Sailormoon Reloaded - Act 4 II

(Continued on from Act 4, part I. . . .)

By the time that lunchtime had arrived later on that school day, the news of the apparent arrival of two new Sailor V-like soldiers during Princess Étaín's royal ball had just about swept through the entire high school. It appeared to be quite honestly the only thing that any of the students wished to discuss, with the majority of each reaction the same as the last, all filled with glee and instant adoration.

Elyon, however, was positively mum upon the issue.

It was all she could do to keep a straight face, or to calm her returned rattled nerves, the more and more each of her various friends throughout her class periods talked about it. It made her honestly wish that pets were allowed on campus, so then she'd at least still have Csilla's continued company; however, the two had naturally parted ways, once the blonde had safely made it onto school grounds after her near-death experience once again, with the grayish blue feline heading over to the Musical Star Café to continue her research upon the mystical Star of Threbe's possible whereabouts.

Too bad Taranee doesn't go to this school, either, because then we could have shared the awkwardness of this situation together. . . . I wonder how she's coping with it over at her private school, as I'm sure she must have heard about all of this by now, Elyon pondered within faint forlornness, as she'd then entered the usual, already crowded courtyard, where she'd eat lunch everyday with Alchemy and their other mutual friends.

She immediately felt out of place all over again, feeling a tad naked from all of the sounds of tittering teenagers discussing "Sailor V and her new comrades" this, and "Sailor V and her new comrades" that, with profound animation all around her.

"Thank goodness there are only three more periods after this one, because I don't honestly know how much more of this I can ta --" Elyon softly began to herself with unease, cutting herself off and cheeks instantly growing aflame, as she'd then overheard an unknown male senior unknowingly refer to her alter ego as "pretty hot, from what you can make out from the picture."

Hmm . . . maybe there are some potential upsides to this whole thing, after all, the platinum blonde couldn't help but think upon having unintentionally eavesdropped about the fleeting conversation, a tiny smile slowly creeping upon her still reddening countenance, as she slowly made her way towards her usual lunch table.

She was surprised to see that not only were both Alchemy and Martin already seated there, as Elyon traditionally had a habit of arriving there before the two of them, but the Grumper Twins were accompanying them, as well.

Raising an eyebrow at the sight, Elyon gave a small wave in greeting to her quartet of friends as they'd just then caught sight of her arrival, before sitting down within her usual spot next to Alchemy.

"Hey there, El! What's with the oil marks on the side of your skirt?? Were you changing a flat tire for extra credit in gym class earlier, or something??" joked Bess with a playful sneer and point of her skinny, pale finger towards the unfortunately blatant stain in question upon Elyon's right hip.

Looking down momentarily, the blonde softly sighed at the remark, before shaking her head a bit nervously. She, of course, had long since been aware of the unsightly, blackened mark blaring out for all to see, against the white toned skirt in contrast. She had even gotten used to several of the unfunny jests, made at her own expense, by her fellow schoolmates she'd received throughout the day, and near identical to Bess's.

However, it was always the chosen response given to them which had unnerved Elyon most. Seeing as it had been resolved, with all of her in one piece as Csilla, too, had remarked that morning, the naturally caring girl did not wish to alarm anyone who had asked, by letting them know that the blemish had been received due to nearly having been hit by a speeding pickup truck.

There had been enough commotion going on within the school all day, courtesy of Taranee's and her good deeds as Sailors Meridian and Mars, after all. The last thing she'd need was added attention . . . even if, technically, no one honestly knew that both she and Sailormeridian were one and the same.

And so, as she had for the majority of that day about it, Elyon lied.

"O-Oh, this?? I guess I must have gotten it when I had taken a seat on a bus bench on the way to school this morning, in order to scrape the bubblegum which had been on the bottom of my sandal -- Bad day all around, I suppose, huh??" she revealed as convincingly as she could, adding a small shrug and light chuckle for added effect.

Each of her four friends seemed to have bought the cover story, as the lot of them simultaneously let out mirrored giggles of their own, before nodding within sympathy.

"Seems like it, babe! But I gotta tell ya that that pretty little skirt of yours is kaput, sadly, because I know for fact that nothing gets transmission fluid out of clothes! Just ask our dad, who so tragically 'borrowed' Bess's favorite yellow tube top last summer to wipe his hands with, when he'd found it accidentally lying on the floor in our basement," Courtney shared with a sympathetic smirk, before both she and Bess shivered at the apparently unfortunate memory at the same time.

