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IMPORTANT/FUTURE OF STORY:
Lately, I have been thinking of discontinuing my fics.
I just haven't been in a writing mood lately. Every time I start, I get discouraged and sidetracked. I'm either using my time for my artwork, or I'm working on my original stories, and I find myself just wanting to stop fanficiton.
At first I was just planning of going on a hiatus, but the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of just stopping. But I will not be deleting my stories off the site or off my computer, for I may comeback one day. But until then...it was nice writing for you.
Courtney
Chp. 5 Deception
“How did this happen? HOW did this happen?” Rei was yelling hysterically as they had to watch the show from the audience.
“I go down, everyone goes down.” Nyla told her unconcernedly as she kept her eyes on the stage. She had been disqualified in the first round for threatening the host. Yesterday had been the bikini competition and today was the talent part. Nyla, so far, had gotten Rei and Lita disqualified and was now plotting against the currently singing Mina.
“WHY? Why are you doing this? The money benefits you too? You’re just mad because you were disqualified. You wouldn’t have won anyway? I…” Rei’s rant was cut short as Nyla uppercut her into oblivion.
“Thank you!” Lita said exasperatedly, giving Nyla a high-five, as Rei dropped down unconscious into the seat between her and Nyla. “Gawd that was getting annoying. She wasn’t that great anyway. Can you say thunderthighs?”
“Why you’re most welcome.” Nyla said with a smile as she pulled a slingshot from her pocket. “Just hit that note one more time and its over.” Crouching low, Nyla fitted a pod into her weapon and pulled the laser string taut.
She was waiting until Mina hit a particular note so that she could shoot the pod into her open throat.
“And I…” Mina sang, singing a classic Whitney Houston song that could be heard throughout the galaxies.
“There it is!” Nyla said victoriously as she sprang up, aiming the slingshot towards Mina’s mouth, but before she could let it loose she was tackled from behind by a long legged woman with short black hair and green eyes.
“What the hell are you doing?” the woman yelled in Serena’s voice as she pinned the furious Animalitian to the ground. “We need the money and you’re taking us out one by one? What is your problem?”
“Get off me!” Nyla yelled in protest.
“Don’t make me do this?” Serena warned as she pulled a gun from its holster, at this, the audience screamed and trampled each other in order to get away from the fight.
“You don’t have the guts! You know I’ll kill you if you do.” Nyla growled wildly, her eyes wide and cat-like, as she stared up at Serena in rage.
“You haven’t taken your medicine.” Serena realized fearfully before quickly sedating Nyla with a blow to the head. While Nyla was in her daze, Serena quickly switched out guns, and before Nyla could regain her senses back, she shot her in the neck, effectively knocking the woman out cold.
Sighing in relief, she stood up and dusted herself off. “It’s all under control people! I’m her trainer and I’ve gotten her under control once more.” Serena called out to the watchful crowd, as she hoisted the unconscious Nyla onto her shoulders. “Go ahead with your little pageant; I’ll be taking her back to her cage ASAP.”
“Is she alright?” Lita asked, coming from the crowd to help. “Do you need any help?”
“We don’t need your help.” Serena told her curtly, putting emphasis on the word ‘your’.
Lita sighed, and didn’t push her. Serena blinked at this but said nothing. Repositioning Nyla, she headed towards their drink stand.
“Ok, Jack.” Serena said seriously as she dropped her disguise and looking him square in the eyes. “Don’t molest her; you’ll just be hurting yourself.”
“As if I would.” Jack said wit a hurt expression
“You wou…what are you putting into the drinks?” Serena asked on seeing that Jack and Darien were dousing the drinks with white powder.
“Nothing to fret your pretty little head about.” Jack said lightly, not expecting to find Serena’s hand around his throat. At this, Darien stopped spiking the blender and stepped out of reach.
“What are you doing to the drinks?” she asked slowly.
“A little mind control powder…but…it only makes them come back for more…I swear.” Jack choked out.
