Sailor Witches

Sailor Witches Ch 1

Runaway Trains

A teenage girl with red braided pigtails lay on her back staring at the sky in the pretty green fields of Ireland. Nestled next to her was her orange and white guardian cat, Lucky. Lucky was fast asleep. The girl, Lydia had been the scout of luck, Sailor Rainbow for some time. She spent most of her time searching for the legendary rainbow coins that give her more power and cleaning out haunted houses. The next coin to find was the blue but it was very difficult to find.

Sighing, Lydia closed her eyes. "I've searched everywhere. Where can that blasted coin be?"

Her mind went back to when she found the first one. It was on accident that she found it. It was in a building called the House of Blood. People all said it was haunted because it was so red. Believing that it had evil sprits, Sailor Rainbow went to investigate it.

Flashback

Sailor Rainbow shielded her eyes and she looked at the House of Blood, Lucky at her feet. At the top of her braided pigtails were white ribbons with diamond pony holders at the bottom. Her tiara gem and earrings were glistening diamonds. Fastened to her white choker was a shamrock. The top of her fuku was red and her skirt violet, the bows indigo. Green boots reached up to her thighs, ending in a three-humped style like clovers outlined in white. The soles of her boots were thick and sturdy like hiking boots. The three-sectioned sleeves were red, yellow and blue as the primary colors of the spectrum. Those of her gloves were the secondary colors: orange, green and violet. Her locket was a white circle with a shamrock in the middle. Unlike the other sailor scouts, her fuku was more colorful as to go with her sailor name.

"I see why they call it the House of blood." Sailor Rainbow said with a shudder. "Have you ever seen a house so red before?"

"No," said Lucky, looking up at her with his green eyes.

"Well, let's check it out," Sailor Rainbow said as she began walking to it. "Keep an eye out for anything peculiar."

"Of course," Lucky said.

As Sailor Rainbow got closer to the house, her white Shamrock Locket began flashing red. She stopped and looked at it. "Lucky, my locket!"

Lucky gasped, "How can that be?"

"I haven't seen it flash red since I was looking for the rainbow crystals," she went on. "But how?"

"This is getting weird," Lucky said. "Let's get in there. Maybe there's something in the house that your locket's reacting too."

"Hmm," she stepped to the front door and turned the doorknob--but it would not turn. "Blast!" She picked up her green shamrock booted leg and kicked the door down.

She stepped in and looked around. It was incredibly dark. Lucky came in and sniffed the floor.

"It doesn't smell like blood," he said.

"Is it paint?" Sailor Rainbow inquired.

"No."

Sailor Rainbow walked around the bottom floor and scratched a wall. "The walls aren't painted either."

"Let's keep looking," Lucky insisted. "We may find something."

"Right," Sailor Rainbow nodded and they began up the stairs. When they got on the second floor, Sailor Rainbow's locket flashed red faster and brighter. "Look at it go! Something in this place is definitely making my locket go off! But what?"

"I don't know," Lucky said, bewildered. "This is very strange."

"Well, I'm not leaving this place until I find out what!" Sailor Rainbow hissed as she walked down a corridor of armor suits set up along side the wall. "Everything here is red but I don't see any bodies or blood anywhere. This is not a house of blood."

Red eyes flashed in the empty armor she just passed and it seemed to come alive.

"Sailor Rainbow, look out!" Lucky warned.

Sailor Rainbow turned as the armor lifted its sword and swung it at her. She ducked right in time. "Or maybe it is!"

The armor walked forward and Sailor Rainbow hooted excitedly.

"All right, I was wondering when I was going to get some action!" she held her hand to her choker decoration. "STROKE OF LUCK!" her shamrock came off her choker and expanded two feet. She chucked it at the knight but it cut her shamrock in half with its sword.

"What the?" she demanded.

The armor swung at her again and she jumped out of the way. Lucky jumped and knocked its helmet off.

"It's empty," he said, "some force must be controlling it!"

"Leave this place!" the armor roared and a red light emitted from where its mouth should be.

"Not until I get what I'm looking for!" Sailor Rainbow summoned her shamrock wand. "RAINBOW SHAMROCK SHOWER!"

The shamrock shower had more effect than her stroke of luck attack but not enough. The flurry of shamrocks surrounded him and he swung his sword to slice through them.

"Leave the House of Blood!" the armor shouted.

"I dunt think so!" Sailor Rainbow hissed, "RAINBOW SHAMROCK WREATH!"

The shamrocks connected together and bounded his arms tightly to his body, forcing him to drop his sword. Rainbow ran, made a front handspring and pushed him down with her feet. "Okay, what is this place?" she demanded, keeping him on the floor. "Why is it so red? Just who are you?"

"I am the guardian of the red rainbow coin," he retorted, eyes and mouth flashing red. "I will not let you get it!" With a loud shout, he broke the wreath knocked her away.