Elyon merely shrugged within friendly dismissal once more, before turning her attention onto Alchemy, who was warmly smiling back at her. The two had seen each other earlier on that day already, and the pigtailed girl was thankful to both learn and see for herself that her best friend was all right after the dicey events of last Saturday evening.

"Besides sharing a family unified sort of headache between us for the remainder of the weekend, since we each seemed to have one, we're all just fine. But man, I wish you could have been there, Ellie! Everything was absolutely beautiful and to die for! Well, almost to die for, apparently," the russet haired girl had explained to the previously worried Elyon, during their shared study hall that early morning, causing her to instantly relax at the news, if not still feel a tad guilty for her companion having once again been thrown into danger.

"Well, hey. Maybe you two can both get matching outfits like those two new soldiers who were at Princess Étaín's ball -- You know, now that you know without a doubt that I wasn't making things up when I'd said that I saw one of them at my dad's jewelry exhibition not too long ago!" Alchemy remarked with a triumphant sort of grin, flashing it with a bit of overabundance at the red haired, now frowning twins.

Courtney then rolled her soft green eyes and scoffed generously, before responding.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, already! Didn't we, like, both apologize numerous times to you during English class two periods ago?? Methinks it's about time to get off that high horse, there, little missy!" she lightly hissed in between her teeth, before helping herself to a generous spoonful amount of the vanilla flavored pudding she had placed upon her lunch tray of other foods she had purchased earlier. "But, if it'd make you feel even more vindicated to hear it one more time, then fine: We. Are. Sorry!"

Martin, who had been quietly listening to the various conversations unfolding between his friends up until that moment, gave a light chuckle of his own, as he watched the formerly seething Grumper sisters begin to giggle gaily with the still grinning Alchemy.

"Wow! Do I sense a potential catfight on my hands, here?" he comically spoke, picking up his unused napkin from off of the table, and began waving it into the air, as though it were a white flag of surrender. "Maybe I should call the red-schemed soldier babe to rescue me!"

It was Alchemy's turn to roll her eyes upon hearing this, while both Courtney and Bess instantly wrinkled their noses in disgust, and Elyon honestly couldn't help but to giggle. It appeared as though no matter what identity she assumed, Martin would continue to have the now pretty obvious crush upon the very talented Taranee.

I've gotta tell her about this, sometime, the blonde thought within continued humor, as her pixie-cut haired friend spoke.

"Yeah, I'd bet you'd just love that, wouldn't you, Marty? You could have Sailor R make all the hurt just go away," she mockingly cooed at the now blushing Martin from across the lunch table, before she took a sip of her cherry flavored soda.

At this, Elyon abruptly stopped laughing, and blinked within confusion.

"'Sailor R??'" she asked within honest inquiry, turning her traditionally messy head towards her best friend on her left.

Alchemy merely smiled broadly, before nodding.

"Mmhm! I figure it's better than just calling the both of them 'unknown Sailor V-like women' forever and ever, until they either appear again, or the media somehow learns of their real names," she began casually, leaning forward to take a sip of the warm clam chowder she'd brought from home. "So, in the meantime, I've decided to dub the 'red-schemed soldier,' as Martin, there, put it, 'Sailor R,' short for 'Sailorred,' obviously."

Elyon could only slowly nod within mild understanding, before a faint simper began to form upon her fair visage. She began to wonder what Taranee would say to her newfound nickname, once she'd shared it with her when she saw her again.

Moreover, the young teenager then began to ponder what it was perhaps Alchemy or their other fellow schoolmates were beginning to call her own alter ego. Apparently, so too, was Bess, because before anyone else could have asked, Elyon heard her say, "'Sailorred??' Wow! I really, really hope that's not her name for real, or else I'm totally losing the respect I'm already starting to have for her! What, then, shall we call her companion, O Namer of Names??"

"Ooh, wait! Lemme guess! 'Sailor B,' for 'Sailorblue,' right?? O-Or, how 'bout this! 'Sailor C.O.S.R.,' for 'Sailor Comrade of Sailorred!!'" Courtney immediately chimed in before Alchemy could reply, gleefully contributing to the friendly teasing of the girl's mildly creative dub names to the mysterious new soldiers.

