Hi again! Here's another one-shot result from me and KellyLou. Please Read and Review!!!! Enjoy
Disclaimer : We don't own anything, except our own insanity.
Pocket Training
It was a gloriously sunny day, perfect for picnics in the park, outdoor swimming and consumption of large quantities of ice-cream. An activity Serena wished she was doing, but was instead at Rei's shrine along with the other girls and her Prince, Darien. They were grouped around two cats, one white, one black, both with crescent moons on their heads.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice." Luna began. "The reason you're here is to do some warrior training."
"If it's warrior training, why am I here?" Darien put in.
All of the girls, bar Ami, glared at him.
"Darien," Serena started with forced sweetness, "if we have to suffer training then so do you." The heads of the other three humans involved in the conversation nodded in strong agreement with Serena's statement.
"Luna, if you don't mind my asking, what is this training meant to be and how long will it take?" Ami asked.
"The training will take as long as it needs to Ami." was the curt reply.
"Aw man, that's so not fair!" Mina whined.
"Mina no need to whine." Artemis grumbled.
"Oh dear!" Ami exclaimed. "I hope it won't take me too long. I am so behind in my studying that I am only seven chapters ahead."
Everyone sweatdropped.
"Ami, I'm sure you have no need to worry about falling behind." Lita commented.
"Well enough chit chat!" Artemis declared. "Let's get on with it."
"Right." Luna nodded. "You will be learning how to use your sub-space pockets." She said looking at the group. However her gaze was met with six blank faces.
"Uh, what?" Rei asked dumbfounded.
Artemis sighed, dropping his head, imagining the pain he was soon likely to go through with the warrior's frustrations. "Now girls –"
*cough*
"- and guy" Artemis continued. "This is a part of your training that will be a big benefit to you all."
"How so?" Rei queried.
"Well, you can put any size of item away in your pocket, and an unlimited number of them." He answered.
The girls instantly sat up straighter when they heard this, Darien however, didn't. If anything he seemed to slouch further down into the cushion he was currently sitting upon. "Really?" both Mina and Serena asked together.
"Think of all the clothes and shoes I could have in it." Mina dreamily stated with stars in her eyes.
"Think of all the sweets I could have in it for emergencies!" Serena exclaimed, a mirror image of her friend.
"All my textbooks." Came Ami's wistful sigh, to which the others would have giggled if they were not so busy wondering what they would be able to store in their 'pockets'.
"All my shopping." Rei said before she placed a finger on her chin and added, "And a few special items." Before giggling.
"What? You mean I actually can pack the kitchen sink? Awesome!" Lita yelled with a fist in the air.
Darien gave no further outward reaction, but was currently wishing for the floor to open up and swallow him whole.
"Darien, you're rather quiet about all this. Anything you wish to add?" Luna asked dryly.
"No." He answered a tad too quickly. "Nor do I need to practise."
Everyone looked at him confused, but no one asked why he believed this to be the case. Their attention was re-directed back to Artemis when he gave a slight cough.
"Let's get started everyone!" He yelled before he and Luna started to explain the basic instructions to the group.
~*~ One Hour Later ~*~
Darien had moved so that he was leaning against the wall. As far away from the action as he could get. Or as safe as he could get, without leaving the room, which would have definitely resulted in bodily harm. He sat silently and watched the girls train. Well, most of the girls, as Ami was currently sitting safely beside him, studying. Of course, she had perfected her use of her pocket after just three attempts, and better yet, this was well within a period of five minutes, at most. As soon as that was done she had almost instantly sat done to study, but had thought better about it moved further away to sit beside Darien. A wise choice.
Every so often Luna would cautiously pad over to them and ask the Prince if he was sure he didn't need to practice, to which he always replied "No."
The other girls were having extremely little success. They had all got stuff into their pockets easy enough. It was getting them back out that was the problem. Mina would ask for an item, and sure enough it did appear, just not anywhere near her and never in the same place twice. This obviously resulted in her making constant dash-and-catches, each time cursing herself for ever putting fragile things into the pocket, especially after her favorite perfume smashed into moon dust.
Rei kept asking for the same manga and every time there was a small pause before everything came pouring out on top of her until all that could be seen was her head and lower arms and legs. After this, as if to add insult to injury, the item she had actually asked for would come out with a small 'pop' and fall down the side of the pile, to land just out of Rei's reach.
Lita was a bit further on that the others, well as far as getting what she wanted in and out of the pocket. However, her drawback was that everything that came out gave her a rather large electric shock. If she wasn't the warrior of lightning she would have been fried to a crisp.
Lastly, Serena was also doing much better than expected, or she would have been if every item called forth did not land on Luna, and only Luna, wherever she was. Artemis was relieved with this fact. He had had his fair share of being a landing platform with Mina firing her pajamas at him every morning.
"So Darien" Ami started without moving her eyes from the page she was on. "How come you don't want to practice?"
