Chapter Four |
The Power Rangers
were headbanging to Limp Bizkit's "Break Stuff." They had the Scouts
in mind, of course. The Rangers were rewarded for their victory,
and right now they were supervising their captives, who were due to be
brainwashed in an hour.
"Red, so tell me how
the brainwashing process goes..." the Yellow (formerly Pink) Ranger
asked. The Red Ranger sighed and turned to his partner in crime.
"All we do is put this helmet on their heads. This blocks out any
outside noise. Then we go into this booth right here," the
ranger says, motioning to the booth in front of them, "and we tell them
a bunch of stuff about being a member of the society, and how they'll be
loyal to our cause and such. Simple, really."
Just then Horse Lady
stepped in. She was clad in an equestrian outfit, which meant that
she had come back from her daily ride. Horse Lady looked at the Rangers
proudly. "You've all done a very good job. Candy Fluff told
me to tell you to go on with the brainwashing, as he will be at a charity
dinner, and he won't be able to make it," she said.
The Rangers grinned
evilly and grabbed a fat old lady, who was sleeping. They clamped
the helmet on her head as Horse Lady stepped into the booth. The
Blue Ranger turned up the sound on the speakers as the Black Ranger turned
on Horse Lady's mike. Horse Lady tapped the microphone.
"I will begin, assuming
you can hear me." Horse Lady looked at the Yellow Ranger, who was
standing over the fat lady, who had woken up and looked incredibly scared.
Yellow Ranger gave her a thumbs-up sign. Horse Lady continued.
"You will pledge your loyalty to Princess Candy Floss and his cause.
His cause will be your cause. His cause is this--conquer the world."
The fat lady stared at the Rangers, wondering what the Horse Lady was talking
about...
***
The Sailor Scouts were
at the same park that day, feeding the pigeons. They were deciding
whether to go to Thorpe Park or to the shopping center.
"But Raye, I want to
go on a roller coaster. Please?" Serena begged. Raye
shook her head. "Look, we're going to the shopping center and that's
that. It costs too much money to go to some amusement park.
Besides, we have plenty at home." Serena sighed unhappily and leaned forward
to feed a fat pigeon some bread. Amy looked up from her pigeon.
"Look, we should
get some work done. This new enemy is going to be tough to beat, no matter
how ameteurish they may seem. The first thing we need is to find out who
the heck these people ARE. Raye, you and Serena should try to find their
hideout; or where their hideout may be. The rest of us will go back to
the Doe's and look up some more info on these people." Amy said. Raye looked
shocked. "Look for their hideout?! I can't find my way around London, Amy,
and you expect Meatball Head and me to search for their hideout?!" she
shrieked. Several passerbys stared at her in bewilderment.
"Raye, trying
can't hurt, can it? Besides, you won't get lost. You got around fine yesterday.
Don't worry; just take your communicator with you and we'll help you find
your way back if you get lost. Okay?" Amy replied. Raye nodded. "Okay,
let's get this show on the road, then." Raye said. The girls went their
seperate ways.
***
Serena and Raye
were taking a walk around downtown London, chatting about the new enemy.
Their search for the sociey's secret hideout was pretty unsuccessful, so
they had decided to take a leisurely walk. This was Serena's suggestion,
who was tired of looking at the manisons of lords and ladies.
"Serena, how
are we ever going to find this new enemy? I mean, they've already
captured a large number of people and brainwashed them. The society
has gotten even bigger, and I don't know if we can fight them." Raye
sighed.
"Raye, remember
when we first fought them? We can do it! So the charity dinner
was a disaster. We win some, we lose some. We're gonna get
them back, I promise. We just need to do some heavy duty investigating."
Serena replied. Raye sighed. "Okay, genius, where do we start?"
Raye asked. Serena put a finger on her chin and thought for a moment.
"Raye, I've got
an idea. Let's go consult the others about it." Serena grabbed
Raye and the two girls ran back to the Doe residence.
***
The scouts were
sitting in the Doe's family room, eagerly awaiting Serena's 'revelation'
(as she called it).