Martin, having apparently recovered for the unwanted attention being brought to his newfound, apparent affections for the one now known as "Sailorred," discreetly hid the soft snickers now beginning to emit from him with the back of his hand, as he watched (with admittedly slight satisfaction) Alchemy's lightly tanned face scrunch up within indignation.

Setting down her spoon back into her warm meal, the rust haired girl then folded her bare arms across her still developing chest with a pout, before shaking her head.

"Hardy har har! No, thanks. That's not what I was thinking of calling the other one! I was actually thinking of calling her . . . 'Sailor P,' for 'Sailorpetite,' for now," she tentatively revealed, much to her (as well as Elyon's, unknowingly, of course) chagrin, as she'd then instantly regretted it the moment she'd caught sight of the twins' puckered up lips.

Before another word could have been said, each sister simultaneously let out the generous laugh which had been previously trapped behind said lips, and began yet another round of guffawing at their friend's expense.

"'Sailorpetite??' Holy cow! That's even better than 'Sailorred!' Don't quit your day job, Al!" Courtney remarked in between her ongoing laughter, wiping away a stray tear which had then escaped from her left eye.

"Y-Yeah!! While you're at it, though, why not call her 'Sailor P,' for 'Sailorpintsized??' O-Or 'Sailor R,' too, but for 'Sailorrunt??' Classic!!" contributed Bess with delicious relish as she struggled to catch her breath, the natural mean streak that both she and her sister shared and usually only reserved for those they both truly despised beginning to come out in that moment.

Both Alchemy, and especially Elyon, frowned deeply throughout the entire jesting, courtesy of both Grumper Twins, looking about the table as their remaining friends continued to chortle uncontrollably or, as was the case with Martin, "mysteriously" possessing a deeply reddened face partially hidden behind his hand.

God . . . now I really wish that that reporter had never gotten Taranee's or my picture in our Guardian forms! At least she's being called 'Sailorred,' something I'd be more than willing to live with, myself. But, nooo! I get stuck with 'Sailor P,' for 'Sailorpetite!' Ugh, I just had to be short. . . . the platinum blonde silently sulked, roughly biting off a piece of the banana she'd pulled out of her lunch bag and had unpeeled a few minutes before.

Unable to stand the ongoing mortification (even if no one had rightfully been aware of it) any longer, Elyon began to rapidly tap against the top of the lunch table with her free hand, in order to properly seize the unanimous attention of her friends.

"H-Hey! If we're all done talking about pet names for the new 'dynamic duo' and all, can we please talk about something new now??" she asked a bit evenly, despite her best efforts to conceal her anger, which caused the lot of her companions to instantly cease within their laughter, or own upset, as was the case for Alchemy.

". . . . Yikes! Who chewed off your head this morning?" Courtney ventured within tight-lipped inquiry, exhaling loudly on purpose before returning to her lunch.

"Yeah, what do you have against talking about the 'dynamic duo,' as you'd put it?? Hmm . . . that's actually not a bad nickname, there. Hey, Alchemy! Maybe, from now on, you should let Elle, here, take care of the names, eh??" Bess added with an initial scowl, before slowly smirking in leftover teasing of her other friend.

Alchemy groaned generously at this, before slapping a hand to her face, and slowly dragged it back down.

"Okay, I get it! My names are lame! But no one said you had to use them, now did they? Exactly! So pipe down, already!" she fired back, blindly kicking Bess's shin from underneath the table, at her place next to a smiling Martin. "I'm gonna keep calling them that, just fine, until their actual names are found out, myself. In the meantime, I wholeheartedly agree with Elyon: Who has some new gossip to dish out, besides what happened at Princess Étaín's ball this past weekend?? I've honestly had all I can handle hearing about that for one day, really. . . ."

Breathing an instant sigh of relief that the previous and admittedly infernal subject was at last going to change, Elyon gave a small smile towards her best friend for a moment, before silence had then unexpectedly claimed the entire lunch table.

Don't tell me that the one time I really need the twins to go to work with their usual rumor mill and what have you, they've for once run dry! thought the dirty blonde in disbelief, as she, Alchemy, and even Martin looked over at the two sisters expectantly.

Catching each of their glances, Courtney blinked in surprise, pausing a moment before being the first to speak.