“Jack!” Serena scolded as she dropped the genius to the ground. “That’s why there’s a bounty on your head in the first place.”
“No.” he corrected with annoyance written clearly on his face. “I have a bounty on my head for taking over the minds of world leaders. I have a bounty on my head for constructing weapons of mass destruction. I have a bounty on my head for holding ambassador’s hostage. I have a bounty on my head for hacking into top secret galactic files. I have a bounty on my head for killing …”
“Killing?” Serena asked in wonderment, the news being new to her ears.
“Oh…that’s right…I got away with that.” Jack whispered under his breath before looking at Serena out of the corner of his eyes.
“Jacky, baby? Are you a murderer?”
“Now, Rena, sexy Rena, do I look like a murderer to you?” Jack asked her with a small smile, the light from the sun glinting off his glasses.
“We’re going to have to talk later, Jacky boy.” She said with a small smile, wondering if she should be scared.
“By all means…let’s. Preferably over a candlelight dinner.”
“Later Jack.” Serena said lowly as she began to back up. “Take care of Nyla, won’t you.”
“With ever fiber of my being.” He answered, smiling mysteriously.
“Devin…this is Rena, Nyla needs a supply of medicine shipped here pronto…and…could you send me a copy of Jack Dumont’s files please.” Serena requested, through her communicator on her wrist.
Hearing this, Jack laughed softly to himself, but stopped as he saw Darien’s horrified expression. “What?”
Serena stood on stage in a black, sleeveless dress with her back out and with a flare bottom. Her hair was up in a bun and she was looking poise and ready. The music started off with a salsa beat, and when ever the beat dropped she would change positions. When the horns starting blaring, her partner came spinning out from back stage. The horns abruptly stopped and her back was suddenly plastered to her partner’s front.
She had run into Tony ‘Fingers’ while out swimming yesterday, and he had agreed to dance with her. But as she looked up, she saw that Tony had been replaced.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Serena asked lowly, as she and Seiya waltzed.
“Dancing?” Seiya answered lightly as he spun her away and yanking her back, pulling her leg up to circle his waist. “What about you?”
“Won’t people notice if one of the Starlights suddenly disappears.” She asked as he danced backwards, pulling her along with him.
“They’ll never know I’m gone.” He reassured her as he spun her on her toes and bent her over her front, her nose nearly touching the ground. At their current position he smiled and winked at no one.
“And you know this how?” she asked as she slowly pulled herself up, putting a curve in her back as she did so.
“Don’t worry, I left a clone.” He said as he spun her off, this time not pulling her back, but dancing after her.
“Does he think we’re stupid?” Sailor Star making grumbled.
Sailor Star fighter said nothing. Why…you may ask? Because she was a cardboard cutout.
“I wonder if he knows we can see him on the video prompter.”
“Or the big screen hanging over the stage?”
“They’re good, aren’t they?” one of the judges asked the cardboard cut out, elbowing it it the side.
The Sailor soldiers looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes and sighed. They were surrounded by idiots.
“Tony? Is that his name? He’s not good enough for you.” He grunted as he hoisted her up and onto his shoulder, holding her legs so she wouldn’t fall.
“Not good enough. We were only going to dance.” She said as she sat up and turned so that she was facing him.
“Yeah, but…” he argued as he slowly lowered her to the ground. “Wouldn’t you rather have a professional dancer?”
“He was a professional dancer. He was Tony ‘Fingers’ Malloy.” She said this as she began to walk seductively around him.
“A dancer named ‘Fingers’. Why the hell is he called ‘Fingers’?” he asked, but she said nothing and merely smiled as she arrived back to his front.
“You know what?” he asked, as he locked their finger and put a hand on her hip. Getting a grip he swung her to his side. “Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”
“Wasn’t going to.” She said before they began to dance off, keeping their upper halves relatively still, as they twisted their hip from side to side.
“Besides…” she continued as they stopped and he dipped her. “You’re a singer, not a dancer.”
“I am a man of many talents.” He whispered suggestively before straightening her back up, only to send her spinning off while they both did a solo.