"I just don't." He answered simply.
"But, why?" Ami pressed.
"I have my reasons Ami, so let's just leave it at that." He insisted, with finality.
"Very well." Ami sighed before snapping her now finished book shut. She then opened her sub-space pocket, placed the book inside, brought out another and continued to study, failing to notice the look of envy from Darien.
~*~ Few Days Later ~*~
The five girls were sitting around a table in the Crown Fruit Parlor with the remainders of their late lunch. The cats and Darien were absent, the latter was working and the former were recovering from practice related injuries.
"So girls, how's the practice going?" Lita asked.
"Terrible!" Serena groaned. "I keep landing things on Luna!"
"I'm managing to get my pocket to open closer to me!" Mina put in enthusiastically.
"I'm still getting a ton of things coming out at once." Rei grumbled.
"I haven't had any problems." Ami added with a smile. "In fact I put my entire book collection in it, so I have loads of space in my bedroom. What about you Lita?" she asked after she noticed the slight frizz in the brunette's hair.
"I'm still getting shocks." She replied disheartened. "But they're not as strong!" she quickly added with a hint of pride.
"Does anyone know why Darien won't practice?" Mina asked the group, only to be answered with a series of 'don't know's.
"I tried to blackmail the answer out of him, but it didn't work." Serena dejectedly informed them.
"What did you blackmail him with?" Rei asked, curious.
"You don't want to know." Serena answered with a slight blush on her cheeks.
Holding her hand to the side of her mouth, Mina stage whispered to Serena. "Hey Serena, please tell me that you at least threatened the safety of a certain green object?"
"I would have if I was able to find it." She whispered back. "He's hid the damn thing somewhere."
"That's too bad. We really need to get rid of it." Mina suggested in a hushed tone.
Nods of agreement came from the rest of the girls who had obviously heard the conversation despite the whispering.
"Well we had best get back to practicing." Rei said with not an ounce of enthusiasm.
~*~ Across Town in Serena's Bedroom ~*~
Luna was peacefully napping on the bed while Artemis played with some string. All of a sudden a heavy textbook appear in the air above Luna. It quickly dropped and landed right on top of her, causing her to wake up with a yowl, and Artemis to burst out laughing.
"The one time she goes for a textbook it has to land on me!" Luna exclaimed.
At this Artemis laughed harder and stopped only long enough to say, "Well you are the one always nagging at her to study."
"Shut Up!"
~*~ At the Weekend ~*~
The whole gang was at the shrine to continue their training with their pockets. Every so often a loud crackling noise could be heard from Lita's direction when she got the occasional large electric shock. That was usually followed by her cursing and swearing at her sub-space pocket, along with threatening to beat it up, if such a feat was possible.
Serena was improving. Things would now land close to Luna instead of directly on top of her. But this still did nothing to help the cat's nervous disposition that had developed over the past week.
Mina had managed to rein her pocket into having things appear within a two metre radius, meaning she was still having to make quick 'dash and grab's for everything.
Rei's only achievement was that her piles were getting smaller, whereas Ami's pocket use was still flawless.
"Serena!" Came Luna's screech. "Why must you always make your things land on me?" She yelled at her princess.
"I'm sorry Luna." She responded without sounding at all sympathetic, but rather somewhat amused. "But, if you hadn't of moved it wouldn't have landed on you." She said as she strolled over to remove her school bag from the cat's back.
"Okay people, gather round." Artemis yelled after he had finished chuckling at Luna.
Mina, Lita, Serena and Rei all sat in a line in front of Luna and Artemis in the middle of the front stairs, while Darien and Ami sat further back and to the side.
"Here's a small test for you. Let's try and put one item into your sub-space pocket and then try and take the same item back out." The only response he received was a multitude of disapproving groans. He ignored this and called up the first 'volunteer' "Serena, you first."
The meatball-headed blonde stood and walked over to a clear section of paving with slumped shoulders after collecting from Darien one of her favorite stuffed rabbits that he had been guarding for her. She easily slipped the rabbit into the magical pocket.
"Very good Serena!" Artemis shouted. "Now, try to take it back out again."
The blonde heaved a weary sigh. At least it won't hurt Luna when it falls on her, Serena thought. Then, as if by some miracle, she felt something click in her mind. It was like remembering something long since forgotten was suddenly there again. She mentally scolded herself for forgetting something as hard to forget as how to ride a bike. She quickly opened the pocket, took out the very same toy, turned to look back at the others and grinned. She graciously walked back to her seat on the stairs, still grinning, while seven mouths were currently occupied with catching flies. Once over their shock the group quickly erupted into a cheer, which brought a deep blush to the girl not used to getting praised.
"Okay." Artemis said, bringing the attention of the group back to the task at hand. "Mina. You're up next."
