Ok guys… here is Ch.3, as promised. I know, I know, Christmas is over. But, the season is still going on! Also… the story is just getting good!! So, I hope you enjoy!! Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
As always, I do not own Sailor Moon, or any of the other Scouts. I also do not own Darien. Sigh.
Christmas Shopping…Serena Style(Lets backtrack here people. We're going back to Serena's POV here. To do this, we must go back twenty minutes.)
While Darien was in the jewelry store…
"What to get Mina…" Serena asked herself. She plopped down on a surprisingly empty bench for a moment. She needed a place to think, without the worry of somebody smashing into her, (or vise versa.) Of all of her friends, Mina would be the hardest to get a present for. She sort of had an idea for everyone else, (well, except Darien.) This was because everyone else had given her some sort of idea on what to get him or her. But not Mina. Whenever anybody asked what she wanted, she'd tilt her head to the side, clasp her hands together, and smiled in an adorable fashion, saying, "Something Pretty!" Something pretty? Something pretty?!? Coming from Mina, that could be anything from an orange skirt… to a daffodil! Why did she have to be first on my list?!? This is going to be SOO hard!!! Looking down at her watch again, she realized that she didn't have time to argue with herself. " Ok, time to think Serena!" she said. She put her hand on her chin, and made a thinking pose. She was thinking so hard; she began to have a headache.
Note to self: Under no circumstances am I to tell that to anybody…especially Rei and Darien!!! They'll never let me live it down! Taking a moment to rub her temples, she tried again.
"Ok brain," she whispered, not wanting anyone to hear her talking to herself, " work with me here! Ok, what does Mina think is pretty?"
Anything orange.
"Something in particular?"
Uhh…an orange?" Oh, that's SOO original!!"
Hey, don't make fun! I am your brain after all." Ok, ok! Come on, try harder!"
A carrot?
"Oh now you're just being silly!"
Who are you calling silly, Meatball Head?!?
" You've GOT to be kidding me!!! My own brain is mocking me now?!?"
Yep! You called me silly!!!
" Ok, I'm sorry, can we get back to Mina's present now?!"
Sure thing!
"So, what can I get Mi…" Before that thought could finish, she noticed a food cart in the middle of the walkway. In from of it, stood a tall, lanky woman, wearing an apron. In her hands, she had a silver tray, with delectable little morsels on it. Around her was a huge crowd of men. Big ones, small ones, men of all ages. They all wanted what was on that tray…and appeared to also want the attention of the woman holding it. Serena tilted her head in confusion. What was on that try to get so much attention? Not to be mean, but it certainly wasn't the woman drawing them near. To further investigate the commotion, she got up from her bench, and slowly walked towards the crowd. That's when it hit her nose. It was the faint heavenly smell of…cinnamon buns? Standing on her tiptoes, she could just barely make out the name of the sign. " AU-NT GUR-GURT-IE'S, AUNT GURTIE'S FAMOUS CINNAMON-BUN'S." She read the sign aloud. Ok, so that explained the smell, but what was with all these guys going crazy?! That's when she remembered a conversation she had with Mina and Lita.
FLASHBACK
It had been a couple of months ago. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon at the Arcade. Serena had just had her routine argument with… well, you know who. After their little 'tiff', he got up to help Andrew with something in the back room. She was twisting a long strand of her golden mane, lazily drinking her chocolate milkshake, (arguing with that dreamboat can take SOO much out of a girl!), when she heard the door chime. She looked up at the sliding doors, to see a slightly moist Mina, wearing a peach colored sweater with matching mini skirt, carrying a white pastry box in her hands. Mina looked around, and spotted Serena and Lita at the counter. With a mischievous smile on her face, (kinda scaring her friends), she hopped up on the stool next to Serena.
"Hi guys!"
"Hey Mina!" they both said. Serena looked at the box the Mina had in her lap. Pointing at it, she said, "Hey, what's in the box?" Mina, still having that impish grin plastered on her face, she looked from side to side, and then whispered, "An experiment."
Thoughts of dissected frogs came to Serena's mind. Serena scrunched up her nose at this. Ewww…!!! MAJOR Gross!!!
"What kind of experiment?" Lita asked carefully.