“And I…” she said as they spun back into each other’s embraces, “…am a woman of many secrets.” She smiled flirtatiously at this as he went on bended knee and she sat on it and kicked her leg high into the air, where he used his hand to travel slowly up and down. Looking into each other’s eyes, he feigned as if to kiss her, but before their lips could meet she sat up and he stood.
Holding her hand, he spun her under his arm once, threw her to the floor, spun her there, and pulled her into his arms, ending the dance with a one handed dip. The crowd cheered, the song ended, and the two, smiling broadly, bowed and hurried off stage.
“Umm…you…You did great Serena.” Ami said quietly, looking timid. Behind her Rei stood looking annoyed, and Mina was smiling behind Rei’s back at her.
“…Thank you.” She said after a pause as Ami smiled hopefully and gathered up her violin as the announcer introduced her.
“Hey!” she called after her. “Good luck…we need the money.”
“Thank you…Serena.” Ami said as her smile faded.
“Hey! What are you doing back here? I thought you got eliminated.” Serena barked at Rei, who hadn’t stopped staring at her.
“I was giving my team, moral support.” she growled. Not noticing how Serena was busy watching Mina shake her head ‘no’ in response.
‘She.’ She signed pointing at the oblivious Rei. ‘Talking non-stop.’ She signed, using her hand as example of a flapping mouth. ‘About You.’ She finished pointing at Serena. Then pointing at herself, she put an imaginary gun to her head and pulled the trigger.
Seiya burst at laughing at this, and when Rei turned around, Mina was busy fixing her make up.
“Listen…I know you and I may not be on the best of terms these days…but I thought you might want to know that Ami said she saw Baronu yesterday and that you should be on alert.” Rei told her with a serious expression.
“And you thought it appropriate to tell me now, when Baronu could possibly be gone.”
“I just found out today too okay. I didn’t have to tell you, but I thought it would be in the best interest of my team, to have you informed.”
“Watch it.” Serena warned as the two stared each other off. “I’m still your princess.”
“Not if you’re dead.” Rei snapped back, never missing a beat as they prepared to fight.
"Is that a threat?"
"If I had my powers..yeah it would be...I'm the strongest fight out of all you. I could take you out like that!"
“Whoa Ladies! I will not have you two ruining my show…although some of us aren’t even supposed to be back here.” Ron Westell interrupted as he put himself in between the two fuming girls. Looking at Rei, he winked, and with visible disgust, she looked from him to Serena and stalked off with a huff.
“She is going to bust a vessel in her head.” Mina muttered looking after her angry leader.
“Young man…what are you doing back here?” Mr. Westell snapped at the obvious Seiya, who was busy watching all the women walking around him.
“Huh?” Seiya said dumbly.
“Get out of here son.”
“Oh…uh…yeah…well I’ll catch you later Serena.” Kissing a smirking Serena on the cheek, Seiya hurriedly departed.
“Well Ms. Tsukino…now that we’re alone…I would just like to congratulate you on a job well done. You and your partner put on a marvelous show.” Mr. Westell said as he placed a kiss on the back of Serena’s hand. Leaving her hand tingling at the sensation.
“Yes…thank you…and…call me Serena.”
“Serena.” He said, seeming to taste her name on his lips. “Latin. You know it means serene.”
“Sure why not.” She said quickly, earning a laugh from him. “Listen Mr. Westell I…”
“Call me Ron.”
“Right.” Serena muttered under her breath, becoming uncomfortable. “Okay, Ron, I need to go help my friend…she’s a bit sick…and well she needs me and I have to go.” Skirting pass him, Serena hurriedly left the dressing room. Leaving a dejected Ron Westell in her path.
“I think he likes you.” Seiya told her with a laugh as he caught up with her, only to get punched in the side.
“That’s not funny.”
“Yeah it is.” He laughed again, only to stop dead in his tracks as she pulled a gun on him.
“What did I say?” she growled, sticking the gun under his nose.
“That it’s not funny.”
