai, Sailor Mars, she's apparently visiting, perhaps with the rest of the shenshi as well."
"Ah..."
And with that, we step into what I can only describe as chaos.
There's a blonde haired girl with one of the STRANGEST hair styles I've EVER seen wailing her head off as a pretty black haired girl looks indignant and everyone else either laughs or just look unsettled.
I take one look around and step close to Neph.
"Uh...maybe we should have stayed at the park and saved our ears," I mutter to him.
He laughs and everyone finally notices the two of us standing there.
"Oh, it looks like the lovebirds are back," Mike smirks, lightly elbowing the girl with long blond hair flowing free to her butt.
Raph snickers as I give the two of them a look fit to kill.
"Don't MAKE me go over there, Mikey. You remember the last time we sparred," I say to him, half jokingly.
Mike cringes, and says sheepishly, "You kicked my butt."
"So be nice."
"We'll have a rematch when you're up to it, Miz Moron," he grins over at me.
"Yeah yeah yeah," I say softly settling on the couch with Neph.
"I see that you've replaced Molly, Nephrite," the dumpling headed one said.
"No one can replace her, but she has Melvin remember, Moon?" Neph responds.
She comes over and examines me, getting right in my face. I frown slightly and back up a bit, leaning on Neph. Then she does something very wrong.
She tries to take my shades off.
First this girl measures me up like a piece of meat and NOW she tries to take my shades off?!? I don't think so!
I slap her hand away and stand, glaring coldly at her.
"I'm horribly sorry, miss, but I'd like to keep my shades on. Now if you'll excuse me, I don't like being examined like some poor lab animal."
I turn and kiss Neph on
the cheek before heading off to find a work out room or something, hearing the
stunned silence as I leave the room.
After looking for someplace, I sigh, realizing that I don't really want to mess up the only set of clothing I own at the moment, so I practice some Tai Chi in the garden.
I breath with the movements, focusing almost totally on becoming tranquil. I'm almost in a trance when I hear someone clear her throat behind me.
When I turn, I see the five strange girls, Dia, Diana, Zoi, Venus and TN standing there.
The meatball headed one hesitantly speaks up.
"Look, I'm really sorry about how I treated you before. My name's Serena," she says.
"I'm HLM. WHY exactly were you measuring me up like a piece of meat to be bought at market?" I ask, eyes narrow behind the shades.
"Well, uh...you seemed to be Molly's replacement..."
"Who's Molly?"
"Molly's Serena's best friend, and she was Nephrite's girlfriend before he was killed by Zoisite's youma," the blue haired girl said.
I just blink for a second before saying, "Whoa, hey, back up...'before Nephrite was killed'? What are you talking about? He's still very much alive..."
"M-chan...I think you and he have to have a talk," TN tells me.
"BUT as for now," the brown haired girl starts, linking arms with me, "I think there's some serious shopping that needs to be done."
I wonder if I can escape this.
...probably not.
A few hours later, I'm about ready to drop.
Got 'coupla bathing suits Neph is SURE to like, pants, shirts, shoes, socks, undies, I fight back the blush at all the comments made when getting THOSE, and pretty much everything else I need.
"Ugh, what else can there be?! I don't recall ever having this many cloths in my entire life," I voice the rest of my thoughts as the others drag me along.
TN and Zoi grin wickedly at each other, look at the rest, then a dress shop and then at me.
"Ooooooh no...what do I need a gown for?!" I ask, backing away, laden like the others with bags, but I feel my arms grabbed by Venus on one side and Dia on the other.
"Escape isn't that easy, HLM," Dia says to me as I resignedly go into the shop with them.
"Anyway, this will be the last stop," Venus says.
"Yeah...that's what you said at the hair and makeup places," I grumble as we step into the shop.
Ugh...why do I feel like I'm headed for my doom? I ask myself, feeling like a chicken headed for the chopping block.
Part VII
Part IX
Meetings Index