Out of Time
Chapter Seven: The Game Begins
AN: SailorMoonAddict- I'm sorry; I know I'm taking my time. Bear with me…I'm getting there.
Serena walked into her math classroom, looked at the board, and promptly cursed. Behind her, Wolf chuckled. The blonde took a deep breath and sat down, all the while cursing karma. When she'd told Luna she had a test, she'd been trying to avoid having to explain a situation that was damn near impossible to wrap her head around. She hadn't expected to actually have a test! It seemed like karma had bitten her on the ass.
"Karma, you're such a bitch," she muttered.
"Indeed, she is," Wolf conceded softly behind her. When she turned to him, he said in the same low voice, "Oh, did I forget to tell you? I'm in all your classes."
Serena sighed, and replied equally quietly, "You're taking this whole protecting me thing seriously, aren't you?"
"Very seriously," Wolf informed her.
Other students were starting to come in, and Serena sat down, with Wolf taking an empty seat close by. Shortly after, Mina and the others came in. Upon seeing Serena, in her seat and on time, the hyperactive goddess of love and beauty shrieked, "Oh, my God, the world's ending!"
Serena laughed, and replied, "Well, Mina, like I said, Dad drove me to school, so I couldn't help being on time."
"How did your Dad end up driving you to school, anyway?"
The blonde Moon Princess thought for a moment, and replied, "He had to go to work early, so he gave Sammy and I a lift."
"Sammy and me," Amy corrected her.
Serena giggled. "I know, I just decided to see if you would correct me."
It was only a matter of time before Mina spotted Wolf, and she asked, "Who's the new kid?"
"His name's Wolf, and he's just transferred here from Bangladesh. Actually, he's been moving all over the world, since, like, he was born, and his parents have decided to send him here until he graduates," Serena replied.
Amy, Lita, and Mina stared at her, jaws agape.
Serena laughed, and said, "Wow, guys, you should see your faces! He showed up early, and I knew you'd all be curious, so I struck up a conversation." Sort of true…he had shown up early, cough, before school yesterday, and in a way, she had struck up a conversation, after walking into the guy.
In a low voice, Mina said, "He's kinda cute…is he single?" All three girls leaned in towards Serena to hear her answer.
"How should I know?" Serena replied softly. "I suppose he's somewhat good looking, but he isn't my type, and besides, I had enough of a hard time getting his name out of him. Can you imagine trying to ask him a personal question like that? It would be rude." At the same time, the blonde wondered if Wolf even had a type. He probably didn't. She doubted he was interested in girls, and she was equally doubtful that he was gay, therefore meaning he didn't have a type.
"I know he's not your type, Serena," Lita sighed. "You don't even look at a guy unless it's Darien. But what about the rest of us?"
The mention of Darien almost triggered Serena's gag reflex, but she restrained herself, and replied, "I'm sorry, but I just feel really awkward asking questions like that." 'Besides, he's an irritating jerk,' she mentally added. She paused, and amended; 'Sometimes.'
Against her will, her eyes flitted over to Wolf, and he was watching her, his stoic expression betraying only the smallest flicker of amusement. Feeling her cheeks flush, she turned her eyes elsewhere.
"Oh…Serena's blushing," Mina giggled. "I think she's got a crush on the new guy!"
"Mina!" Serena hissed.
Lita chuckled, and even Amy grinned. Mina's giggles turned into hysterical laughter.
"I think you might be right, Mina," Lita agreed. "Poor Darien…do you think he knows he has competition?"
'Poor Darien, my ass!' Serena thought with a mental huff. But that didn't mean she couldn't amuse herself by proving her friends right while also getting them off of the 'Wolf Subject', as she was already referring to it in her mind. Smiling brilliantly, she responded, "Like I said, Wolf's not my type, but Darien still has some competition…the poor man."
"Who is it?" Mina asked excitedly.
Serena's smile stretched into a Cheshire cat grin, and she said, "Oh, I don't think I'll tell. You'll just have to figure it out, Mina my friend. Don't worry, this will be a fun game." Turning to Lita and Amy, she added, "And of course, you two are welcome to join the game as well. Actually, anyone in our set is welcome to play. But first, permit me to lay down a few rules. Are you listening?"
She definitely had their attention. The three Inners leaned in. Mina looked excited, Lita looked very interested, and Amy looked somewhat scared. The blonde hid an evil grin. Amy was right to be afraid. Serena would tell them eventually, but she would ensure that the prize was hard-won.
"Very good. Rule one; we do not tell Darien about the game, as he might think I'm leaving him, and there's really no need to have him worrying over nothing."
That was a load of crap. Really, this rule was to make sure that Darien didn't kill her. She was in enough hot water already.
"Rule two," she continued. "When the answer is revealed, it cannot be used for blackmail or teasing of any kind."
"I'm starting to not like this game," Mina complained.
Serena smiled. "Rule three; you are more than welcome to quit the game at any time, but in doing so, you forfeit gaining the answer. Everyone else will know, but those who forfeit are excluded from the knowledge unless I'm feeling nice and take pity on them."