“Good.” She said with a small smile as she put her gun away and headed off again.
Sighing in relief he followed her to a popular booth that had everyone coming back for more. He had been there once, but he had been too busy to get another, but now he looked as if he would get his chance.
The first person he saw was the booth owner, a tall, skinny geeky looking man with a large, ugly, blinking ankle bracelet, and he saw Serena and waved at her in welcome. This got his attention, and that’s when he noticed all the scouts, excluding Mina and Ami, and Serena’s friend Nyla. Behind the booth, stood the owner and behind him stood Darien, making the drinks, and walking away from the booth, and looking dejected, was Taiki.
“Hey Taiki.” He called in greeting only to be ignored as the sullen Starlight walked by.
“Yeah, that’s right, transvestite, keep walking!” Nyla yelled after him, only to get scolded by Serena.
“Oooh, Sorry man.” Seiya said sympathetically.
“Shut up.” Taiki snapped as he walked off.
“Better you than me, heh?”
“I don’t care…you can keep your little transvestite boyfriend…I have that fucking coward Devin.”
“Be nice.” Serena reprehended her.
“Yeah…I’m standing right here.” Jack muttered.
“What?” Nyla yelled at him, only to get a dark look in return before he turned away from her to spike the drinks with his mind control powder.
“What did I do? Why is everyone turning on me? First Rena shoots me, and then Devin drops off medicine without even talking to me, and now this. What is it? You know what, I don’t care! You hear that, Jack! Fuck you and your feelings! I don’t care that you’re mad…or you for that matter!”
Jack had stiffened at this outward hostility, and without looking at anyone, he threw the blender to the ground and stalked off.
Nyla looked after him a second before rolling her eyes in disgust, turning back towards the rest; she froze as she saw them all staring at her. “What now?”
“Are you the only one blind, deaf, and dumb to his feelings?” Serena asked, and by Nyla’s blank stare, her suspicions were confirmed. “Go talk to him, Nyla.”
“No.” Nyla said defiantly.
“Nyla.” Serena began warningly.
“Rena.” Nyla growled in a dangerously low voice.
The others knew something was coming, but they didn’t know what, and by the time they decided to back away, it was too late.
Serena pulled the gun first, and by the time she had it up to point at Nyla, she already found one pointing her in the face.
“Go talk to him.” Serena said lowly, ignoring the gun in her face, as she pointed her’s Nyla’s chest.
“I said no.” Nyla whispered deadly, as the two began a stare off, daring the other with unspoken words.
“Should we do something?” Lita asked Rei.
“Not if you don’t want to be shot?” Rei answered her.
Darien and Seiya exchanged a look and moved to intercept the girls.
“You know…” Nyla began as she put her gun down, before the boys could touch her. “…you are so lucky my medicine just kicked in.”
“So are you going to go talk to him or not?” Serena asked, never lowering her gun.
“Yeah, yeah…you’re too good to him Rena, he’s spoiled.” Nyla mouthed off as she hopped on the counter and headed in the general direction they had last seen Jack heading into. “He’s supposed to be our slave/prisoner and you’re treating him like a friend…what’s up with that?”
“Whew!” Serena breathed out, as she slumped into Seiya’s waiting arms. “I almost died, did you see that?”
“Yeah I did.” Seiya said as he hoisted her to her feet. “I didn’t know she was dangerous.”
“Dangerous? No, she’s just extremely animalistic when she’s off her medication, and so you have to show her that you’re not afraid…or else she’ll shoot, bite, maim, fight, take advantage, use to her whim, or do whatever she wants to you. Once she forced a man to get a sex change, so he could pretend to be her and she could get out of a marriage that she had gotten herself into.”
“You two have a very strange relationship.” Lita commented.
“Strange, but strong.”
“We’ve noticed.” Darien added.
“Yeah it better be, especially after that time she had gotten sick and I had to use the rectal thermometer on her.” Serena shuddered at the memory.
“Serena!” someone yelled.
They all turned to find Ami and Mina running towards them.
