Chapter 10: The Image of Glasses

Kurumi, Mortimer, and Makoto entered the mall.

"Are you sure you wanted to join us? You don't seem like someone who would like shopping," Makoto said to Mortimer. He grinned in response.

"It's not the shopping. I just think that malls are interesting places. Especially the attractions that nothing to do with money, like that funhouse," Mortimer pointed out.

"Sure! That place looks like the ceiling would probably fit me, so let's go!" giggled Kurumi, actually agreeing with him for once. When they got in, however, Mortimer yanked Kurumi towards a lightshow area. He told her to stand in front of the screen, which was full of flashing, colorful lights, and she did so. He then reached up and began to move his fingers around, so that they made shadow puppets on her forehead.

"Mortimer...don't do that. It's rude," sighed Makoto, who was watching, but she couldn't help but giggle anyway.

"You're so MEEEAAN!" Kurumi screamed, lunging at Mortimer and chasing him out of the lightshow room. They ran out into the main lobby of the mall and Mortimer crashed into a very meek-looking girl with glasses.

"You are SUCH a nerdy clutz. I think it's those stupid glasses," scolded another girl.

"Um...I'm sorry...I..." The meek girl was yanked by the other girl.

"Come on. I'm going to dress you up so you don't look so nerdy. Starting with these glasses." As the bully girl began to take away her victim's glasses, she was struck down from behind by a kick.

"She needs those to see. Now get lost unless you really want to fight a girl with glasses," challenged the assailant, Sakura Mizuno.

"AAAAH! I'm getting out of here! Fighting'll mess up my hair!" screamed the mean girl, running away. The meek one scurried off before Sakura could start attacking her too.

"Um, that was nice that you saved her, but you're kinda violent," commented Kurumi. She had been distracted from her own anger at Mortimer by the scene.

"What kind of girl ARE you! Not to mention a Sailor Senshi. It's our JOB to protect the meek and innocent from bad guys, and that snobby girl was definitely a bad guy. Rather unfeminine, too, worrying about her hair so much," snorted Sakura. Mortimer nodded.

"I think she had some silly stereotype in her mind that people who need glasses are worthless nerds," he agreed.

"Well, in the magical girl stories, the one with glasses is usually smart and often quiet as well," said Kurumi.

"Are you trying to replace Serena as the anime freak now that she's gone?" Mortimer asked snidely.

"No! I just like cutesy stories! And I like things other than anime! That thing about the smart characters wearing glasses is something that's in other media things like live-action TV and movies," Kurumi retorted.

"Serena's not gone. She's over there," said Sakura matter-of-factly. Indeed, not only Serena was at the mall too, but Mozzarella was with her.

"Huh? I thought those two were captured by the Love Angels or something like that," said Kurumi, confused.

"Captured? The Love Angels would never do such a horrible thing to people!" exclaimed Serena.

"Then why haven't either of you been at school? I should've at least seen you sometime, we both go to Nanaban High," Sakura challenged. Serena gulped at this; she didn't want to lie, but...

"Yeah, but we're with the Love Angels by our own choices. So they didn't capture us," Mozzarella countered.

"Really? Are you sure? Bridget heard from Basil that you were trying to force Jessica to join too," Sakura accused.

"That doesn't necessarily mean these two were forced into it, though," Mortimer pointed out, playing devil's advocate.

"Hmmph. The Love Angels told us you were an especially bad and unfeminine girl. It's our turn to fight. Wedding Powerful Flower!" yelled Mozzarella.

"See my new transformation! Wedding Delicious Flower!" added Serena. In flashes of green and black lights, the two girls were now wearing their color-coded wedding gowns.

"Why you traitors! How dare you call me unfeminine! Milkshake Prism Power, Make Up!" shouted Sakura.

"Chocolate Power, Make Up!"

"Caramel Power, Make Up!" Kurumi and Mortimer transformed too.

"We have another stage. Angel Crystal Ivy!" announced Angel Ivy.

"Angel Sugar Rose!"

"What's the point of transforming twice? Why did you have to go through that part where you were wearing those wedding gowns?" asked Sailor Milkshake.

"Because how else would we charge up our power of love, silly?" giggled Angel Rose, "Would you like some cake? Saint Confectionary Rose Deliver!" With that, she twirled around and threw a gigantic wedding cake at the three Sailor Senshi. Sailor Caramel squealed with delight.

"MMM! Yummy! This is as good as Mommy's cakes!" she exclaimed as she ate the pieces of cake off of her Senshi outfit.

"You fool! That might be poisoned!" shouted Sailor Chocolate.

"WAAAAH! You're so mean! I wouldn't give people poisoned cake! What kind of Love Angel would do such an evil thing!" sobbed Angel Rose.

"Stop goofing around and give us your bracelets! Saint Metallic Ring Strike!" roared Angel Ivy, and she flung a huge golden ring at Sailor Chocolate. He fell backwards, landing in the pile of cake.

"We can't give you our bracelets. They disappear when we transform. Surely you know that, since you were once Sailor Senshi too," Sailor Milkshake pointed out. Angel Ivy rolled her eyes.

"Then undo your transformations, you idiots. I'll let you go off from getting hurt like him if you do so," she sighed, gesturing to Sailor Chocolate.

"No way! Deep Submerge!"

"Yeah! You meanies used cake to trick me! Crescent Beam!" Sailor Milkshake and Sailor Caramel called, dousing the two Senshi-turned-Angels with green water and shooting an aqua energy beam at Angel Ivy.

"Saint Metallic..." Angel Ivy suddenly stopped mid-attack. She glared at Sailor Chocolate, "Why are you staring at me like that?" she demanded.

"Because I just noticed something. You, Serena, and Sakura all are athletic and extroverted girls who wear glasses. You break that stereotype that says that people who wear glasses are quiet nerds," he responded.

"So? Saint Metallic Ring...HEY!" Angel Ivy was once again interrupted as Angel Rose grabbed her from behind.

"Stop being so violent. You're just making them hate us and the other Love Angels more. We need to show them that the world will be a beautiful, peaceful place if they only sacrifice their bracelets," Angel Rose said. Angel Ivy sighed, dropping her hands.

"Fine. Just this once. I'll retreat for now, just so I don't get hit with a giant wedding cake," she relented and followed Angel Rose out of the mall.

"What are we going to do with all this cake? It seems like a waste to just let the janitors clean it up," said Kurumi.

"Didn't I tell you to stop eating it already!" snapped Mortimer.

"I'll take some of it to Mom to analyze," offered Sakura as she took a baggy out of her pocket and put some of the cake in it.

"Hmmph. There are starving kids out there and you want me to just let it go to waste!" Kurumi argued.

"Then send it to them," Mortimer quipped.

"I thought you just said it was poisoned!"

"But you just said..." Sakura rolled her eyes as she left the two bickering pre-teens, wondering how Makoto could stand to live with them acting like that.