Interrupted Picnic
aka: Stan The Cannibalistic Butterfly
This story is dedicated to Russet Rose whose joke that STCB (Silver Threads, Crystal Bonds) stood for Stan the Cannibalistic Butterfly made me want to IMMEDIATELY write a story with such a character. Hope you enjoy it, bro'!
On a peaceful June morning, a small family set up for a picnic beside a tall cherry tree with smiles on their faces. The tall, golden haired father busied himself with arranging the blanket and emptying the basket as the aqua-green haired mother changed the little dark haired baby's diaper. The baby cooed and giggled as she kicked her feet and tried to catch her mother's shoulder-length hair.
Suddenly, the peace was shattered by a screech and a loud splash. As the parents looked at each other with wide eyes, a chorus of young voices reached their ears. "SE-RE-NA!!!" the voices hollered in unison. With large grins, they quickly gathered up the baby and walked around the tree to see what chaos their beloved Princess was causing now.
Out in the middle of the nearby stream, a large picnic basket bobbed and gurgled, slowly sinking into the water. On the bank, four teenage girls stood around a kneeling blonde-haired girl who was crying loudly.
"Serena! You're so clumsy!" the girl with long black hair said irritably.
"There, there, Serena, don't listen to Raye," the girl with long blonde hair said as she bent over and rubbed her fellow blonde's head. "It could happen to anyone."
"If she hadn't been running away from you, Mina, this probably wouldn't have happened," the blue-haired girl said with a soft, wry smile.
"Um, shouldn't we rescue the picnic basket?" the tall brunette asked,interrupting Mina's reply. All that could be seen of the basket was the very top cover and the handle.
"Oh no!!!" Raye, Serena, and Mina screeched as they scrambled towards the stream. Serena screamed as she tripped again and fell forward into the water. Her flailing arms caught the basket, dragging it completely under.
On the shore, Amy and Lita winced in sympathy. A short distance away, Amara and Michelle leaned against their tree and giggled softly, shaking their heads at this typical display of clumsiness. In Michelle's arms, Hotaru chuckled and cooed.
Serena stood up a moment later, soaked to the skin and sputtering. With one hand she wiped the water and hair off of her face. Her other hand apparently held something heavy because it made her list to that side. With a triumphant smile, she drug it around in front of her and used two hands to lift it into the air.
"I got it!" she exclaimed as water streamed out of the woven wicker sides like fountains.
"Hey, watch it, Meatball-head!" Raye hollered as one of the fountains caught her in the face. She stepped backwards to get away from it, and fell into the stream as well. As she was laughing, Mina lost her balance and fell, too.
Up by the cherry tree, Amara was holding her stomach and gasping as she tried not to laugh loud enough to be heard. Michelle held Hotaru on one hip and pressed the knuckles of her other hand into her mouth in an attempt to smother her laughter as well.
"Are you guys all right?" Amy called worriedly as Mina and Raye sputtered up from the stream.
Serena lowered the basket as she giggled, and then threw her nose up in the air. "Serves you right for picking on me, Raye," she said as she began to walk back towards shore.
With a smile and an evil glint in her eye, Raye reached out with a foot and tripped her best friend. Serena screeched once again as she fell back into the water.
"Ra-aye," Lita complained. "Be careful of the basket! You'll make her crush our lunch!"
"Oh. Oops. Sorry," Raye said as she grinned and walked in a wide arc around Serena.
"I'll get you for this," the blonde girl sputtered as she resurfaced.
"Now, now, Serena," Mina said as she put a hand under the girl's arm to help her up. "Let's just eat lunch right now, okay? You can get revenge later." Still grumbling, Serena let Mina help her to shore.
"Well, the basket has about had it," Lita said as she eyed the soggy, crushed picnic basket. The five friends sat down on the grass in a circle in the sunlight. "Let's hope the food survived."
"It should be okay," Amy said confidently as she reached over to open the lid. "The sandwiches were in plastic bags, right Serena? The chips and cookies might be a little crushed, but that's okay."
Lita and Mina shifted uneasily as they saw the guilty, fearful look on Serena's face. "Um... I... I just used napkins to wrap the sandwiches..." she said as she cringed away from her friends.
