Serena and Lita abruptly stopped their singing and gaped at the Negamonstor.
    "Oh, no! It's a monstor!" Serena shrieked. Lita frowned grimly and shouted,
    "Jupiter Crystal Power!" she transformed into Super Sailor Jupiter and gave the monstor her Oak Evolution attack. The monstor was electrocuted by the electrically charged leaves. Super Sailor Jupiter jumped up and kicked the monstor, then gave it her Sparkling Wide Pressure attack to finish it off. The monstor wailed in anguish and then faded away.
    "That was pretty easy. I'm surprised." Super Sailor Jupiter said. Serena gaped in surprise.
    "Wow, Jupiter, you nailed that monstor! Let's go to your house." she said excitedly. Super Sailor Jupiter reverted to Lita and the two walked to Lita's house, singing their ribald version of "Wannabe".

    Fiona was pacing the floor, anxious for Lita to come home. She had just finished a tense phone conversation between herself and her husband, who wanted a separation.
    "Idiot. Wants a separation. Not a divorce, a separation, just for a little while so I can get help. I don't need help! I need a good foster kid, that's what I need!!" she muttered to herself. Lita burst into the house with Serena, the two laughing loudly. Fiona stormed to the front hall and snarled,
    "Where were you?? I've been waiting thirty minutes for you!" Lita stopped laughing and stared at Fiona. She then said, "Goodness, I'm sorry. We got talking to someone on the way and got held up." Serena nodded.
    "We were gonna do homework together." Serena said, dragging Lita by the hand and leading her upstairs before Fiona could say anything. The girls clambered up the staircase and into Lita's bedroom. The girls dumped their backpacks on the floor and sat on Lita's bed.
    "Oh, Lita, why does Fiona have to be so mean?" Serena whispered. Lita shook her head and raised her shoulders. Then, they heard thumping on the window. Lita walked over to the window to see Luna on the windowsill. Luna had come to Florida with the Tsukinos. Lita opened the window and let the cat in.
    "Girls, we're in trouble. The Negaverse has already struck!" warned Luna. Serena sighed.
    "Yes, Luna, we know. We were attacked by a negamonstor on the way here. It was easy to kill it. Lita did it all by herself." she said. "Good job, Lita. We also have another problem. Since we thought the evil had gone for good, you girls have separated - Trista attending a college in Canada, Darian taking courses in Washington, and the others scattered about Honshu. We need to find a way to get all of the Scouts together at a place where a Negaverse servant is, whether that place may be Tokyo or Pensacola. Scout Teleportation won't work with only a handful of you - and it won't be as effective. I'm going to talk to Artemis on this one - in the meantime, I will give you the other girls' e-mail addresses in case you need to contact eachother." Luna said.
    "Thanks, Luna. But we have the Communicators for that." Lita responded. "I know. But, for things like planning, you can keep in contact by e-mail. The Communicators can be for emergencies, like if you were lying in an alley with a broken arm - that sort of thing." Luna said.
    "And another thing, you guys, we need to persuade Fiona to get help. Her bulimia and self mutilation is getting out of hand and she could wind up hurting herself." Lita said.
    "Which makes her a good target for Queen Ziondra - the Negaverse could use the energy she puts into hurting herself for sinister purposes." Serena piped up. Luna's cat eyes widened.
    "Good point, Serena! I hadn't thought of that!" Luna exclaimed. Lita nodded.
    "I'll talk to her tonight." Lita said.

    That night Lita walked into the living room, where Fiona was gorging on a large chocolate cake.
    "Fiona? Before you yell at me for not going to bed on time, listen to what I have to say." Lita began nervously. Fiona looked at her, chewing her cake slowly. "I know you've been making yourself vomit, and cutting yourself and all that - it has to stop, or you're gonna hurt yourself. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but both David and I are worried about you - that's why he asked you to get help." Lita continued. Fiona glared at her.
    "There's nothing wrong with me. David just wants to marry Christina, that stupid broad who's his secretary. She's ugly, and she makes me sick." Fiona snapped. Lita sat down and looked at Fiona, thinking, maybe if I get her to talk her anxiety out, she might stop hurting herself.
    "Tell me about it - if you don't mind." Lita said. Fiona cut a piece of cake and stuffed it in her mouth, and then said,
    "Christina was always pining for David. They were high school sweethearts, you know. Well, I met him when we were in college. I was trying to get a degree in teaching high school, he was taking economics courses or something like that - he and Christina were dating at the time. Then he saw me. He completely fell for me. We started seeing each other behind that woman's back. Christina and I used to be good friends, until she found out about us. She dumped David and married some rich lawyer from Maryland. David and I graduated from college and got married a year later. Then, after Christina got divorced, she moved down here, to Pensacola. She applied for a secretary job at my husband's office, and the old love was sparked again. She must've been determined to get back at me for taking David in the first place. After I found out, I couldn't help but eat - eating and spending money was my outlet - my friend. Then, I'd get angry and want to stab David for being a jerk, but I'd take it out on myself instead." Lita nodded.
    "Fiona, why don't you leave him? I mean, David's a great dad and all, but you two are never going to be happy if you stay together." Lita said.
    "Are you kidding? That'd be letting Christina get what she wants - I mean, David's good to me and all, and that's why I need him - he's the only friend I've got! My parents didn't want me - my pathetic siblings only pretend to like me - I'm all alone in this world." Fiona cried angrily. Lita shook her head.
    "You're not alone. Hey - I'll be your friend. David's no friend if he's gonna lie to you like that." Lita said softly. Fiona's face fell. "Really?" she asked. Lita smiled.
    "Sure." Lita said. Fiona smiled, her deep blue eyes misting over.
    "Go to bed, you bad kid." she said in a good-natured voice. Lita walked upstairs and went to her bed, but she could not fall asleep - she heard the sound of vomiting in the bathroom.
    I know I can't cure her overnight - but in the name of Jupiter, she'll be a happy woman....someday. Lita thought determinedly

Back