Mina stood up. Tightened the bow in her hair with a look of determination on her face, picked up her volleyball and marched over to the spot Serena had used previously before she closed her eyes in concentration. All of a sudden a scream was heard from Serena, who was currently being swallowed up to her waist by Mina's sub-space pocket which had just opened beneath her. In an instant Darien was beside her and pulled her out, along with a t-shirt that had gotten tangled around Serena's ankle.
"Hey! I've been looking all over for that!" Mina shouted happily.
"Get some perspective!" Rei yelled at her. "You almost put Serena in your sub-space pocket! A place I doubt has any oxygen!"
"Sorry." Mina apologized with her hand behind her head and a very nervous giggle before bowing her head.
"Guys! I'm okay." Serena interjected, hoping to take some of the heat off of her friend when it wasn't done on purpose. "Try again Mina." She instructed.
This time she put the ball in with no problem, but it was another story when she tried to get it back out. On the positive side it appeared only a metre away from her, but the negative side was that it landed on Luna.
"Why me?!" the cat hollered, whereas Artemis simply rolled on the ground laughing.
"Oops." Mina said sheepishly, causing the other girls to snicker. Darien just shook his head trying to conceal his smirk.
"Okay, my turn!" Lita chirped and jumped up, picking up her lunch as she went to switch places with Mina. She wasted no time putting her lunch in the magical space. However, just before she went to open it again, she stopped. She sensed a very subtle electrical current she had not noticed before when her pocket was just about to open. She felt out its wavelength then focused in on reducing its power. Once this was done she continued to open her pocket and took her lunch back out, without even a hint of an electric shock. "Woohoo, I did it!" she yelled as she punched her fist into the air in victory.
"Rei's turn." Serena yelled happily.
"Geez meatball head, no need to shout!" Rei grumbled as she picked up a manga book and took her place on centre 'stage'. She put the manga in her magical accessory, before using all of her experience as a priestess to focus her energy into getting it back. Amazingly it was actually the first thing to come out. However, it was quickly followed a few seconds later by the remaining contents of the cursed pocket, which easily swamped the fire warrior before she had time to celebrate.
This was not the end to her humiliation. "Um Rei" Serena began, "what is this doing in there?" she asked as she held up a sheer, red night gown with 'Ann Summers' on the label. Darien went tomato red and turned his gaze the other way.
"Hey look!" Mina exclaimed. "Edible underwear!"
"Give me those!" Rei roared once she had freed herself from the pile of belongings and quickly snatched them back.
"You shouldn't that stuff in there to begin with then." Lita jokingly informed her as she gave Rei a whack on the back, but seeing as this is Lita, this promptly pushed Rei back into the heap of things.
Finally losing her cool, Rei quickly picked up her broom and started chasing Lita, Mina and Serena around the shrine, yelling loud enough for someone in a coma to hear her.
Ami let her curiosity get the better of her again and nudged Darien. Who opened his eyes and took his hands off his ears so he could listen to what she was going to say.
"Yes?" he asked when he saw her reluctance to start.
"Darien why don't you show us you using your sub-space pocket?" She finally asked innocently.
"Yes Darien." Artemis agreed. "Why don't you?"
"I have my reasons." Was his curt reply.
"But why?" Artemis pressed; he was getting ticked off at the Prince's secrecy.
"Because."
"Because, what?" The white cat was going to get an answer no matter what.
The other girls had halted their chase at the sound of the argument and came over to investigate. Once they realized the topic evil smirks spread across their pretty faces, delighted that the mystery was going to be solved, and possible ammunition obtained.
Darien was now past the stage of annoyed with their persistence and his anger at being harassed was escalating by the second. He looked for a way out, but there was no escape, he was blocked in.
"Fine!" He yelled as the rest looked at him expectantly. "No matter what I put in only roses come out!"
Everyone just stood in stunned silence.
"You can-."
"-only get-"
"-roses out-"
"-of your-"
"-sub-space pocket?"
His shame made him refuse to answer a second time.
"So if you put in, say your lunch, you only get a rose back out?" His soul mate enquired.
"Yes."
"Darien, could you put your green jacket in it?" Mina asked a tad too sweetly.
"No way in hell!" he shouted.
"Worth a shot." Mina grumbled in defeat.
"So cape boy can only get roses out huh?" Rei asked. "In that case what do you put in there in order to get more roses?"
"Why else do you think my apartment is so clean?"
"You use your household rubbish?" Lita asked rather loudly.
"You've been saving me – us – with garbage?" Serena asked her fury evident as she recalled the babysitting situation a while back.
Darien's panic was quickly rising. "Now girls, everything comes out as a rose, so who cares what they were beforehand?" He pleaded. The expressions of rage on the faces of the five females, even Ami, was his only answer, so he did what any male would do in this situation. He 'meeped' and ran for his life with the five new women of the Apocalypse close on his heels. The two forgotten cats let the hilarity of the realization sink in before laughing their heads off.