“Heh?” was all Serena managed to ask before they each had an arm and was pulling her off towards the stage.
“Where do you think you’re going with her?” Rei yelled.
The two scouts froze. “They’re about to start the judging.” Mina answered slowly, looking at Ami.
“Yes…and like Serena said…we need the money.” Ami answered her before they took off running again, dragging the bemused Serena with them.
“Well.” Seiya said, feigning weariness. “I guess, I’ll go take a…”
“We know who you are.” Lita told him as she stole herself a free drink. “You don’t have to pretend, so just say you’re going to host the show.”
“I’m…going to uh, host the show.” He said after a pause. “You know…I just get so use to sneaking off…it’s a habit now. Well I guess I’ll be off.”
“I’ll walk you there.” Darien offered as he came from behind the booth, only to be stopped by the heavy chain connected to his ankle. “On second thought, I’ll just wave you off.”
“What happened to you?” Rei asked him as Seiya walked off.
“Nyla…chained me to the booth.”
“Why?”
“To keep Jack, company.”
“How’s that working out?” Lita asked not bothering to hide her smile.
“It’s okay…a little hot, I get free drinks, and…oh yeah, I think Jack’s a murderer. How’s your day been?”
“They saw you talking to Mr. Westell; they think you’re sleeping with him.” Mina whispered.
“Really…why would they think that? That guy is old and creepy…Speak of the devil.”
“Well Ladies and gentleman, I hope you enjoyed tonight’s performances from our ten remaining finalists…sadly…only five will make it till tomorrow.” Mr. Westell had walked onto the stage and was addressing the audience as he walked down the line of girls.
He winked at her when he passed, and she made sure he saw her grimace. Beside her, Ami giggled.
“These ten lovely ladies,” Mr. Westell continued, “…are competing for 100,000,000 Bostais, the title of Ms. Kinmokusei, and this beautiful, top of the line, Bubarian Z cruiser.” At this the audience oohed and awed as the side stage curtain was opened to show the starcruiser on its revolving stand.
“It’s so shiny.” Serena droned as she found she couldn’t take her eyes off the cruiser.
“You’re drooling, Serena.” Ami said quietly, mirth evident in her voice.
Giving her a small smile, she wiped her mouth and looked out at the audience. She looked at Rei, who scowled, then Lita, who gave her thumbs up behind Rei’s back, and to Nyla…who was carrying a bloody, unconscious Jack. She made a move to go to them, but the Starlights where suddenly there and blocking her way.
“Congratulation’s Ms. Tsukino!” Sailor Star Maker said, as Sailor Star Healer handed her a rose. Looking to her left, she saw four other girls, smiling broadly, also had roses.
“Excuse me, but I….” Serena began but she was interrupted by Mr. Westell as he began addressing the audience, and her way was blocked by the huge check that had been pushed into her view.
“Well there they are, Ladies and gentlemen. Our five finalists…so until tomorrow…this is the end of the Ms. Kinmokusei Pageant.” As he finished saying this music began to play and the curtain fell, separating them from the audience. She had just enough to catch Nyla’s desperate look before she was cut from view.
“You all did wonderful.” Mr. Westell complimented the girls as they walked passed him.
“Mr. Westell.” Sailor Star Fighter called out, “what time are we expected tomorrow?”
“Yes…well…due to some recent circumstances…you won’t be.” Mr. Westell told him as he shrugged and put his hands into his pockets.
“But, the evening gown judging…”
“Will not be required. I have everything I want, plus…an extra surprise I wasn’t counting on.” He said with a smile as he put a hand to his face.
“What are you talking about?” Sailor Star Healer asked suspiciously.
Instead of answering her, Mr. Westell pulled the skin from his face with one hand, and with the other, pulled a remote control from his pocket. Serena, who had just passed the stage area on her way out, stopped and grimaced at the sight of Mr. Westell pulling the skin from his face.
“Eww!” she groaned before Mr. Westell pressed the button on his remote, trapping the Starlights in a dome that sprang up from the floor. The Starlights yelled something, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying, nor could she hear them scream as they were struck by the dome’s power.