"Rainbow coins?" Sailor Rainbow mumbled, shaking her head. "They're real?"

"Indeed. And I will keep them until the Rainbow Princess comes to claim them!" He brought his sword down to ram her through and she dodged out of the way just in the nick of time.

"But--that's who I am!" Sailor Rainbow cried. "I am the Rainbow Princess!"

"Liar!" he cried. "Leave before I run you through!"

"Sailor Rainbow, you must change yourself to the Rainbow Princess!" Lucky ordered, "use the Prism Crystal!"

"Yes," Sailor Rainbow said, pushing a statue in his way. "You want proof, tin can? I'll give you proof!"

Sailor Rainbow took out the Rainbow Prism Crystal and held it above her head. Seven different colored beams of light shot from the crystal all throughout the house and the empty amour pushed the statue off him and looked up at the light.

"Can it be?" he wondered aloud.

The beams swirled around Sailor Rainbow, changing her sailor fuku to her beautiful colored princess gown with off the shoulder sleeves starting with red through all the colors of the spectrum and ending with a golden skirt. Her tiara disappeared, showing the proof of her identity, her rainbow birthmark. When the transformation changed, she held the prism crystal in her hand.

"Now, do you believe me?" she demanded.

The red empty armor knelt at her feet respectfully. "Princess."

"So this is why this place is called the House of Blood," Princess Lydia said thoughtfully, "you are protecting the coin. And I believe the power of the coin changes the color of everything it ouches?"

"Indeed," he answered, "The coin came to me many years ago. It broke through the window and fell into this armor. It was what gave me life. It changed everything in this house to the color of red. I am to protect it until the Rainbow Princess defeats me and I give it up which you have clearly done. Now you must free me of the coin for I have been bonded to it for so long."

"Mmm," Princess Lydia said, holding out the Rainbow Prism Crystal. "I shall. Red rainbow coin, I demand that you come to me!"

The armor grunted and the color of red swirled around them like a tornado. The coin, to inches in diameter and two quarters of an inch think and deep red in color, came out of the neck of the armor. The armor, without the coin to control it anymore, collapsed to the ground in pieces and changed back to silver.

Lydia looked at it in surprise, "I guess...the very power of it made it stand and everything..."

"Now we know that the myth of the seven rainbow coins that left a pot of gold centuries ago is true," Lucky grinned.

"Yes. Amazing."

"Activate its power," said Lucky with a smile. "Summon its powers."

Princess Lydia nodded and pulled it her chest with the prism crystal. Her princess gown changed back to her sailor fuku. She was anxious to get new powers again, like the rainbow crystals gave her before.

"RED COIN ACTIVATION!"

The red color of the house began glowing and began to sink into Sailor Rainbow's body, as if she were a giant sponge dipped into a bowl of water. Her whole body and fuku were flashing red madly like a faulty stoplight. Lucky watched in astonishment. Sailor Rainbow's locket opened up and the rainbow crystal settled inside but the rainbow coin remained in her hands. The red sections of her sleeves and her red vest flashed and the white parts of her fuku were glowing red. The white outline of her boots seemed down, the green breaking off and the three clover like humps evening out into one. A red stripe appeared at the tops of her boots. The green shamrock of her choker and brooch changed into green hearts as the white choker and brooch became red. Her earrings and tiara changed from diamonds to rubies, now shaped like hearts. The white bows changed to red and the diamond ties changed to heart-shaped rubies like her earrings and tiara gem. Instead of a gold belt appearing across her like it did when she got the rainbow crystals, the rainbow coin went into her brooch and settled on the inside of her lid. The brooch closed and the white parts of her fuku stopped flashing red.

"Lucky--look!" Sailor Rainbow cried out, looking her self over. "New powers again!"

"Bravo! How do you feel?" he asked. "Is it like the rainbow crystals?"

"No--I feel stronger, Lucky," Sailor Rainbow answered, "stronger." She looked at her brooch, "see? Now there's a heart on my brooch. Back when I first got the red crystal there was still a shamrock on it. Oh, Lucky! This is great! Come, let's go tell Madam Indigo!"

Sailor Rainbow ran out of the House of Blood, which now looked like a normal house.

End Flashback

Sailor Rainbow sighed and remembered about the times she found the other rainbow coins. She found the orange in a fire, the yellow in a field of giant sunflowers and she didn't find the green one. Fiore--her love from outer space--found the green coin when he came to Earth back when Princess Kaguya threatened it.

'Fiore said he found it in a forest,' she thought to herself.

Finding the coins became difficult with each one. She has been searching diligently for it since she came back from Japan visiting her friends. How come she hasn't found it yet? She sighed.