"Well," Mina started, " I was reading this magazine article on what smells attract guys."
"Ok" both Serena and Lita said.
"Well," Mina continued, " it said that ladies perfume doesn't cut it! Ladies are the ones that like ladies perfume. Not guys. They could care less! Really guys… it doesn't attract them at all!!! In fact, some guys even go as far saying that it actually repels them!!! " A wave of shock came over the other two.
"NO WAY!!!" cried Serena. Everyone in the arcade covered their ears. Angry looks where shot in her direction. She looked apologetically at the maddening crowd, and lowered her voice. With the same look of horror on her face, she said, " You mean to tell me that my expensive floral perfume has the same affect as bug spray?!?!"
" If you're trying to catch a guy, then yes." Mina said, matter-of-factly. Serena could picture all the times that she had sprayed some on before school, so she could smell like, 'A Summer Garden', (as stated on the box.) No wonder I don't have a boyfriend!!!, she thought.
Lita leaned in, "So Mina, what does attract guys then? Motor oil?!"
Mina had a small chuckle. " Oh don't be silly Lita! The number one smell to attract guys is right here in this box!"
Serena looked at her in revulsion. "DEAD FROGS?!?!" She shrieked. "Guys are attracted to smelly Dead Frogs!!! I know they're guys, but I'm NOT going around stinking like mubmhh…" Lita covered Serena's mouth. "Do you want to get us killed?!" Lita whispered harshly in her ear. Serena looked around, once again noticing cold eyes starring at her. Gee, they should be used to this by now…the way Darien's arguments and mine go and all…She sheepishly smiled, waved, and apologized to the crowd. She looked back up at a confused, and disgusted Mina. She raised an eyebrow. " Dead Frogs? Serena, what on EARTH gave you that idea?! Do you actually think I'd walk around with dead frogs in a box?!"
Serena put her head down. "Well…no…"
"So, why did you think that girl?!"
Serena blushed, and meekly whispered, "Well…when you said experiment…" It clicked in Lita's mind. She doubled over, and started laughing robustly. She laughed so hard that she started smacking the countertop, gasping for air. Mina, still confused, decided to dismiss it all, put on a smile, and went back to her 'experiment'. "So, do you guys want to know what's really in the box?" Serena, who had been red as a tomato, let the flush fade from her cheeks. Lita took in a small number of breaths to calm herself down. Both girls nodded their heads with enthusiasm. With a glint of mischievousness in her eyes, she threw open the lid. Inside the little white box, held the key to catch the attention of almost any fine-looking fellow, the special ingredient to the recipe of getting a guy to notice you, the secret weapon was…
"CINNAMON BUNS?!?" cried Lita and Serena. They both blinked. This was some kind of joke, right? That pastry couldn't possibly be it! But Mina just smiled, like she knew the secret of life or something. Lita shook her head.
" I don't know about that Mina," she started, " I mean, it sounds kinda like something Serena would write." Serena put her hand on her hips and pouted, "AND just what is that suppose to mean Lita?" Lita shrugged, and simple answered, "You like food." Serena lowered her hands to her side and smiled. "Oh", she giggled.
"I know it sounds a little peculiar, but that's why I'm conducting an experiment of my own!" Mina then ducted her head lower, and whispered, "I'm the Senshi of Love for Paul's sake! It's my duty to know these things!" Sweat drops from the other two. "Ah, that's 'Pete's' sake Mina."
"Hmm…what? Oh whatever."
"So Mina," Serena started cheerfully, "who are you going to try this out on?" The girls knew all about Mina's crush on Andrew. For a while there, she was trying to deign it, but when she'd practically,(and sometimes actually) drooled over the lovely eyed lad, she couldn't keep it a secret anymore.
" I was thinking, maybe Andrew…" A slight blush came across her cheeks.
Lita grinned at this. "Oh really now! BIG shocker there Mina!"
"…and Darien!" Mina quickly added. Hey, she didn't want to look desperate! A knot formed in Serena's stomach. Oh no! She can't do that! If this doesn't work, we'll all look like idiots! And if it does work, and she attracts him…I WON'T ALLOW IT!!!