"Ewww..." Amy said with a look of disgust as she lifted a napkin wrapped sandwich out of the basket. As Raye eyed it in dismay, she quickly dropped it back in and wiped her hand on the grass beside her. "I'd say that was inedible. I guess we'll have to just eat chips and cookies."
"You did put those in plastic, didn't you, Serena?" Raye asked as she looked at her friend with narrowed eyes.
Serena rolled her eyes and sighed. "Of course. I'm not completely stupid, Raye."
"Um, no... You're not," Amy said as she held up a plastic bowl, then tilted it to one side. "But, it seems like the lid came loose," she continued as water poured out of the bowl. "It was a good idea to use a big bowl for the chips, Serena," she said hurriedly as Serena's face began to scrunch up once more. "It must've happened when you fell the second time."
"That means it's Raye's fault," Serena said as she spun around to glare at her friend.
"Is not!" Raye defended. "You're the clumsy one."
"You tripped me!"
"Did not."
"Did, too!"
"Did not."
"Did, too!"
"ENOUGH!" Lita hollered putting an end to the latest fight. "Gee, you wouldn't think the two of you were in high school! It doesn't matter who's at fault, lunch is pretty well spoiled."
"I wonder what else can go wrong today..." Mina sighed as she squeezed water out of her hair and eyed the picnic basket sadly. A screech of fear rolled across the park, making the girls sit up straight in shock.
"Oh no. Now you did it, Mina," Lita teased as they quickly climbed to their feet. "Why couldn't you just leave well enough alone?"
"It's not my fault!" her friend protested as the five girls quickly began to run towards the scream.
By the cherry tree, Amara and Michelle exchanged glances, and then quickly set off after their younger friends. Hotaru clenched Michelle's shirt and hair and giggled as she was bounced along.
"Who can it be this time?" Serena wailed irritably as they ran. "We defeated Nehelenia and the Dead Moon Circus. Why can't the Negaverse just leave us alone for a while?"
"It's not necessarily the Negaverse," Amy puffed as she easily kept up with her more athletic friends. "It could just be a false alarm. Some purse thief or something."
"No such luck, I'm afraid," Raye said. "I sense some serious nega-vibes ahead. We'd better transform."
"Right," her friends responded in unison. Even Serena dropped her whiney attitude and became serious.
"Mercury Crystal Power!"
"Venus Crystal Power!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power!"
"Mars Crystal Power!"
"Moon Crisis Power!"
With a flash of rainbow colored light, some water, oak leaves, golden hearts, and pyrotechnics, the five girls quickly transformed into their battle costumes.
As they ran into the next clearing, the sight that met their eyes made them stumble to a halt. A tall creature with huge, brightly colored butterfly wings was racing around the clearing. He ran over the remains of a picnic lunch, and lurched at something fluttering in the air in front of him.
He paused for a moment, fluttering his wings as he chewed, and then made a face and spit it out. "Yuck! Flowers! I don't like flower petals. I want butterflies. Give me butterflies!"
The five friends gave each other uncertain looks. "Um, isn't he a butterfly?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked hesitantly.
"That's... That's just wrong," Super Sailor Venus said looking a little sick.
"Yeah," Super Sailor Moon said beginning to look irritated again. "You aren't supposed to eat butterflies. They're too pretty!" Her four friends stared at her a moment, big sweat drops forming on the backs of their heads. "What?" she asked, giving them all a puzzled look. "It's true!"
"Yes. Ahem. Well, he must be some kind of cannibal," Super Sailor Mercury said as she looked back towards the strange enemy.
"Eeeek!" Super Sailor Moon shrieked. "A cannibal! Don't let him eat me!"
"Eeewwww..." Super Sailor Venus said as she wrinkled her nose and backed away a few steps.
"Don't worry, Moon," Super Sailor Jupiter said reassuringly. "We'll protect you."
Super Sailor Mars rolled her eyes as Super Sailor Mercury began to wave her hands frantically. "No, no," the soldier of water and ice said quickly. "You don't have to worry about that. A cannibal is a creature that eats its own kind. You're not a butterfly, are you Serena?"
"Well, she does get those butterfly wings when she's transforming..." Super Sailor Mars said with a wicked smile.