"Lucky, I'm at a loss finding the blue coin," she said to her cat as she sat up. "I've looked everywhere for it."

"Don't worry," Lucky said, perking up his head, "we'll find it."

"Isn't there anything more to the myth?" Lydia asked hopefully, "yeh know, something that will give us a clue to find them?"

"I'm afraid not, Lydia," he said. "We would certainly find it quicker."

"Hmm," Lydia scratched her ginger head; "there's a pattern every time I find the coins."

"Pattern?"

"Yeah," she said, "I mean, the coins have the power to change the color of its surroundings--or it blends in with that color. The red coin in that house of blood, orange in the fire--now if I can just find something very, very blue, maybe I'll find the coin."

"Good thinking," Lucky said as he sat up. "Let's think, what is very, very blue around here?"

Lydia looked up, "well, the sky is...but you don't' think it would be floating up there, would you?"

"Not unless it's in a bluebird," Lucky muttered.

"A bluebird!" she exclaimed, furious, "Do you know how long it would take me to search every bluebird's stomach for the coin?"

"Relax." He said, "It can't be up there."

"Then where is it?" she demanded, jumping to her feet. "This is driving me out of me mind!"

"Well, there's water," he suggested, "and maybe it would be in a building that is very blue--like the House of Blood. Only it would be called like, oh, I don't know..."

Lydia looked around and then her eyes caught on one of the mountains. "Lucky, look at that mountain," she said, pointing. "See how blue it is?"

Lucky stared at it, "hmm, it is bluer than the ones around it."

"The coin may be inside the mountain," she said hopefully, "well, only one way to find out!"

She brought out her brooch and held it up. "RAINBOW GREEN CRISIS POWER!"

Her colorful fuku appeared on her petite body now with red to green stripes on her thigh high boots. Her indigo bows lengthened to ribbons like a super sailor scout and a golden belt with a green star appeared, matching her green stared brooch. Her three sectioned sleeves were slightly transparent, yet were still the primary colors. Her green choker had the new decoration of a golden coin as her earrings and tiara gem were star-shaped emeralds. Now she had upgraded to the level of a super sailor scout but there were more coins to be found.

"Let's find that coin!" Super Sailor Rainbow exclaimed. "RAINBOW GREEN GLIDER!"

Her green star brooch flashed and a green star shaped glider appeared a foot over the ground. She jumped on and Lucky leaped to her shoulder and her glider took off with amazing speed as it rose up ten feet in the air.

On the way to the mountain, Sailor Rainbow thought of how wonderful it would feel to catch a new coin, hold it in her hand and to use whatever new powers it would give her. Clouds grouped overhead and began to sprinkle. But a little rain was not going to stop her from getting the coin. Soon the sprinkling became a downpour and she saw a strange bird--somewhat like a vulture with a greenish-black feathers--flying above them.

"Hey, what kinda bird is that?" she inquired, pointing.

"I don't know," eh said, "I've seen them a few times--always in the rain."

The bird gave a long; mournful like call as it soared above and Super Sailor Rainbow turned her gaze back to the mountain. She flew over a train track and finally made it to the mountain.

Sailor Rainbow rose up to twenty feet but then she stopped as if she hit a force field. "Lucky!" she exclaimed, "My glider--it can't go any higher! I'm going to have to climb the rest of it myself."

"Be careful, girl," Lucky warned. "It's awfully steep and the rocks will be slippery. Use your rope!"

"Got it," she said. "RAINBOW RED ROPE!"

Her brooch opened and her red coin came into place, glowing and a red rope extracted from it, shooting up the mountain and tightening itself around a tree. Sailor Rainbow tugged on it to make sure it was secure and tied it around her waist. Hands on the rope, she began walking up the mountain. As she climbed, she noticed that her brooch remained green.

'Strange,' she thought to herself, grunting as she pulled herself up, 'if this is where it is--it should be flashing blue now.'

Sailor Rainbow continued to climb up the mountain. It wasn't an easy task and her muscles were tired when she reached the top. She grabbed the grass and plants around her to get upand she knelt on the ground for a while to catch her breath.

"Whew," she sighed. She turned to the edge and called to Lucky. "I made it, Lucky!"

"Well done, lassie!" he called. "Do you see anything?"

"Not yet!" she hollered down as she untied the rope. "I'll look around."

Super Sailor Rainbow got to her feet and started walking around the mountain. Her brooch was still not blinking blue. But if it wasn't here, then why did it look blue? Was it some kind of test?

"Hello!" Super Sailor Rainbow exclaimed, "Great blue guardian of the rainbow coins, I call upon you!"

She waited for an answer, turning around. When none came she called out again.

"I command you come and show yourself," she shouted, looking around the mountain. "I've come to claim the Blue Rainbow Coin! Come out!"

She waited a few moments and sighed. It wasn't here. She failed again.