"Leave him outta this." She stated coolly. Her two friends both raised an eyebrow at this. Serena rarely ever had this tone. It was only used when she was really serious about something. A smile crept up their faces. "Touchy, touchy Sere! What's with the hostility? It's not like you like the guy or anything!" said Lita, with a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Exactly! I don't want that creep attracted anywhere near me!!!" Liar liar, pants on fire!!! Man, if I knew that cinnamon buns actually worked on him, I'd rub myself down with them! Heck, I'd probably even do the icky FROG thing, just to get his attention!!! Well, I mean the good kind of attention, not the " Hey Meatball Head! Fail another test?" kind. I wish there was a smell to make that go…
Serena was snapped back to reality when she saw Andrew reemerge from the backroom. Mina quickly pulled a mini fan from her matching peach purse, and proceeded to waft the smell in his direction. A mini fan?! Man, and people say that I'm a flake! Andrew lifted a package marked 'STRAWS' in big, bold, red letters. He started to head to the other side of the counter, when he stopped in mid stride. His nostrils flared. What was the wonderful smell? With his foot still in the air, he pivoted on his other, turn around, and slowly walked back to where the girls were sitting. Mina swiftly turned off the fan, and deposited it back into her purse. She then put her hands gingerly out in front of her, and put on a sunshine of a smile. It was a fake on though. It was really masking her nervousness, as her insides turned into jelly. The sugary aroma lead him right to her. He stooped right in front of the girls. They noticed the slightly glazed look in his eyes. It was like…he was in a TRANCE! When his eyes fell upon the 'Goddess of Love", a warm smile graced his features.
"He Mina," he started, "I…I didn't s-see you c-come in!" The fantastic scent was now forgotten.
"Hey Drew! I just came in a minute or two ago! H-how are you?" A gentle brush crossed her cheeks. Andrew leaned his elbow on the countertop, and was now slightly above eye level with Mina. The both chatted for a while like this, before he had to tend to a boy at one of the Sailor V games. Still graced with a slight blush, Mina looked triumphantly up at Lita. " Snort it out Lita!" With an annoyed look on her face, Lita reached into her jeans pocket, and placed a ten-dollar bill in Mina's palm. Serena looked puzzled. "When did you place a bet?" She looked at the two. The both exchanged glances, and started to giggle. "When you spaced out."
End Flashback
The ends of Serena's lips curled up. "That will be perfect!" She then ran from the crowd, to a store called "YOU SMELL GREAT!" (AN: I Have NO clue if this is a real store, I made it up!) If I remember correctly, she thought, I saw the very thingie a couple of weeks ago. I hope they still have it!!! Serena pushed her way to the back of the store. The store was filled with lots of wonderful smell-good items. They had scented candles in every shape and color. They had soaps shaped from anything like bears, to Santa. Best of all, they had one of the BIGGEST selections of scents.
"Blueberry muffin… Chocolate Fudge…AHA! Cinnamon Buns!" She came across a gift basket filled with things that were Cinnamon bun scented. She looked at the price tag. " $25.95?!? I can't afford that!" she looked on a lower shelf. This Cinnamon Bun gift package contained one scented candle, a medium sized lotion, a medium sized bubble, and a travel sized perfume. It all came in an orange purse. "$12.99, that I can do! She'll absolutely LOVE this!!!" She ran to the shortest line at the checkout Six people, not bad!
Serena triumphantly walked out of the store. This is AWESOME!!! I actually got something for Mina other than a gift certificate! I can't WAIT until she sees this! She'll FLIP!!! Serena looked down at her list. She took her pink bunny pen, and wrote down Mina's present, and asked herself, "Who's next?"
People I need gifts for
Mom- Green sweater and earrings
Dad- Tie and "Best Daddy" mug
Sammy-Quasar the Horrible Video Game
Mina- C-B scents/ purse
Lita
Ami
Rei
Chad
Andrew
Darien
Lita. She'd be easy. For the past month, she had been raving over this cookbook she wanted. It contained a recipe for, " The BEST key-lime cheesecake ever!!!" (Straight quote from Lita.) The only place you could get this cook book was the little café inside Bentman's, which was one of the biggest, and most expensive department store in Toyko. She pushed though the crowd, heading her way to Bentman's, when a thought crossed her mind. Did anyone already get it for her?