“Don’t tell me. Baronu?” Serena questioned, as she morphed into her bounty suit, her gun ready in her hand.
“The one and only.” Baronu exclaimed with a laugh as he turned to face her, a cape growing from his back and a staff materializing in his hand. His nose no longer looked as if it had been broken, his skin was darker, most of the wrinkles were gone, and his eyes were mismatched. One green, the other gray. No other changes were done; he still looked like Ron Westell. “And who may I say, am I talking too?”
“I’m Serena Tsukino, bounty huntress extraordinaire, one half of the Shining Stars and I’m the bounty huntress who is going to turn…”
“You talk too much, princess.” Baronu told her as a trap sprang up under her feet, hoisting her into the air in a net and making her drop her gun.
“Don’t call me princess.” She growled at him in annoyance.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Baronu said with a smile as her grabbed her chin, “Would…you rather I call you sweetheart?” he asked as he kissed her roughly on the mouth.
She held herself tight as he did so, hoping he was distracted long enough so she could reach her extra gun. She had it in her hand, but before she could pull it on him, he had grabbed her hand and taken it from her.
“And just what were you expecting to do with this?”
“I thought that was obvious.” She muttered angrily.
“Naughty, girl.” He scolded as he tossed her gun and turned toward the unconscious Starlights.
With his back turned she shot at him with another gun, but he dodged it easily, and without even turning her way, he swung his staff and hit her in the hand, knocking the gun from her. She growled in frustration.
As he approached, the dome surrounding the Starlights fell away. When he crouched down next to them, she couldn’t see what he was doing, but she did notice how the Starlights jerked once and faded back into their human personas.
Smiling triumphantly, Baronu tossed the Starlights power stars into the air and caught them with a laugh, only to get shot in the shoulder. Growling, he stood up and whirled on his feet to face Serena, who had managed to get another gun.
“How many of those do you have? That’s not very lady like.” Baronu yelled, pocketing the stars and smacking her with his staff, sending her swinging.
“If you thought I was a lady, then you wouldn’t be hitting me!” she yelled, as on the swing back, she stuck her legs through the holes and kicked Baronu in the chest sending him sprawling onto his back.
With her legs out, Serena could move around freely, so when Baronu sat back up she was already upon him and kicking him in the chin. He went flying, but instead of hitting the wall, he turned it into a flip and landed on his feet, laughing hysterically. “Is that all you’ve got?” he yelled.
Running towards him, she jumped, intent on landing a flying kick to his head, but he stood up on his feet and caught her midair. “My turn.” He said with a smile.
Gripping her leg painfully tight, and making her cry out in pain, he began to spin in a circle, sending her twirling and flying, not caring if and when she hit objects, in ex. a wall. On the umpteenth time he released her and she went flying into a wall. She heard something crack and she wasn’t sure if it was her skull, her back, or the wall.
“Shit.” She groaned as she fell, hanging limply in her net.
“Again…not very lady like, sweet heart.” He huffed as he straightened his coat and smiled at her. Picking up his recently discarded staff, he flicked the end of it up, revealing a button. “It’s been nice, but now I must bid you farewell.” He pressed the button…nothing happened at first, but soon the sky was filled with the sound of magnetic whirring, and a large craft appeared overhead.
Holding his staff up, the top turned into a propeller and he went soaring.
Just as she thought he had gotten away, a brown and purple blur jumped off the banister and onto Baronu, but although they were obviously struggling, they continued to rise.
“Okay…I’m getting up.” Serena said to herself as she pulled a lasered knife from her the band on her leg, she easily cut through the rope and fell to the floor.
“Get off you retched feline.” Baronu yelled, trying to beat her off with his free hand, and keep them steady with the other.
“Not on my life, buddy!” she growled, taking the hits, but never releasing her hold on his waist.