"Okay, lets think
back to the charity dinner. The four rangers burst in, took lots
of people, blah blah blah. These people are still missing--except
for one. One of them was captured, but appeared on television today.
Some horsey looking woman. She was the charity's president.
How could she have been captured if she was on tv this morning?"
Serena began.
"Hold, on, you're
not making any sense. Repeat that?" Raye said.
"What she means
is that last night at the charity dinner, a large group of people were
abducted by the four rangers, including the charity's president.
Remember, the charity's president was stuffed in a huge bag. So everybody
saw the rangers capture the president--yet the president was giving a speech
this morning about that charity. It was as if nothing ever happened."
Lita said. Mina looked up from her magazine.
"That is quite
interesting. Last night the news reported her missing, along with
a bunch of other people. Then this morning on the radio it was said
that she was at her home, safe and sound. She refused to say anything
about it in her speech." Mina said. Amy shook her head.
"Maybe she escaped.
I mean, that isn't so hard to believe, you know. The rangers are
obviously not seasoned criminals, and the last nights' abduction was sudden
and sloppy--I wouldn't be surprised if someone escaped from the rangers."
Amy said.
"Yes, but that
doesn't explain the society's membership growth. Not a lot of people
know about this little society of theirs." Raye said. Amy looked
shocked. "How do you know if their membership has grown or not?"
she asked. "I am a psychic you know. Well, I found out by accessing
your computer files. It said seventeen people were added to their
society. Seventeen people were abducted at the charity dinner--not
counting the horsey-looking charity president." Raye replied.
"What a perplexing
mystery. It's obvious that the charity president is a member of the
secret society. Think about it--first, she's kidnapped along with
seventeen other people. The next day, she's safe and sound, giving speeches
and stuff." Lita mused. The others nodded, each thinking about the situation
at hand. "Besides, one of the members is named Horse Lady. That charity
president was horsey looking. Maybe they're the same person." Lita continued.
***
It was meeting
time for the secret society. Again. Princess Candy Floss looked at the
seventeen brainwashed people. Calamity Jane, the secretary, was taking
notes, as usual.
"Welcome. You
seventeen people have a special position. You are all secret messengers
for the society. You will gather information about our enemies and report
it back to us. Right now our main enemy are those blasted Sailor Scouts.
Mr. Putter will give each of you a packet with information regarding your
specific target. Your job will be to shadow these targets, and give us
any information on them that might be useful to us." Princess Candy Floss
motioned to Mr. Putter, who handed a thick packet to each of seventeen
messengers.
"As for the Rangers
and Horse Lady--good job! I will be sure to reward you well for this first
victory. But first, I have a new assingment for the four Rangers. Seems
a group of Sailors called the Sailor Guardians are stirring up trouble
for us. We would have had twenty messengers if it hadn't been for them.
I want you to find them and get rid of them. I don't care which group of
Sailors you eliminate first--the Scouts or Guardians--but I want both of
them gone in two months' time." Candy Floss continued.
"Of course. We'll
get the job done. Mr. Putter, we'll need more information on the Sailor
Guardians and the Sailor Scouts. Do see if you can find out their real
identities and bases of operation." Horse Lady said (who pretty much decided
that she was in control of the four rangers). Mr. Putter nodded and opened
up his laptop.
***
Meanwhile, somewhere in London (not far from the Doe residence) a group of Sailor scout wannabes called the Sailor Guardians were assembled in an old, rundown, abandoned castle. At the moment there are four girls. They are as follows:
Tara Mercialli--Italian.
She is the self-proclaimed Sailor Earth, even though Tuxedo Mask represents
planet Earth. Tara does what she wants, and doesn't care. She is blond,
has blue eyes, and her hair is cut to look like Amy's hair. Her colors
are brown/red and green, and her sailor suit look suspiciously like Sailor
Mercury's suit--boots and all--but with the aforementioned colors.
Charlotte Tabeau--French.
Okay, so the last names are ridiculous. Actually, the girls named themselves.