Serena reached into her pink and white bunny shaped purse, and pulled out her Sailor Scout communicator. She pushed the buttons to call Mercury, Mars, and Venus, leaving out Jupiter for…well, obvious reasons.
Ami: Mercury here! What's the problem?!
Rei: Mars here! What's wrong Ser… Sailor Moon?!
Mina: Sailor V here. Is their trouble at the Mall?!
Serena: No, no problem
Mina: Well it sure SOUNDS that way!
Rei: If there's no trouble, why'd you call Meatball Head?
Serena: Can it PYRO! I need to ask you guys if you got Lita the cool book from Bent-
Ami: Ser-EEE-na!! I can't believe you! This should only be used for Scout issues, or in an extreme emergency!!!
Rei: I totally agree!
Serena: -But this IS an extreme emergency!!! I need to know if any-
Mina: You know Ami, you're beginning to sound just like Luna!!!
Ami: That is NOT true! I'm just saying tha-
Mina: Is too!
Ami: Uh! Is NOT!
Mina: Too!
Ami: Not!
Mina: Too!
Ami: Not
Mina: Too!
Ami: NO-
Rei: KNOCK IT OFF YOU TWO!!!
Ami: …
Mina: …
Serena: Thanks Rei! Anyway, I need to know if any of you got Lita the cookbook from Bentman's.
Ami:…no…
Mina: nuh-uh
Rei: Nope.
Serena: Good. Because I'm going to… WAAAAHHHH!!!!
Poor Serena. Before she could finish her sentence, she was shoved into a display of Christmas Teddy Bears. There she laid, covered head to toe in a mass of red, green, and white fur.
" Ho Ho Ho!!! Merry Christmas!!!"
Ami: What happened?!?
Mina: Who was that?!?
Rei: Did you klutz out again Meatball Head?!?
Serena:… (struggle)…(mumble)…(gag)…
ALL: WHAT?!?
Serena swam though the sea of the cute and cuddly bears. When she came out she literally had to detangle her hair of bears. Man! That's going to cause me nightmares for WEEKS now!!! She simply got up, leaving the mass of bears, and started her way though the crowd again.
Serena: I just got attacked by BEARS!!!
Rei: Oh NO!
Mina: Are you alright?!?
Ami: What kind?!?! Grizzly? Polar? Black…
Serena: TEDDY!!!
ALL: WHAT?!?
Rei: Is there a Nega Monster…
Serena: No!!! Somebody pushed me into…like… a MILLION TEDDY BEARS!!!
ALL: Sweat drops
Ami: Only you Serena!!! Only you!!! (hysterical laughing)
Mina: Man Serena!!! It sounds like a MADHOUSE in there!!! You better get done soon!!!
Serena: Yeah! No kidding!!! I really need to-
Just then, a gust of wind passed by her, blowing her pigtails into her face. It was almost as if somebody had been standing in front of her, and the suddenly flew away. Wait? Flew?!? And didn't that gust of wind have a slight sent of…Roses?!?
Serena frantically looked around her. He couldn't possible be here!…Could he?!
She turned around a couple more times, until something caught the corner of her eye. She turned to see the wishing fountain. Wait! Something was in the fountain! Someone was in the fountain! But who?! She sighed. Nope, no cape, no hat, no mask…although, it DOES look like…Nah. She shook it off. What would my handsome jerk be doing in a Mall fountain?!? It would be SOO out of character for him! Haha! THAT would be priceless to see though! To see him sopping wet…with his hair plastered to his forehead…and his pants baggy from the water…and his shirt clinging to him like second skin…
Serena: Mmmm…Abbs…
Mina: Abbs?! Who's abbs are you talking about?!
Ami: You spaced out on us Serena…what happened?
Rei: (snicker) She was probably daydreaming about Darien!
Serena didn't hear her last remark. She was looking at the gift wrapping station. She cringed. I'd rather face a Nega-Creep than that disaster!!! She took one last look toward the fountain, and exclaimed:
Serena: Hey guys, I really need to get out of here!!! The shoppers have gone mad!!! I just saw some guy swimming in the wishing fountain!!!
Ok, this Ch. Is over!!! The next one will be about her shopping for Lita , Rei, and the guys (minus Darien.)