"It's not here, Lucky!" She exclaimed, walking back to the edge. "I climbed up this stupid mountain for nothing!"

"It's all right," he called up, "we'll look again tomorrow. Come on down."

Super Sailor Rainbow picked up her rope and wrapped it around her waist again. Then she heard Lucky shout.

"Sailor Rainbow, there's someone on the train bridge!"

"What?" she looked out and saw a boy carrying boxes, walking on the train bridge over the river coming toward them. She saw steam in the sky. A train was approaching. "Oh no!"

She walked to the edge of the mountain, "Hey you there! Start running and don't look behind you! A train is coming!"

"What?" the boy walking on the bridge stopped. Then he heard the train blow its horn. "Oh no..." he made a mistake and looked behind him, screamed and threw his boxes over the edge. He stepped to the side and his foot got stuck. "I'm doomed!"

"I've got to go down and save him," Super Sailor Rainbow jumped off the mountain, her arms out stretched.

The boy gasped when he saw a ginger haired girl with braids in white leotard mini skirt and thigh high boots. He recognized her at once from the description he heard in the stories.

"Sailor Rainbow," he breathed. "She is real!"

"The train is coming behind you," she said when she landed on the train bridge. She started running toward him and the rope around her waist pulled her back. "Ah, the rope!" she untied it quickly. "Get over here, now!"

"I can't--I'm stuck!" he cried. "I'm a gonner--oh--I knew I heard a banshee last night!"

"You're not going to die!" Super Sailor Rainbow shouted, running toward him. She put her arm around him as she reached her hand between the rails and popped out his lodged foot. She looked up just in time to see the train coming closer. There was no time for her to run back to even call her glider. There was only one way to go. "Hold on!" she shouted and holding the boy tightly, she jumped off the bridge just as the whizzed passed them.

"Are you crazy?" he demanded. "You're going to kill us!"

"No I won't," she said, "RAINBOW..."

Her brooch flashed red, orange, yellow and green and the brooch opened and the four coins flew out, glowing.

"MESHED..."

The coins began rapidly shooting beams of light every which away. The beams then became thick strings, creating a simple and perfect safety...

"NET!"

Once the net was completed, the coins flew back into her brooch and they landed into the net. The boy gave a sigh of relief--until it sprang once and like a trampoline, they were erupted back into the air. The boy screamed and Super Sailor Rainbow hollered. They flew up over the side and came onto the ground, rolling around. The last cars of the train just went by.

Super Sailor Rainbow grunted and lifted herself up. "Yeh all right?"

"Think so," the boy groaned, rubbing his head.

Super Sailor Rainbow came to her feet and held out her hand. He took it and she helped him up.

"Cheers," he said.

"Don't mention it," she said. "Now be careful of trains."

"I will for now on," he admitted. He gasped and turned around. "Oh no, my packages! My father will kill me!"

The boxes he dropped flew up over the side, landed in his arms with such great force he fell onto his back again.

"Ouch." He said.

"Well, you've found them," Super Sailor Rainbow laughed. She walked away. The boy thought a minute and the recent events just sank in. Did Super Sailor Rainbow just save his life? Was he with her now or what it all just a dream? Dream or not--he had to say something!

The boy put his boxes down and got up. "Hey wait! Sailor Rainbow!"

"Mmm?" she looked over her shoulder.

"It's so nice to finally meet you," he said, blushing. "I've heard--amazing things about you--you know, well, it's great to see meet ya."

"Well, it's always nice to meet a fan," Super Sailor Rainbow said, turning back around. "And you are?"

"I'm Seamus Finnigan."

"Well," she smiled, her hand on a hip and her other hand up, thumb over her middle finger, pointer finger slightly raised. "Seamus Finnigan, the next time yeh hear a banshee scream, maybe you'll think differently, eh?"

He grinned, "yeah. So, will I see you again?"

"Maybe." She turned back around, Lucky at her heels. "RAINBOW GREEN GLIDER!" Lucky jumped onto the glider and Super Sailor Rainbow looked over her shoulder again, grinning. "If you're lucky!"

She hopped onto her glider, waved at Seamus Finnigan and flew away.

"Bye Sailor Rainbow!" he cried, running after as he waved back. He stopped when Super Sailor Rainbow disappeared in the rain. In a few moments the rain stopped and the sun came back out. A vast rainbow spread around the sky. Seamus took in a deep breath and folded his arms.

"Maybe if you're lucky," he replayed her words in his mind.

A grin spread across his lips. He hoped he would get really, really lucky, really, really soon.

Sailor Witches

Chapter 2

Serena's New Job

Darien and Serena were on a date during Darien's lunch break. Darien kept checking his watch. "Are you finished yet, Serena?" he asked.