"Mars!" Super Sailor Mercury groaned as Super Sailor Moon squealed again and tried to hide behind Super Sailor Jupiter.
"Okay, okay! Calm down now," Super Sailor Jupiter said as she rolled her eyes. "He's probably more interested in draining your energy or stealing your pure heart crystal or the Silver Crystal, or looking into your dream mirror, or trying to get at whatever they're after this time than he is in eating you."
"Yeah, come on Meatball Head, calm down," Super Sailor Mars said as she rolled her eyes and turned back to face the man-sized enemy. "You probably taste so bad he wouldn't want you anyway."
"What was that?!" Super Sailor Moon asked with narrowed eyes as she stood up and away from Super Sailor Jupiter. "You think I have bad taste?"
Super Sailor Mars snorted as their friends merely sighed again and rolled their eyes. Super Sailor Mercury pulled out her minicomputer and began to analyze the creature, who continued to ignore them in his pursuit of edible butterflies.
"You said it, not I, Meatball Head," the soldier of fire said with a sparkle in her eye.
"Grrrr..." her blonde friend replied, clenching her fists. "You're the one with bad taste, Raye. And why do you keep calling me Meatball Head?! You know I hate that!"
Suddenly, Super Sailor Moon paused, then asked the question again with real curiosity. "Why do you keep calling me Meatball Head? You haven't done that in a long time..."
Super Sailor Mars flushed a little and shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another. "I just felt like it," she said as she tossed her head. In her mind, she remembered how sad her friend had looked the past week. Darian was planning to go to Massachusetts soon to study medicine, and Serena was beginning to brood about the loneliness she was going to feel.
"Well, that's not what's important right now," Super Sailor Venus said, stepping in to cover for Raye. "What is important is that enemy out there."
"Um, why?" Super Sailor Jupiter asked as she turned to look at the creature once more. "It's not hurting anyone..."
"We have to save the butterflies," Super Sailor Moon said with sudden determination. Super Sailor Mars, Super Sailor Venus, and Super Sailor Jupiter stumbled and sweat dropped once more. Super Sailor Mercury just smiled, while Super Sailor Moon looked determined.
Abruptly, she strode out into the clearing and stopped a short distance away from the creature. "Hold it right there!" she cried as she pointed at him. "You are destroying something beautiful and fragile. You should not eat butterflies. They are for looking at, not eating."
A sweat drop formed on the back of her head as the creature continued to ignore her. "Hey! I'm talking to you!" she called as she walked around to stand in front of him once more.
"Serena! Be careful!" Super Sailor Mercury called in a worried tone as the readings on her computer began to fluctuate.
"I said stop!" Super Sailor Moon called, blocking the creature as he reached for another butterfly. Abruptly he focused on her. Seeing that she had his attention, she continued. "I stand for Love and I stand for Justice. I am Sailor Moon! You'd better leave those butterflies alone, or else in the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!"
The creature fluttered his wings. "I'm hungry," he whined. "Butterflies. Give me butterflies!"
"No," Super Sailor Moon said sternly. "I told you: butterflies are for looking at, not for eating. Besides, you are a butterfly! You should be eating nectar or fruit juice or something."
Unnoticed behind her, her friends stared at her wide-eyed. "How'd she know that?" Super Sailor Mercury asked in shock.
"Yucky! No nectar! No fruit! I want butterflies! Hungry! Butterflies!" the creature said again, fluttering his wings more quickly. He reached again for a yellow butterfly that was floating nearby.
"No!" Super Sailor Moon hollered as she knocked his hand away.
"I want butterflies!" the creature yelled suddenly. His wings began to beat as fast as a hummingbird's. "Pollen Attack!"
"Eeek!" Super Sailor Moon screeched, backing away from the golden dust that flew at her. Suddenly, she began to sneeze uncontrollably.
"Super Sailor Moon!" her friends called, rushing to stand next to her.
"Why you..." Super Sailor Jupiter growled. "Supreme Thunder!" The creature avoided the lightening bolts and threw a pollen attack at her as well. Although she dodged, she wasn't quick enough to escape, and she, too, collapsed to the ground gasping and sneezing.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Super Sailor Mercury cried, trying to catch the man-sized butterfly off guard. He dodged it easily.