Up and up they flew until they had surpassed his craft in height. With a flick of his wrist the propeller on his staff retreating back inside its opening, and while free falling, Baronu hit Nyla in the back with his staff, effectively causing enough pain so that her hold on him slipped. Not wasting anytime, Baronu kneed her hard in the stomach and then brought the staff careening down on her head, just in time to land in the driver’s seat of his craft, while Nyla fell heavily onto the hull.
“Well, princess, it would seem about time for me to leave.”
“Don’t call me princess.” Nyla moaned as she curled up into herself.
Baronu sighed. “When did women start hating to be called princess?” he asked himself as she turned his back and gripped the control panel.
“The day they got guns!” she yelled as she pulled her gun from her band holster and aimed it for his head.
Baronu turned to her and smiled, she blinked in confusion, he pushed a lever, and she went flying back as the craft went lurching forward.
She went tumbling head over heals across the hull of the craft and just as she went over the edge she caught a grip, but she was slipping.
“Oh, I’m getting too old for this.” she whispered under the roar of the wind. Growling, she ruptured the metal of the craft with her claws and began pulling her self up, grateful that Baronu couldn’t hear her over the noise.
She clawed her way back up to where Baronu sat; leaving good sized chunks of metal in her path, and crouched for an attack. As if sensing his oncoming battle, Baronu suddenly gripped his staff, twisted his wrist, and it morphed into a sword. As he swung it in an arc towards her, she swiped and leaped at him. Claws met sword and over powered it, sending it flying over the edge.
She pinned him to the dash and began pounding on his head. He grabbed her throat with one hand, his grip feeling like a metal shackle that was a size or three too small, and landed a blow to her stomach with the other. She doubled over in pain, not expecting the blow to her back, as he clasped his hands together and brought them down on her like a hammer.
A second after she hit the deck of the craft, she sprang back up with an uppercut to his groin, and as he came down to meet her face-to-face, she smiled, he grimaced, and, simultaneously, they head-butted each other. They each landed on their backs, in slight dazes, but as she came up, waiting to claw out eyes, he came up with a gun.
She smiled nervously and began backing up.
“Maybe we got off on the wrong feet. Let’s start over. Hi, I’m Nyla.” Nyla offered as she held her hands up in, what she hoped was a placating way.
“Let’s hope all cats land on their.” Baronu told her with a sadistic smile, before pulling the trigger.
The laser hit her dead on and she went plummeting over the side. As she fell, she found herself not wondering about how she should have spent her life, about the woulda coulda’s, nor did she wonder about what the pain her death would bring her. No, the first thought to cross her mind was the desire to have one last beer and how long it would take to hit the ground.
She counted, “1….” Then her back hit something hard and solid.
“How you doing?” a voice asked conversationally.
Turning towards the voice, Nyla smiled weakly. It was Serena, a battered Serena with a split lip, blood running down her face, and leaning at an angle, but it was Serena none-the-less, and her hover board.
“What took you…I almost contemplated my death.” Nyla asked in a raspy voice.
“Well…first I had to get out of a net…my back is bursting with spontaneous spouts of pain, I have no idea what happened to my shoulder, I think I might have a broken rib or two…my ankle is sprung…oh and I hallucinated a bit…you know…cracked skull…how’s your day been?”
“Lovely…I got shot…I might have internal bleeding…and I just got head butted by the most, hard headed man in the universe. You see my closed eye, it’s not just swollen, that’s bone that has caved in on top of it.”
“I win. I have more wounds.” Serena said with a small hurt laugh, as she guided the hover board towards the ground, Baronu, long since gone into hyper drive and disappeared from sight.
“Congratulations.” Nyla said weakly.
“Hey Nyl?” Serena called out after a pause.
“Yeah?”
“I’m about to pass out.”
“Guess what?”
“Yeah?” Serena asked sleepily.
“Me too.”
The two stayed in a comfortable silence, as the ground got closer and closer. “Hey Nyl…he whooped our asses didn’t he?”
“Yes, dear Rena. Yes, our asses were whooped.” Nyla answered her with a smile before they both collapsed and blacked out.
:
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:
:
