Chapter 1

People often said that May had a twisted sense of humor. Just not to her face.

Sure, she was popular, smart, and pretty, but there was a sinister feel to her words when she was angry, an undertone that made you afraid of upsetting her. This precaution had a very good reason, of course.

Though many of her classmates at Lobelia High School didn't know it, May was part of an all-girl gang, the Valkyrie Angels.

What amused her and her fellow members of the gang was that during gang fights, the only disguises they wore were wrap-around sunglasses, yet no one had ever suspected them.

Not even their parents, siblings, or other close friends.

May chuckled at Misty's story. The others at her table were silent, perhaps not only shocked by the content of Misty's story, but also by May's hyena laugh.

The story was about an angry cow who had thrown a temper tantrum while being milked. The cow kicked her milking bucket, which landed on a nearby farmer's son's head. For some reason, no matter how much he pulled and twisted the bucket, it wouldn't come off of his head.

Perhaps his ears were too big, May mused, and chuckled again.

Misty continued. The bucket wouldn't come off until the boy's little brother cracked the bucket open by dropping a heavy metal skillet on the boy while he was sleeping.

"So the moral of the story is..." Misty began.

"Don't anger cute little animals!" Dawn proclaimed. Leaf shook her head as May chortled, squirting her chocolate milk out of her nose.

"No. The moral of the story is that sometimes, there are things you can't change without force," Misty intoned seriously. "That's why, Dawn, you can't just let people go after they've apologized, like you did in the last fight!"

Dawn made a little sigh."I'm so sorry, Misty. But he was so cute, and he got down on his knees and apologized to me. Then he asked me out for dinner!" The last part of her sentence became a squeal as she recalled her prospective date.

"That's why we beat him up," May interjected. She had calmed down from her laughing fit.

"Hush!" ordered Leaf.

Oddly enough, May started laughing again. This time, more chocolate milk squirted out of her nose. Dawn looked at her in concern. "I think your sinuses'll be ruined by the time you're twenty."

"Very positive," Misty grinned. "Just don't drink chocolate milk, juice, or soda anymore. Water doesn't really burn."

Leaf's response was very blunt. "My research indicates that in another twenty years, you will be spewing out blood instead of chocolate milk."

Somehow May found this very funny, and snorted even more. "Haha! You're great, Leaf!"

Leaf did not look pleased. "Restrain May, please." Dawn reached out and tentatively flicked May with a small toothpick.

"Ow!" May complained. "You and your superhuman str-mmph!" Misty clapped a hand over May's mouth. "Why don't we go to the nurse's office for a quick nap?" Misty suggested quietly.

The other girls nodded, suddenly all business. Leaf propelled May before her, setting a brisk pace to the nurse/guidance counselor's office. Misty stepped up to the door and knocked two slow knocks, three fast raps, and three slow knocks.

Immediately the door swung open. "Hey girls," the guidance counselor, Soledad, whispered. "Nurse Joy is waiting in the back."

The girls followed her in and waited for her to brief them.

"It's very dangerous right now in the city for people like us," Soledad told them. "Police are milling about everywhere and don't care about the reputation or motives of each gang."

She led them to Nurse Joy's office. "Come in," Nurse Joy whispered. "Be careful, all right?"

"Here is your objective for today," Soledad continued. "Rescue the Cerulean Sisters."

Misty turned pale. "My sisters? What happened?"

Nurse Joy answered, "We received a ransom note from a rival gang. I've sent a copy to Leaf. I believe the gang is called the 'Tri-men'."

"Because there are three of them?" Dawn wondered.

"Three leaders, plus who knows how many of their under-thugs", Soledad quipped.

"Please don't tell me that Harley is one of the Tri-men," May groaned. Harley, after all, was quite annoying and had a dreadful lack of fashion sense. Even for a guy.

"Purple and green don't go together at all," Dawn remarked. She was the fashion expert of the group.

"I feel you," Nurse Joy agreed. "What horrendous taste! And that spiky stuffed animal he carries around with him - horrible!"

"Enough fashion talk!" Misty groaned, covering her ears. "Let's go save my sisters right away!"

"Wait - have you told Brock - I mean Principal Brock?" Leaf wondered, practical as always.

"Yes. He's the one who found out about Misty's sisters," Soledad explained.

Brock (or the principal of Lobelia High School) was actually a former gang leader of the Valkyrie Angels' all-male counterpart, the Fox and the Hound. Unfortunately, the gang fell apart and ceased to exist once the founding members 'retired'. Brock was now, along with Soledad and Nurse Joy, a trusted friend, older 'sibling', and associate of the Valkyrie Angels.

Nurse Joy and Soledad were part of the original Valkyrie Angels. Before they 'retired', however, Soledad, the leader of the gang, was able to groom potential successors to the Valkyrie Angels. Namely, Misty, May, Dawn, and Leaf.

Back to the story. The four girls thanked Soledad and Nurse Joy and headed towards the principal's office.

Brock was waiting with a goofy smile on his face. "Good luck, girls. Though you probably don't need it." His expression became serious. "But do be careful out there."

"We will," Misty reassured him. The other three girls gave murmurs of assent.

Then they slipped into the secret passageway located in the principal's closet, heading forward until they reached the first right turn.