"Darien, I'm eating as fast as I can," she muttered after swallowing a mouthful and she bit off a piece of bread, "faster than usual."

"I have to be back in ten minutes," he said edgily.

"You're working a lot now, Darien," Serena said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you," Darien smiled. "I've been promoted."

"Promoted?" she choked on her drink. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I've been given a raise and..."

"I know what promoted means!" Serena snapped, "My dad's trying to get a promotion. But...how'd you get promoted? Right when you finished school?"

"My boss wants me to work more," he shrugged, "I'll be going full time now."

"Great!" she cried. "Just perfect! I sacrificed my summer plans to spend more time with you and you tell me this now?"

"Serena, I forgot, sorry."

Serena groaned.

"I can see you on the weekends," he said, taking her hand and she wrenched it away. "Don't be mad."

"You know, I shouldn't get in your way." Serena said, wiping her mouth on her napkin.

"You're not--,"

"You've been demoted," Serena muttered.

"Huh?"

"We're through!" Serena shouted, rising to her feet. "You're supposed to be my past, present and future but if you can't make time for me then I guess maybe you really don't care for me!"

"But I do!" he stood up. People paused and looked at Serena with Darien. "You're embarrassing me!" he hissed, looking around.

"Oh great, now I'm embarrassing you!" Serena grunted, "You know Darien, I'm starting to think we don't deserve each other. We probably never did in the first place!"

"Would you just calm down?" Darien demanded.

"Calm down?" Serena cried, "How can I calm down? Forget it. If you're going to be like this then I don't want to be with you." She grabbed her bag, "I guess I'll have more time watching TV instead!" Serena ran out of the restaurant.

"Serena, wait!" He turned around and sighed. He checked his watch. He'd better be getting back to work now. He put the money on the table and walked out of the restaurant, hands in his pockets.

"I'll give Serena a couple of days," he said to himself. "She'll be all right."

--

But Darien was wrong. Serena was serious about not wanting to see Darien again. They've been fighting for weeks now and their relationship was the pits. Serena thought that once summer came they could salvage whatever what was left but she couldn't do that when he was going to be at work fulltime. Good thing Rini went back to the future or she'd be getting an earful from her future daughter. She didn't want to have to deal with it.

She had done the right thing. She knew it. But why did she feel so horrible inside.

Serena groaned and rubbed her eyes. But summer just started. What was she going to do for the whole summer? She couldn't spend all of it watching TV. She saw OsaP Jewelry--the jewelry Mrs. Baker--Molly's mother owned.

"Hello, Sahenah!" Molly said cheerfully.

"Hi," Serena said, looking around.

"Are you okay?" Molly frowned and walked toward her. "You look sad."

"I um," Serena kept her lip firm. "Broke up with Darien."

"I'm so sorry!" Molly exclaimed.

"It's for the best, Moll," Serena sighed and walked to a display of earrings.

"Whatcha looking foh?" Molly inquired.

"A present for Lydia," she answered, "Her birthday's the 23."

"Oh yeah, that's right!" Molly said. "Need a hand?"

"Sure," Serena said, "Lydia already has tons of good luck charms so I have to be careful not to get her something she's already got."

"Yeah, I remember the box she had," Molly said thoughtfully. "Hey, here's a charm bracelet just like the one she had in there!" Molly exclaimed, picking up a gold chain bracelet with a rainbow, a horseshoe, a rabbit's foot, a wishbone, a four-leaf clover and a Celtic-love knot.

"I really like that one," Serena said, "It was one of my favorites. I wonder if she'll mind if I borrow it. I need all the good luck I can get."

"You must be really having a hard time, huh Sahenah?"

"Yeah."

Molly smiled and laid her hand over Serena's. "It's okay. All ya need is time."

Serena smiled. Not too long ago she was giving love advice to Molly when she lost Nephlyte and here was Molly, doing the same for her.

"You're right, Molly," Serena nodded.

Molly went to the necklaces. "Hmm, if her birthday's the 23rd then that will make her a Leo. We got a new shipment of zodiac pendants couple of days ago."

Serena walked over. "Hey those are really pretty!"

"I know," Molly nodded, "They're quiet populah. Oh, Leo, here we go!" Molly pulled the pendant off the hook and showed it to Serena.

It was a golden lions head on a gold chain. Serena turned it over. "I bet Lydia doesn't have this. Hey, I think I'll get mine too. Do you have any Cancers left?"

"Yeah, sure," Molly said. She picked off a Cancer necklace and handed it to her. She led Serena to register and she noticed a HELP WANTED sign on the counter as she put her money down.

"You're hiring?" Serena inquired.

"Yeah," Molly nodded. "Now that summer's here we've gotten busy and Mom wants to go on vacation soon. We'll need to get more people before we go though."

"Is your mom around?" Serena asked.

