Alright, then. Dorian/Mina it is!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Like all days of the week so often do, Monday arrived and the individuals of our story had to relinquish some aspects of their lives to adapt to busy college life. Dorian stopped looking at his reflection so much, Alan cut back on target shooting and limited it to Saturdays, the members of the Band known as Ricevenom stopped jamming together on week days and so on.

Coincidentally, several of the people of interest wound up in the same sections. Such as Nemo and Jekyll, who had both signed up for a Psychology class taught by Prof. Danvers Carew. Also, Dorian and Mina found themselves in the same History Class. Mina, Alan and Skinner found themselves in the same German for beginners class.

Jekyll and Nemo had sat next to each other during their lecture and left the room still talking; they had already met a few nights ago at Lucy's party, and were heading to the nearest cafeteria to get a much needed nibble.

On their way they ran into Skinner who oddly enough, easily able to memorize Nemo's name, but agreed to call him Nemo for the sake of conformity.

In the cafeteria, Nemo lead the two to a table where Alan sat reading a news paper.

"Skinner," started Jekyll, "This is Alan Quatermain"
"Rodney Skinner," said Skinner as he sat down, "I think we're in that German class"
"Yes, I think so." said Alan as he was still reading the paper.

"What are you reading so intently?" asked Nemo jokingly, "Page Three"
"No, there's an article about the supposed death of James Moriarty." said Alan.
"James Moriarty?" asked Skinner.
"He's an international criminal and arms dealer. He had a hand in the genocide of Bosnians and in the darfur Region." explained Nemo.

"Well, there's one nut that has bitten the dust"
"The body has not been recovered yet, though." said Alan as he folded the paper.

"Oh, look what the car dragged in." said Nemo as he gestured to Dorian Gray as he sat to a table surrounded by equally pompous people.

"I met him at Lucy's party." said Skinner.
"Met too, who is he?" asked Jekyll.
"You don't recognize him?" asked Nemo, "I guess you wouldn't, since you were having that explosive headache. That's Dorian Gray"
"That's Dorian Gray? He offered my seventy pounds and his girlfriend"
"What?" asked Alan.
"You've heard correctly"
"He offered me fifty to do the same," said Skinner, "Do you think I can ask him for the other twenty?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Penny for you thoughts?"

Mina looked to her side and saw the as always, charming and handsome. They walked down the corridor as student left at the end of the one O'clock lecture as the two-thirty class was about to begin.

"Oh, nothing, I was just heading to my next class"
"So am I, what is it"
"Umm... Classical Music History with Prof. Springsteen"
"Springsteen? He's good, in the future try to register with Prof. Neville Young"
"So, you're a music major too"
"No, I'm Business Management and minoring in Corporate Law, but I've always had a passion for the arts. And speaking of Arts, I have ticket for a musical this weekend, interested"
"Sure, what is it"
"It's 'Spectacular, Spectacular'. It sounds tacky I know, but it's not. It's been played for over a century, it's quit"
"Spectacular"
"Oh, a sense of humor, I'm bewitched." said Dorian as they shared a chuckle.
"Actually I've wanted to see it for some time." said Mina, "Wait a minute; the Parisian theater company is in town to... Oh my God! Is it"
"Yes it is"
"Dorian, I'm really... this is"
"All my friends are capitalist yuppies with no regard for anything beautiful," said Dorian, "You'd be letting a ticket go to waste"
"Well, Okay!"

Mina giggled happily, and then said, "You know, I don't think Prof. Springsteen would mind if I missed this one lecture, so what you say we go have a cup of coffee or something."

Dorian was looking in the distance and saw Sybil coming his direction but not aware of him in the busy corridor.

"Sorry, I've got to go see my Grandad, it's his retirement party, rain check"
"No problem."

Mina walked away smiling, as Dorian walked up to Sybil and said, "Penny for your thoughts"
"Oh, Dorian, I've been thinking about you all day"
"Oh, how sweet. Listen, Sybil, love; I couldn't get the tickets to 'Spectacular"
"But I thought you said that"
"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. Sebastian had two tickets in two separate sections of the theater, I wouldn't have enjoyed it without you at my side. Though, if you want to go alone I could probably get you a ticket"
"Oh, how sweet! No, I can wait for another time when we both can enjoy it. Would you like to get some Coffee"
"I'd love some."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mina cursed her luck as she walked back to the University Dorms as it rained cats and dogs, she had went to middle London to get the text books she needed, but she couldn't find the bookstore.