"You want a water attack? I'll give you a water attack!" he rumbled angrily. "Morning Dew!" A stream of small water droplets flew at Super Sailor Mercury. She dodged, but the attack caught her right foot and glued her to the ground.
"Crescent Beam!" Super Sailor Venus cried, aiming the beam of solid golden light at his wings. It caught one and burned a hole through a large red circle.
"Aaaargh!!!" he screamed in pain. "My wing! Why you... That hurts! Nectar Beam!" A golden stream of nectar flew out of his mouth. Super Sailor Venus was so surprised that she failed to dodge in time. She screamed as the liquid flung her back into a nearby tree and held her there.
"Well, let's see how you like this!" Super Sailor Mars said as she took aim. "Mars Flame Sniper!" Her arrow flew straight and true into his other wing, making him scream again.
"Nectar Beam!" he yelled. Although she jumped and dodged more successfully than her friends, the beam followed her around and eventually pinned her into place.
"Guys..." Super Sailor Moon sneezed as she stared around at her incapacitated friends.
"Do you think we should help?" Michelle asked curiously as they watched the battle from the shelter of a nearby tree.
Amara considered the scene in front of them a moment, then shook her head with a smile. "Nah. Not our battle. Besides, we have Hotaru. We wouldn't want to put her in any danger. We might wake up Saturn again."
Michelle nodded, then leaned into the tree. "Just asking," she replied. "It's been a while since we've seen any action. I thought you might be getting a little bored."
They watched Super Sailor Moon struggle back to her feet. "Well, maybe a little," Amara replied as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and settled more comfortably into the tree. "But, it looks like they can use the practice."
Unseen above them, Tuxedo Mask who had been just about to join the battle paused, and then relaxed against the tree trunk as well.
"It's all right now," Super Sailor Moon said as she wiped the tears off of her face. "I'll return you to normal." The creature stopped dancing about and stared at her curiously. When she raised her Cutie Moon Rod, however, he began to flap his damaged wings and dance about even more angrily.
"It's all right! It's all right!" she called, trying to calm him down and reassure him. "What's your name?"
"I am Stan! Stan the Cannibalistic Butterfly! And I will defeat you so I can go eat!!"
"I'm hungry, too," Super Sailor Moon said as she paused and blinked. "But lunch got ruined, so I'm going to have to wait until supper."
"Sailor Moon!..." Super Sailor Mars called with a bit of exasperation in her voice. "Do it now!"
"Oh. Right," Super Sailor Moon said blinking and shaking her head. "Return to normal, Stan! Rainbow... Moon... Heart... Ache!" she cried as she spun the rod through its power up sequence.
As the rainbow and heart hit him dead center, he squealed and shuddered. His wings vanished, and then his body began to wisp away like filaments. "Butterflies!" he yelled as he disappeared.
Super Sailor Moon collapsed in the middle of the field and stared at the empty spot where her strange enemy had once stood.
"Good... Achoo! Good work, Sailor Moon," Super Sailor Jupiter called as she crawled her way to her friend.
"Yeah... Good work," Super Sailor Mercury called as she checked out her ankle and stood gingerly.
"'Bout time," Super Sailor Mars grumbled as she used her hands to push the wet, gooey nectar off of herself.
"Help!" Super Sailor Venus cried pitifully. "I can't get this stuff off!"
Her friends powered down and ran to help her. With a smile, Tuxedo Mask jumped from tree to tree and out of sight. Amara and Michelle exchanged smiles and quietly slipped off to return to their picnic with Hotaru. Hotaru looked back towards the clearing her smile fading from her face.
She was the only one to see the filaments returning. One by one, they wrapped together to form a tiny cocoon. Just before the tree blocked her view, Hotaru saw the cocoon fall into the grass, hidden from the sight of the unsuspecting sailor scouts.
"I know!" Lita said with sudden inspiration as they finally got Super Sailor Venus free and she powered down to Mina again. "Let's go to Crown!"
"Yeah!" her friends cheered. Quickly, the five hungry girls headed into town to visit their favorite snack bar and arcade.