". . . . W-What?? So, really?? None of you have anything to contribute?? Well, definitely not you, Martin, since you'll probably just bore us to death with one of your lame-o comic book convention stories again. But the rest of you have nothing good? How sad, B! It looks as though, once again, you and I will have to come to the rescue with some more of our usually titillating tales!" the cherry haired girl pompously remarked within her usual rudeness, although a soft smile had curiously then formed upon her freckled countenance, just as a dreamy expression mysteriously graced Bess's.

"H-Hey! I'll have you know that those comic book conventions have loads of action and stories to unfold! Heh, heh! Get it?? See, because it's a convention for comic books, a-and I'd said that they have 'loads of action and stor --'"

"-- Yes, Marty, we got it . . . unfortunately," Alchemy lightly cut off her old friend, who was nonetheless still chuckling at his own inside joke, before resuming his meal. The relatively outspoken girl then shifted her attention back onto the Grumper Twins, who were beginning to faintly blush, for reasons unbeknownst to both she and Elyon . . . and perhaps Martin, as well, if he had been honestly paying attention, or even cared, for that matter. "You two 'lovely ladies' suddenly look as though you'd both been struck by Cupid's Arrow out of nowhere. So, spill it!"

Without hesitation, both redheads swiftly dove for their backpacks in response, causing Elyon to believe, for a moment, that the two were literally going to spill everything onto the courtyard's pavement. But then, seconds later, the twins had straightened their postures once more, before abruptly slamming what looked to be two photographs onto the lunch table.

"You may be totally right about Cupid having snagged me and Court with one of his heavenly arrows, Al, because we've like, been under this angel's spell since the moment we'd both laid eyes on him!" Bess gushed with girlish exuberance, before reaching across the table to clasp her slightly older sister's hands and began to squeal alongside her.

Courtney vigorously nodded in agreement, bouncing up and down within her seat next to Alchemy in excitement.

"Ohh, my God, for sure! He is the hottest thing to have ever walked the planet!!" she added in between swooning, as both Elyon and Alchemy slowly reached out for the temporarily discarded photographs still lying freely upon the lunch table.

At this, Martin looked up from his half eaten tuna casserole and groaned heavily.

"Awww, man! We're doing 'Boy Talk' now, aren't we? It's a good thing I'd brought the latest comic book issue of 'Metal Man: Defender of All' with me, then," he said with an added sigh of relief, before promptly reaching into his own book bag to retrieve the piece of literature in question to begin reading.

All four of his female friends merely gave the cornflower haired boy a momentary glance and sigh, before leaving him to his own devices, as it were.

"Sooo . . . okay. You girls are now in love with some cute boy . . . whom you're apparently already stalking, seeing as you have photographical evidence of his existence -- Clearly taken without his knowing, or consent, I'm sure," Alchemy teased with a wink, as she continued to study the picture within her hands of the young man in question.

Elyon, meanwhile, began to do the same for the one she currently had within her possession. Hers, too, seemed to have been taken rather candidly, as the newfound object of both the Grumpers' affection was not looking within the direction of wherever their camera had been.

In fact, he'd appeared to be too busy being swarmed by a gaggle of teenage, and even slightly older looking girls, all of whom were grinning uncontrollably and each had the same lovesick expression both Courtney and Bess had donned not too long ago, themselves.

Elyon could not make out the area all of them within the photograph had been, but surmised that wherever it was definitely had a swimming pool nearby, as the tall, young man's caramel colored and toned body was positively drenched with water from head to toe.

And, of course, those white colored speedos and yellow swim cap he's got on there are also a dead giveaway, the blonde silently noted within afterthought, feeling her cheeks growing warm the longer she gazed upon them. She then forced herself to instead fix her curious gaze upon the unknown swimmer's generous, flawless smile, and sparkling light brown eyes.

". . . . Well, he's certainly easy on the eyes," Elyon heard herself blurting out before she could stop herself, immediately blushing profusely as all three of her girlfriends promptly gazed upon her in surprise, while Martin, who apparently was now far too engrossed within his reading, did nothing to react, with the exception of shoveling another forkful of his lunch into his mouth in that same moment.

"Ah! I totally knew you guys would fall for him once you got a look at him, too! And you didn't even see him in person yet, like how me and Courtney luckily have!" Bess said with a sharp, although approving gasp, pointing a finger out towards her pigtailed friend, who couldn't help but to slowly sink into her seat within furthered abashment.