"Yeah, she's in the stockroom sorting out today's shipment. Why?"

"Well, since I won't be spending time with Darien anymore," Serena began, "I need something to do. Maybe I can work with you!"

Molly smiled. "I'll go and get her!"

Mr. Baker was happy to have a break from the stockroom. She led Serena to her office to talk.

"I know I might not have any experience," Serena began. "But I'll have plenty of time."

"I'm sure you already know enough about jewelry," Mrs. Baker said, "and Molly can show you the ropes."

'Wow, that was quick,' Serena thought. "You don't want a list of references or anything?"

"You've been friends with Molly for years," Mrs. Baker smiled, "I'm practically one myself."

"I'll just have to tell my parents first." She said, twiddling her thumbs. "But I'm sure they'll be okay with it."

"Good," Mrs. Baker nodded and yawned. "Goodness! Excuse me!"

"You look awfully tired," Serena said. "You need some rest."

"I'll be able to once we take a vacation," she said sleepily. "If you're parents give you permission, then we'll see you tomorrow morning then. You can start in the stockroom. We'll have you start off doing part time for now."

"Wow!" Serena jumped up, "Thank you Mrs. Baker!"

"We'll make a nametag for you," Mrs. Baker said as Serena shook her hand. She came out of the office.

"Your mom says I've got the job!" Serena announced.

"Congratulations!" Molly cried, hugging her. "You'll love it, Serena!" She grabbed Serena by the hand. "Let me show you around really quick while it's slow..."

"I just hope my parents are up to it!" Serena said.

--

"Absolutely not!" Mrs. Tsukino exclaimed at dinner as she slammed the pot of soup down, soup slopping out of the top. "You're too young to hold a job!"

"But Mom," Serena groaned, "They could really use the help! You should've seen Mrs. Baker. She was exhausted!"

"Why do you think you need a job, Serena?" Mrs. Tsukino demanded.

Before Serena could explain, her nosy, annoying brother Sammy spoke. "Maybe because she's not seeing her boyfriend anymore."

"You little twit!" Serena exclaimed.

"Boyfriend?" Mr. Tsukino cried, his hand slipping off the back of his chair and he fell to the ground.

"Oh, Dad, are you okay?" Serena asked in shock.

"What boyfriend?" Mr. Tsukino demanded, jumping to his feet, his voice rising as he interrogated his teenage daughter. "What's his name? How old is he? Where does he live?"

"His name's Darien," Serena answered, "and we broke up today so it doesn't matter! Jeez! I was asking about a summer job anyway!"

"What do you think, honey?" Mrs. Tsukino inquired her husband. "Do think Serena has enough experience to work at a jewelry store?"

Mr. Tsukino sighed and sat down, his mind still on the boyfriend matter. "Job?"

"I think it's a good idea," Sammy said, "She won't be home to hog the TV."

"You're not helping!" Serena spat at her brother.

Mr. Tsukino rubbed his temples. "When did Mrs. Baker say you could start?"

"Tomorrow morning," she answered.

"And your shifts?"

"Huh?"

"How many hours a week will you be working?" He rephrased.

Serena tapped her chin, "Uh, she said I'll be doing part time to start with."

"I see. What about benefits?"

"Honey, she's already under our insurance," Mrs. Tsukino said.

"Do you get an employee discount or anything?" Mr. Tsukino inquired.

"Oh yeah," Serena said, "Twenty percent."

"Really?" Serena's mother breathed, "Hmm, I may consider applying myself."

Mr. Tsukino glanced at his wife and back at Serena. "You can have this job Serena," he said slowly, "if you promise not to see this Darien again!"

"But I broke up with him already!" Serena half laughed. "I told you that."

"And not just other him, but other boys!" He cried. "I'll have less chances of having a heart attack with you having a summer job than you getting--,"

Mrs. Tsukino broke in quickly, looking nervous, "Oh, she'll be too busy for boys."

"Yeah!" Serena exclaimed. "I can buy my own jewelry for now on!"

"But remember to do your chores around here." Her mother said.

"No problem, Mom!" Serena said excitedly.

"And now that you've got a job," Sammy added, "you won't be bored."

"I know," Serena added. "I'll have tons of fun working at OsaP--you bet I will! I won't be bored at all! Nope, nope, nope!"

--

THREE DAYS LATER

"I'm bored, bored, bored, BORED!" Serena groaned with her head on the counter.

"So tell me," Raye began, "Why are we here again?"

"I thought you might want some extra cash," Serena retorted. "Sorry."

After Serena's first day at OsaP, she excitedly called a special scout meeting and told them they had to apply. They were all up for it, except for Raye. They all insisted that she come.

"Thank you so much for telling us about this, Serena," Ami said, rearranging some bracelets in one of the glass displays. "I may be able to save enough money for another computer class."