No, Tara is not really Italian, and Charlotte isn't French. I did tell
you they were wannabes. Anyways, she's Sailor Europa. She has powers over
radiation and heat. So she says. She wears glasses and has shoulder-length
blond hair. Like Tara's, only longer. Her colors are sky blue and purple,
and her suit is also a ripoff of Sailor Mercury's suit--only her boots
are just a bit shorter.
Nayana Zaribou--the
token black one. She is Sailor Iapetus. She's also the coolest of the bunch.
She controls wind, sound, and air pressure (well, that's what she says).
She's not as much of a wannabe as the others.
Melissa Stranton--American.
Make that Texan. She has a cute southern accent and is proud to be an American,
which is why she didn't change her name. Her colors are maroon and green,
and since she couldn't find boots in her colors, she decided to wear these
really nice strappy sandals.
The Sailor Guardians
were sitting on the floor of the ballroom, discussing the secret society.
They knew more about it than the original Scouts.
"Okay, Melissa--so
what about this new plot Horse Lady and Candy Floss have come up with?"
Charlotte asked.
"Apparently the
fashion world is going crazy over Horse Lady's style. Ladylike, old
schoolmarm stuff. Well, this new American magazine called La Face
wants to do a fashion cover story on her. The issue should be out
tomorrow I think." Melissa answered in her thick Texan accent.
"Well, then it's
too late to do anything about it. I mean, we can't just take the
issues off the stands and burn them somewhere. We're going to have
to find out a way to stop this." Nayana complained.
"Let them acquire
more members. We'll observe the people who buy this issue.
Apparently there are subliminal messages in the photo spread--something
about poor people--and we'll figure out how to reverse the brainwashing.
So Melissa, you go to the bookseller and ask your cousin for the issue
and bring it back. We'll take a look at it and decide from there."
Tara said. Melissa nodded and stood up. "Nayana, you call the
Scouts' leader at the Doe's house--we're going to need their help," she
continued. The girls stood up and went their separate ways.
***
Melissa and Nayana
were at the bookseller, looking at the issue of La Face, which was out
the next day.
"Subliminal is
right. Look at this. Well, let's pay for this and find a pay
phone--we need to call the Scouts." Nayana said. Melissa nodded and
the girls went to the cashier counter. As Melissa paid for the magazine,
Nayana went outside and into a phone booth. She dialed the Doe's
phone number. Mrs. Doe answered.
"Hello, Mrs.
Doe, is Amy Anderson there?" Nayana asked.
"Sure.
Who is this?" came the reply.
"A friend...Nayana,"
answered Nayana.
"Hold."
A few seconds later Amy was on the phone.
"Hello Amy.
I'm Nayana--remember, we met over the Internet." Nayana began.
"Sure.
You're those other sailor soldiers--the Guardians, right?"
"Yes. So,
where can we meet?" Nayana replied.
"Um, your place
will be fine." Amy answered. Nayana gave Amy the directions and time,
and the two said their goodbyes and hung up.
***
Horse Lady and
Princess Candy Floss were in Candy Floss's secret office, going over their
new brainwashing plan.
"I hope this
works." Horse Lady sighed. Candy Floss frowned.
"Why can't I
see the pictures?" he demanded. Horse Lady rolled her eyes.
"Because it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait." she said.
Horse Lady and
Candy Floss had formulated this plan several months earlier. This
was to gain the first few members of their society, but aristocrats and
rich people were thrilled at the prospect of privacy in a secret society,
so they had joined anyway. Horse Lady had decided to go ahead with
the plan anyway--the more the merrier, after all.
Serena: Another episode, more
mysteries for us to solve. Luna, this is getting difficult.
Luna: Well, the secret society
is growing by the episode! You and Guardians are going to have to
work fast to defeat these people.
Serena: The Guardians--that's
right! They're new. It's always good to welcome new people
with open arms--whether they're new students, new club members, new neighbors,
or new family members.
Luna: That's right--always
welcome new people with open arms--after all, that's what you'd want if
you were new in town, right?
Serena: Right. Luna,
when are we going to transform? I'm gaining weight cos I haven't
gotten any proper exercise!
Luna: Soon...very soon.
Serena: Good--Sailor Moon
Says!