"N-No, I-I don't! I mean, I think he's very cute, sure, b-but I'm not in love with the guy or anything like that!" Elyon stammered within defense, lightly tossing the photograph from out of her hands and back onto the table for added emphasis.

Yeah . . . because I'm in love with Cedric, of course . . . and . . . and maybe. . . . she began to think in silent reflection of the friendly and handsome ponytailed blonde in question, before losing her focus, as Alchemy's familiar voice broke through it.

"Aww, forget about it, Ellie! No need to explain, since I, at least, understand that one measly comment about the . . . rather obvious hotness, I will admit, myself, of the twins' apparently mutual future husband doesn't mean you're all gaga for him now like they are," she kindly defended her best friend further, resting a comforting hand upon the smaller girl's shoulder, while handing back the other photograph to a surprisingly still beaming Courtney next to her.

"Noooo problem here! I mean, B and I already have enough competition as it is, as I'm sure you've both noticed within each picture. Stupid hussies. . . ." the wavy haired teenager remarked with a bitter tone tailing the end of her sentence, turning to her twin sister, who sadly nodded within agreement. "But, no matter! We're both very confident that we'll win the title of 'Girlfriend of Wiley Amato!' Well, one of us will, anyway . . . unless he doesn't mind having two irresistible women on each of his arms, that is!"

Both Grumpers began to giggle furiously at this, cupping the both of their faces, as another, generous rouge flooded their cheeks. Meanwhile, both Elyon and Alchemy offered crooked smiles in support to their friends' overabundant affections for the one apparently known as Wiley Amato.

True, the two sisters had been known throughout the years to slightly overdo it a tad whenever the opposite sex was concerned, sometimes going to great lengths to seize the attention of their hopeful intendeds. And of course, Elyon, and even the usually levelheaded Alchemy would sometimes fall prone to the idiocies their unruly hormones would see fit to plague them with, as well.

However, there just seemed to be something different and . . . almost off with the girls' latest crush, or how they were expressing it, anyway. It seemed that way to Elyon, at least, as she personally had never seen either twin get so worked up over a boy before . . . that she could recall, that is.

And they've certainly never taken snapshots of any of them before in the past, either . . . well, not that I know of, anyhow, she thought within furthered reflection, before clearing her throat to speak.

". . . . Okay. Well, then, in that case . . . who is he, exactly? Where and when did you two meet him?" she asked out of honest curiosity and intrigue, Alchemy slightly nodding her head next to her within mutual interest.

Apparently that had been the million dollar question for the Grumper sisters, as they were then all too happy to oblige an explanation, as the two then simultaneously pushed the blood red colored lunch trays filled with their half-eaten lunches aside, before leaning in towards the other pair of females at the table.

"Well --!" the twins both began together, continuing to mimic one another in not just their physical appearance, alone. Both Alchemy and Elyon softly giggled at the sight, while Bess frowned at her older twin.

"Can I tell it this time?? I swear, I feel like any time there's new dirt to dish out, you're always the one who gets to serve it first, sis!" she claimed with a small huff, as Courtney merely smiled back at her now pouting sister and best friend.

"Well, maybe you should learn to be quicker from now on, then, B. But, if you insist, go right ahead -- Either way, Wiley's still fantastically hot, no matter who gets to talk about him, after all," she replied with a faint coo, before reaching out to playfully tug at Bess's short and bone-straight ruby locks.

Bess promptly squealed with delight at this, before loudly clearing her throat, as though gearing up for telling a rather long tale, which, as far as Elyon had been concerned afterward, it had turned out to be.

"Oooh! So, okay! Like me and Court already told you guys, his name is Wiley Amato. Eighteen-years-old, a Freshman at Marigold University downtown, here in good ol' Heatherfield -- Thank the Lord for that, of course -- and like, a total genius when it comes to swimming!" she began in between fits of giggles, once again bouncing up and down within her seat. "Yeah! See, me and Courtney first found out about his glorious existence about two weeks ago, from our older cousin, Graham, when he came to pick us up from the arcade one time. Instead of dropping us off straight home as planned, he said he had to make a quick pit stop at the 'Seasonal Recreation Center' -- Y'know, the one over on Lita Way -- to return some workout equipment to a friend of his . . . Wiley. Oooh! Just saying his name gives me the tingles! Heh, heh!