"You're welcome," Serena mumbled.

"Yeah, it's fun watching what people buy," Mina added and a hunky guy came in. She gasped and ran to him. "Hello, sir, can I help you?"

"Yes, I um," he said nervously, "I'm here to buy a ring."

Her eyes perked up, "an engagement ring, may I ask?"

"Yes."

"Right this way!" she said excitedly, leading him to the diamond rings. "These are our best ones. Wow, I'm so excited for you. Congratulations! Has she already said yes?"

"N-no," he said, "but I hope she will."

A young woman walked in and Lita walked to her. She was the best salesperson of the group. "Good day, madam! What can I do for you?"

"Well, I'm looking for a present for my grandma." She said thoughtfully.

"Then you've come to the right place!" Lita chirped and showed her the sales. She picked up a teddy bear pin. "Isn't this just the cutest thing ever? You will find no better bargain, no better bargain!"

"That is cute!" she exclaimed, "My grandmother collects teddy bears. I'll take it!"

Serena face faulted. That was the fastest sale she ever witnessed Lita make. She even finished her sale before Mina!

"I can help you right here," Lita said cheerfully as she led her to the counter, scanned the item and gift wrapped it for her. The young lady paid for her purchase and left. "Have a nice day!" Lita said.

"Thank you," the young woman said, "you too!"

"Wow Lita," Ami said, "that's the third sale you made today and it's not even lunchtime yet."

"Yeah, the store's been busy today, hasn't it?" Lita inquired with a grin.

Mina kept picking up a diamond ring, showing it to her customer and putting it back. "Too flashy, okay, how about this one? No...okay..."

Lita chuckled, "poor thing. I think she's trying too hard."

The door jingled and Lita put on her business face, "Hello and welcome to OsaP! Can I help you?"

"Hi Lita," said a familiar voice.

"Oh, hi Darien," Ami said, looking up from the counter.

"When did you guys start working here?" he asked.

"Since Meatball Head told us it was the best place to work at in the city," Raye muttered, jabbing her thumb in Serena's direction.

Darien turned his gaze to Serena, "Serena, you're working here now?"

"Yeah," she answered, not so business like. "So, what do you want, Darien?"

"Um," he said, scratching his head.

"Our sales items are to your right," she indicated, "but that shouldn't be a problem after your promotion, would it?"

Darien looked to the sales items and back at Serena, "n-no, guess not."

The girls watched Serena closely, even Mina as she continued to help her customer.

"Well, are you going to buy anything?" Serena demanded, "That is why you came in here, isn't it?"

Darien looked uncomfortable. He had come in to find a gift for Serena to patch things up but he had no idea she'd still be upset and she'd gotten a job. 'Maybe she's not over it yet,' he thought.

"I hope you came in to get a present for Lydia," Serena muttered. "her birthday's on the 23rd, you know."

"Er, yeah, that's it," he said. He had nearly forgotten about Lydia's birthday. Now was a good as time as any to get her a present. "Lydia's present."

"Well you know she's got tons of good luck charms," Serena muttered, "and I already gotten her a Leo pendant," she motioned to the zodiac pendants behind him. "But I'm sure you can find something."

"Oh, okay," he said and he walked around the room aimlessly, careful not to look at Serena's eyes.

"Serena, what is up with you?" Raye demanded.

"What?"

"You were totally cold to Darien," she hissed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, walking to the stockroom. "If you excuse me, I have work to do."

"Here, Darien, let me give you a hand," Lita smiled, walking to him.

Serena joined Molly in the stockroom. "Hi Saharah, how do ya like the front countah?"

"I think I prefer the stockroom," she said, opening a cardboard box. "You don't have to deal with nasty customers."

"Oh no," Molly mumbled, concerned, "what happened?"

"Darien's up front," she explained.

"Is he really?"

"Yeah," she said, "must be his day off or something."

"You're still angry with him?"

"Well, sort of," she mumbled. "I don't know--but I don't think--we deserve each other anymore. It's kind of complicated, Moll."

"I see."

"Anyway, I'm having a more productive summer with this job than I would with Darien anyway." She insisted.

"Yeah, you've been a real help," Molly smiled. "We're planning on going on our vacation in a couple of days--if--if that's all right. We have to talk about it."

"No, I think you should go!" Serena exclaimed. "You have people to help you now. You have two managers and your mother has an interview with a new person for management and I'm still telling people about this place. You two need a vacation."

"Yeah, all right."

Serena finished a filling a tray of jewelry and paused before going up front. She waited by the door and listened for Darien's voice.

"Lydia will like that, Darien," she heard Lita say.

"Okay, thanks," he said. "See you around."

The door jingled and he was gone. Serena sighed and walked back in, placing the jewelry on the 'new items' counter. Mina's customer had already left. She was putting the diamond rings back.