"Okay, now I'm scared," Lita said.
"Rule four," Serena pressed on, pretending not to hear. "I will give all players a clue each day. The clue will be the same for each player. But you are not permitted to discuss the clue with any other player, or anyone else."
Amy was intrigued; she was sure that she could figure it out.
"Rule five," Serena continued, "The clues will be on paper, and hidden somewhere each day. I promise you that you will be able to find them if you focus on the task. Oh, and don't ask how I managed to hide them. You don't want to know." Serena planned to have Wolf help her with this.
"Rule six; when you think you have the answer, contact me, and I will tell you whether or not you are correct. If you are wrong, keep trying."
"You're so mean," Mina pouted.
"As I said, Mina, you're more than welcome to stop playing at any time. But remember the consequences," Serena replied. "Lastly; rule seven. If someone manages to guess correctly, the game ends."
"I'm in," Mina decided.
"So am I," Lita agreed.
"This seems like an attempt by Serena to send us all on a wild goose chase," Amy mused, "But this should be amusing, so I'm in as well."
"Wonderful," Serena beamed. "Very well, then. We shall start tomorrow."
Just then, the bell rang, and everyone took their seats. Grinning widely, Serena wrote down the first clue. Naturally, she would never tell them the true object of her affections, as it would cause unhappiness for all of those she loved, but at least she could have some fun watching them scramble around trying to find the answer. Pluto would probably know it, but the cool thing about the Guardian of the Time Gate was that unless it was a threat to everyone's safety, she remained silent.
Class flew by, and Serena faked her way through the math test as best she could, then turned her attention to where she would hide the first clue. When the bell that signaled her release finally rang, she gathered up her things, and headed for her next class; Contemporary Literature. Lita had this class with her, and now, so did Wolf.
"I suppose you'll be wanting me to help you hide the clues for your little mind game?" Wolf questioned behind her."
"I could do it myself," Serena replied. "But I would love it if you helped me."
"I think you're intending to completely waste their time, which is somewhat evil of you, but considering that it will probably be hilarious to watch, I suppose I'll help."
"So chivalry isn't dead, after all," Serena smiled.
"Only for you," Wolf said seriously.
"How did you know I never intended to give them a real answer?"
"Well, I know it isn't that pathetic specimen you have the misfortune of calling your boyfriend, and even though you pretend otherwise, you're not an idiot. You know perfectly well that if the real answer were to come out, you'd be in a heap of trouble. So, you divert their attention from nonsensical speculations about you and I by introducing a red herring in the form of another player, while also providing yourself with some entertainment, all the while keeping your darkest secret safe from prying eyes."
"I sound like quite the evil genius," Serena deadpanned, with a perfectly straight face. Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
"Oh, you're not evil, but you're far smarter than anyone gives you credit for. You don't even give yourself enough credit."
"Don't make me into something I'm not."
Wolf's eyes held a flicker of humor as he replied, "I never do that. I simply help push people in the right direction. Oh, and don't worry, I won't tell them it's Seiya."
Serena lurched away from him, then leaned in and whispered, "How the fuck did you know that?!"
"Watch your mouth. That kind of language isn't ladylike. I know because you talk in your sleep." With that, Wolf continued on ahead of her, leaving her to stare after him in shock and a little fear.
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That afternoon, Serena sat in Rae's temple, grinning almost wickedly as she watched her friends work on their school assignments, while at the same time watching her in hopes of catching a glimpse of tomorrow's clue. Amara and Michelle had decided to join the game, and Hotaru and Trista, knowing that it was all a wild goose chase, declined the offer of the game. Serena was very grateful that the two only looked for threats, and did not look too closely at the past, for if they did, the game would be up, and she would be in a world of trouble.
"Serena, shouldn't you be working on the homework for Geometry?" Amy inquired. "I know you didn't study for the test today."
"I suppose I should," Serena sighed, her smile fading.
"Why are you so determined to make us work for just a little piece of information?" Rae asked. "We talk about everything; why is this little bit so important that we have to play this silly game?"
"Do you really want to know?" Serena asked with a sly, downright capricious smile.
"Is this your idea of a practical joke? Because if it is, no one's laughing."
Serena's smile turned into a smirk, "Oh, but I'm laughing," she replied. "And so is Wolf."
"WOLF KNOWS?" shrieked the Inners.
"Of course not," she said soothingly. "But he's my assistant."
"Serena, that's cheating," Luna sighed. She and Artemis refused to play, as both smelled something fishy.
"Well, technically I'm not playing the game. I'm creating it. Therefore, I can't exactly cheat."
"How come Wolf's helping you?" Lita asked.
"Because he wants to. I asked him to do me a favor, and he agreed."
"What exactly will he be doing?" Rae asked.
"Oh, just stashing the clues."
"You're just being evil now."
"I wouldn't say evil, but tricky could be a good word," Serena smirked.
"You know, I've never seen you smirk before. It's kind of creepy."
"Yeah, but it's fun."