A-Anyway, so like, since it was pretty boring waiting in the car for him, Court and me went in after Graham -- And thank God we did, or else we never would have known that Greek Gods still exist! I don't know about Courtney, here, but once I'd first laid eyes on Wiley . . . all muscular . . . wet from having just gotten out of the swimming pool that's there . . . and, just . . . overall yumtastic, my mind just completely shut down. All I could hear was music . . . wedding music, in fact, heh, heh. . . .

So, it's a miracle, honestly, that I can even remember the introductions Graham had given to us, once he saw that we'd followed him inside. Yeah, like, he and Wiley go to the same college, so that's how they know each other -- Well, besides sometimes working out at the gym together, I guess. Apparently, hottielicious Wiley was this really big, overall superstar athlete at his high school, back in Arizona where he's originally from! So when he came here, he was telling Graham how he wanted to get into better shape, so he could be prepared for tryouts for the male swim team in the spring!"

"Yep! And he's there at that rec center, every day around three o'clock, practicing his cute, well-toned butt off! And B and I are right there, watching him any chance we can!" Courtney chimed in after sensing the completion of her twin sister's side of the story, watching her then take a generous sip of her chocolate milk. "Only thing that totally sucks now, though, is that lately there have been a huge crowd of stupid fans -- Girls -- coming to watch Wiley swim. At first it was girls and guys, sure, fine, whatever. You know, the annoying, wannabe girlfriends cheering him on, while the guys just . . . cheered, or whatever, I don't know. But then, like, for the last few days, it's just been freaking girls, girls, girls, coming in there and invading our territory!! That's one of the reasons why we didn't honestly tell you two about Wiley 'till now, really; like me and Bess honestly need even more rivals, like we said. . . ."

Letting out a low exhale, trying her absolute best to maintain interest within her friends' apparent plight, Elyon then licked her partially dry lips, about to speak at last, when Alchemy beat her to it.

"Ha, ha! How very like the two of you to keep things you feel will benefit you most to yourselves. No worries, though, since, for me, at least, while this Wiley guy does sound -- And certainly looks, based upon your photographs, there -- rather fetching, you know I generally go for the rocker-types . . . or blondes, maybe," she said with a small, knowing smile, as Elyon was aware that she was most assuredly referring to their unfortunate dual crush, Cedric. "But anyway, whenever either of you manages to snag him and then sets a wedding date, be sure to let me and Ellie know of that, at least, okay??"

Courtney surprisingly looked hurt by this, as she tilted her wavy haired head to the side slightly.

"Aww, no fun! And here, we were honestly going to ask you two to come with us after school today, to check him out -- And I do mean, check him out!" she revealed with a click of her tongue.

Elyon blinked with perplexity.

"Huh? But I thought you'd just said that you didn't even want either of us to know about Wiley, because you didn't want added competition??" she asked within valid point, at last taking another bite of her temporarily forgotten banana.

"Well, yeah! But, to be honest? As it currently stands, even though we'd personally been introduced to him by our cousin Graham, it doesn't really seem like Wiley even knows me and Courtney exist, sadly. . . . Well, not like we're admittedly brave enough to go up to him and strike up conversation any time we're there at the rec center with him, either," Bess sheepishly confessed with a crooked smile, looking at Courtney, who merely nodded with a defeated air. "So . . . that's why we thought we may as well invite you along! That way, it won't be as depressing anymore, just sitting there on the bleachers, like always, trying our best to get his attention, short of walking right up to him, of course. . . . So, what do you say?? Will you come with us after school today to see him??"

Both Elyon and Alchemy instantly felt a great surge of sympathy coursing through them, after having listened to their usually quite haughty companions reveal a little of their more vulnerable side. It especially made Elyon, at least, relate quite well, as she, too, had been experiencing quite the difficult feat of getting Cedric to view her as anything more than just a mere friend. . . .

". . . . I would love to, you guys, and you know that I'd come along, if only to lend my support as your friend like you want, but I kinda promised my folks that I'd come straight home after school today. It was all I could do to get them to let me come at all today, seeing as they've become a bit paranoid now, what with all of the recent and odd things that have been happening to our family and all. . . ." Alchemy revealed with an annoyed sigh, resting her head against her now balled up fist. "But I'll work on them, get them to calm down and go back to normal, I'm sure. Why worry so much when our city now has Sailors V, P, and R, right?"