"Did he pick one out?" Serena asked, trying to cover everything up.

"No," Mina answered. "Said he'd look around some more."

"Serena, why were you--well--not all that happy to see Darien like you usually are?" Lita inquired.

"Because," Serena retorted, placing down a bracelet, "we broke up."

"You what?" the four girls echoed in disbelief.

"For heaven sakes, Serena, what for?" Raye demanded.

"Just drop it, all right?" Serena snapped over her shoulder, trying to keep her tears under control. "It's just better this way. I don't want to talk about it right now. Let's just get to work!"

The rest of the day dragged on. Serena thought about Darien. 'You're doing the right thing, Serena,' she told herself mentally as she borough new merchandise to the front counter. 'You'll get over it soon enough. Maybe you'll meet someone else--if Dad doesn't go mad.'

--

Molly and her mother left for their week vacation to New Zealand in four days. Mrs. Baker was a little "worried" about her store but Serena insisted that it was in good hands. There were two new people in management and plenty of more workers. Serena had enough time to work and play around. Thanks to Lita's impeccable skill and making sales, she was given an award and was placed at the front as her permanent permission. She made more sales than most of the workers. Serena remained in the stockroom with Raye and Ami. The store was having amazing business and Serena was ecstatic when the big day came for her paycheck.

"All right," said Mr. Honda. "I bet you've all been waiting for this." He said as he picked up the envelopes. "I just want to thank you all first for your hard work while Mrs. Baker has been away. You've done a good job!"

There was applause and he handed out the paychecks. Serena ripped it open. It was huge! She never saw so much money. What should she spend money on first? The mall? The arcade?

The other girls gasped in surprise as they looked at their paychecks. They felt such power in the piece of paper.

"Let's go celebrate!" Mina grinned. "To the mall, girls!"

On their day off, the girls went to the mall and bought new clothes and the things they've always wanted. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, except for Serena.

'It's not the same without him,' she thought sadly, looking at a cozy coffee place they used to go all the time. She sighed and blinked. 'Get a hold of yourself, Serena. You're free! No more having to wait around for Darien. You have the freedom to flirt! It's okay now. Flirt! Flirt! Go crazy!'

Serena looked manically around for the nearest boy. She saw a group of cute boys hanging outside a music store. She grinned and cleared her throat, checking to see if she was decent. She sniffed her arm pits and smoothed her hair and walked as attractively as possible to the group of cute boys.

"Hello!" Serena said, flirtatiously. "My name is Serena!"

"Uh, hi," said a red haired boy.

"So um," Serena moved her foot side to side in a flirtatious, thinking sort of manner. "So, do you work here?" she pointed at the music store.

"I do," said a dark haired boy. Of course he was. It was obvious by his shirt and nametag.

"Oh, yes," Serena said, looking at his badge, "Tommy."

"How do you like it?" she asked.

"It's all right," he said with a shrug. "You thinking of applying?"

Serena noticed the help wanted sing. Dang! She was already working. Too bad she hasn't come to the mall first and she could work with a cute guy.

"I'd love to but," she began, "just got a new job this summer. I work at OsaP Jewelry store."

"Nice," he said.

"Hey, look at those cute guys Serena's talking to!" Lita told the other girls.

"Yeah," Mina said, "she can't have them all to herself, even if she has broken up with Darien. Come on!"

"But guys, she's talking with them," Ami said nervously, "It's rude to--interrupt--their conversation."

"It's not interrupting," Raye insisted, pushing the shy blue-haired girl forward, "it's joining!"

"Hey, Serena," Lita said, "Who are your friends?"

"Well this is Tommy," Serena began, "and..."

The guys smiled and introduced themselves. They had a good ten-minute conversation about school and their jobs and their hobbies.

"Well, my break's over," Tommy said, checking the clock "see you around. Bye."

"Bye Tommy!" Serena said, waving.

"Hey," said the red haired boy named Adam. "We were on our way to Joe's Pizza. Wanna come?"

"Sure!" Lita exclaimed.

"Cool," said a blond named Derek.

They went to have pizza together. Serena couldn't believe what was happening. She has been for single for two weeks and here she was now with a bunch of boys having pizza. Of course, her friends were with here but she was the one who found them and started talking them. Serena grinned. 'Yeah...I'm the girl every boy wants.' She thought to herself as she nibbled on her pizza. 'No one can resist me! I don't need Darien anymore!'

After pizza they cruised the mall together, window shopping and really shopping. She nearly gave her number out until she remembered what her dad told her about boys. Okay, maybe it will be a while until she goes on a date. But Serena was slowly but surely getting used to being single. She felt better now that she was on her own. Serena felt better than she had in a long time and wondered why she hadn't done it earlier. Her future was in front of her and this time, she was in charge of it.

To Be Continued