Elyon couldn't help but to feel at fault for her dear friend's newfound predicament within the home, before it thankfully had given way the moment she'd listened to the girl's continued faith within Sailor V, in addition to Taranee's and her own alter egos.

No worries at all, Alkie. Because I'll always have your back . . . no matter which form I'm assuming at the time to do it in, she thought with a growing smile upon her face, before she, too, took her turn to regrettably decline the Grumper Twins' offer.

"I gotta say no, too, girls, sorry. It's just that I told my mom I'd pick up her dry-cleaning for her on my way home from school. She needs it for an important meeting later on in the week at her job, she said," the pigtailed girl explained softly, watching the two redheads' faces fall in rejection. Seeing this, Elyon quickly added, as a way to lighten the mood, "B-But you can always drag Martin along; that way, you wouldn't be alone, and certainly wouldn't have the added competition you dread!"

At this, the formerly ever silent and reading Martin at last broke free from his seemingly trance-like state upon hearing his name, and was about to say something, when Courtney curiously screeched in alarm.

"O-Oh . . . my . . . God!! It's her!!" she mysteriously cried, seeming to have chosen to bypass Elyon's jest, as she instead reached out to squeeze Bess's arm to seize her attention, as well.

"W-What?? 'Her,' who?" Alchemy asked within the unanimous confusion the rest of their lunch table now shared, with a now honestly frightened looking Courtney's only response being a shaky raise of her right index finger, over Martin's head and towards the dual entranceway and exit of the courtyard.

Following the girl's direction, Elyon and the rest of her friends all turned their attention within that vicinity, her heart nearly stopped when her soft blue eyes rested upon a sight she never thought that she'd ever see again. . . .

"Holy cow! It's the girl who saved me from nearly getting hit by that truck this morning!!" she blurted out without thinking, instantly regretting it as she then watched her quartet of companions abruptly whirl their heads back around and towards her in alarm.

"Y-You --! You almost died today, and it's only now you're bothering to let any of us know, Elyon??" Alchemy cried out within righteous upset, resting both of her hands upon her best friend's shoulders.

Elyon immediately began to blush within mixed shame and embarrassment, as she slowly tore her eyes away from the approaching, still unknown redhead who had luckily rescued her from certain peril earlier in the day.

". . . . W-Well . . . I didn't mean to keep it from you guys. Well, I d-did, but only because I didn't want to worry any of you, as you clearly are now!" she weakly explained in apology, biting down onto her lower lip. "But like I said, I was thankfully saved by that girl, there! Never did get her name before she just left the scene this morning, though . . . but how lucky that she apparently goes to our school! Now I can thank her for what she did for me!"

"Are you mad, woman?? Maybe that near fatal experience messed with your rationale and overall good sense or something!" Bess squealed within disbelief, frantically clinging to her twin sister from across the lunch table.

"Y-Yeah, for sure! At least we now know why and how you got that transmission fluid on your skirt, there, Elyon! But it doesn't explain why it's just that, and not traces of your own blood on there, instead -- Especially if it had been that girl to have supposedly rescued you! Must be a total cover story for her criminal offenses. . . ." Courtney added with a grand shiver, as she and the rest of Elyon's friends returned their attention back onto the bob-haired teenager, who had just then passed by their table without so much of a glance.

In fact, the lone young girl did not seem to allow her honey brown colored eyes to wander within any direction as she slowly walked with undeniable confidence, lightly clutching her shoulder bag with her left hand while having stuffed her right into the pocket of her lightly dirtied cargo shorts.

There was a light frown etched upon her naturally tawny hued countenance as she'd passed, however, Elyon had just managed to catch sight of, as though she either did not wish to be there in that moment, or was aware that nearly half the entire courtyard had grown silent the very moment she had entered.

Whatever the reason, the girl did not seem to let on to it, anyhow, as she merely continued on in her way, towards the far corner of the outdoor area, and to an empty table nearest a row of plastic and brown colored trash receptacles.

Wow . . . she seems just as mysterious and commanding now as she had this morning when I'd first met her, Elyon couldn't help but think, finding herself growing more and more captivated by the unknown redhead.

Suddenly, Courtney quickly snapped her fingers in front of the pigtailed girl's face, causing her to blink rapidly in surprise.

"Helloooo?? Earth to Elyon!! Did you hear me?? You're totally lucky to be alive, you know!!" the cherry haired girl gushed after having reclaimed the petite girl's audience, Bess, and even Martin surprisingly nodding within exuberant agreement.

". . . . W-Well, yeah, I know. That's what I'd just told y --"

"-- No, no, no! That's not what Courtney meant, Ellie! She was referring to the fact that that girl is a coldblooded murderer!!" Martin tactfully interrupted his old friend, waving his hand into the air to further silence her. Now that his group of friends were talking about something which apparently interested him at long last, the young intellect was now animated more than ever. "Her name's Wilhelmina Vandom! Yeah, she just got transferred here to Heatherfield, after having been released from juvie! Apparently, she'd killed some poor, defenseless girl, back where she used to live, over in Maine a couple years ago!"

". . . . She sure is tall and strong enough looking to do something like that, at least," Alchemy could be heard lightly murmuring to herself, before abruptly shaking her russet colored head after having caught sight of Elyon's incredulous stare. "W-What?? I never said that I believe she did it! I just meant that she certainly doesn't look like she'd be easy to take down in a fight . . . that's all. . . ."

Elyon sighed heavily, instantly frowning within disapproval of each of her friend's ongoing rants and reaction to the apparent new girl known as Wilhelmina.

"Well, that's still all but outright agreeing that she had! And anyway, how could she have?? She saved my life just this morning, remember?? And, besides that, she looks really nice. . . ." she naturally defended, her almost inherent desire to see the good within nearly everyone shining through once more. "And that name . . . 'Wilhelmina. . . .' It's so pretty!"

At this, Bess scoffed, watching the girl in question take a seat at her chosen table clear across the courtyard from where the five of them currently sat, themselves.

"Yeah, right! Her folks should've named her 'Gonna-Getcha,' seeing as that's what she does to anyone who gets in her way," she remarked cruelly, narrowing her green eyes at the unsuspecting girl. "And just our luck that she has to have short red hair, like me and Court! People better not start accusing the two of us of rolling within the same crowd as that killer, now that she's here at our school!"

"Ugh, totally! 'Looks really nice,' my foot, Elle! As nice as a heart attack, you mean!" Courtney added, drumming her fingernails against the table upon locking eyes with a still visibly upset Elyon. "And, it's like I said before: She probably just saved you -- In front of a bunch of people, no doubt -- as part of a way to deflect what we all already know about her! If we all start to believe that she's some reformed, innocent little girl now, then everyone will be none the wiser when . . . wham!! She claims her next victim!"

Martin let out a startled cry at this, before cowering within his seat and staring worriedly towards Wilhelmina's lunch table in the distance.

"I wonder if it would be too late to transfer schools, myself. . . ." he whispered in fear, unconsciously beginning to roll up his formerly pristine comic book, and wrung it tightly in between his nervous hands.

Alchemy rested a calming hand upon one of Martin's own from across the table, before looking around the table at her friends.

"H-Hey, now . . . come on, you guys. Maybe . . . maybe Elyon's right, you know? I mean, how do we really know that what's been said about this girl to be true? A-And . . . even if it is, well . . . the juvenile hall she was placed within obviously thought she was rehabilitated well enough to be released back into society . . . right??" she tried to rationalize as best she could, while attempting to conceal her own look of trepidation which was currently riddled across her face.

Both disgusted, as well as fed up with her friends' cruel and, quite possibly, unfair remarks in regard to the new student known as Wilhelmina, Elyon abruptly stood from her seat.

"I can't take this anymore! If you all want to sit around and believe the silliest of stories about someone who, in my book, at least, is an honest hero, then that's fine! But I'm going over there right now, and I'm going to properly thank her for saving my life!" she stated firmly with a determined nod of her blonde head, promptly picking up her belongings and the rest of her lunch, leaving the table before any of her now taken aback companions could say a word.

She certainly didn't expect any of them to go after her, not after having effortlessly displayed each of their evident fear of the fairly tall redhead, and so she knew she was more or less on her own now.

But that's all right, because I'm sure that Wilhelmina isn't who everyone believes her to be . . . I hope, Elyon couldn't help but to think with a sheepish smile to herself, before promptly waving the momentary doubt away from her mind, as she slowly made her way over to the lone, young teenager in the nearing distance.

(TO BE CONTINUED IN NEXT PART, Act 4 Part III. . . .)