She decided to save some time and give her clothes a better chance of survival by taking a shortcut, which proved to be a very bad idea. Here is why: Once Mina advanced through the alleys between the buildings, she was confronted by two very imposing large men, muggers to be precise.

"Give us the purse, Bitch"
"gulp... Alright."

Mina tossed the purse at them which they caught and burst open, and were frustrated by the sight of a few credit cards and just two pounds.

"There's just plastic in here"
"Well, that tends to happen when you make a living out of robbing students as they're walking home in the sodden rain"
"Are you making fun of me?" asked the other mugger.
"God forbid no, why would I want to exacerbate an already shitty situation"
"Exacerbate a shitty situation?" asked a mugger with a dumbfounded expression.
"Yes, Exacerbate means to make worse"
"I KNOW WHAT EXACERBATE MEANS! I WENT TO COLLEGE YOU KNOW"
"Really"
"Yeah! Gull University, class of Eighty-Six. Got a degree in Music, the biggest waste of any four years of any man and a boat load of money that would have been better used to cover the bottom of a bird cage! You better have more money on you, little girl, or we'll find another way to collect."

The muggers started to approach her with devious and suggestive smirks; it didn't take anyone with a sick imagination to figure out what was about to happen unless Mina could magically produce a bucket of pounds out of thin air.

"Mates, what's the score?"

The muggers turned to Alan and Nemo who approached from behind them.

"Fuck off, you pricks!" said a mugger as they ignored the two young men and turned back to Mina, resuming their looking bastardly and evil.

"Ehem, what are you doing?" asked Alan.
"Fuck." said one of the muggers.
"Off." said the other.

"Look, you wankers, you better leave her alone." said Alan.
"Or what?" asked a mugger as he turned around.

"Or you'll get an arse kicking of a lifetime."

"By who?" asked the other mugger as he left Mina alone.

"You mean 'Whom'." noted Mina.
"Shut up!"

"Which one do you want?" whispered Alan.
"The big one." answered Nemo jokingly.
"Funny. Which one"
"The one who looks like he wants to kill us"
"Oh, quit buggering around!"

The muggers attacked, and Nemo and Alan each fought one in the manner he knew how to fight with, which is to say, martial arts in Nemo's case and bare-knuckle boxing in Alan's. Eventually, both muggers ran away nursing a bruise or something like that. Now, back to Mina who picked up her purse.

"Are you alright?" asked Alan.
"I'm fine thank you, though now I wonder what the use of my major is, I mean what the hell I am supposed to do with a Music History degree, and I wonder if it's too late for me to switch to studying Chemistry"
"I think she bumped her head." said Nemo, "Wait a minute, you're Mina, right? Lucy's Friend"
"Yes"
"I'm Mahesh Dakkar but you can call me Nemo. That's Alan Quatermain; we were at the party last weekend"
"I'm in your German for beginners' class."

"Thank you, I don't know what would have happened if you didn't show up. What are you doing here anyway?" asked Mina.
"Soup." answered Alan.

"What"
"There is this guy who makes the most amazing soup, but the authorities shut down his restaurant and took away his license because there was a rumor he used ferrets and hamsters in his soup, he now makes it in his basement and runs an underground soup restaurant in one of these buildings"
"Ferrets and hamsters?" asked Alan.
"And rats"
"Rats!" asked Mina and Alan who were both disgusted and surprised.
"Oh, I'm sure it's just a rumor. And even if it isn't, wasn't that the best soup ever? I think I'd have some more even if I knew he used Rats for a fact"
"Well, so would I. But you should have told me!" objected Alan.
"If I did, do you think you would have agreed? You wouldn't have came and you would have missed a chance to experience the greatest soup there ever was, is, and ever will be."

"Well, you're right." said Alan.

"Is the soup conversation over?" asked Mina.
"Yes. We're heading back to Gull, can we walk you back"
"I'd appreciate it."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

R&R. 'Spectacular, Spectacular' is a play within the 'Moulin Rouge!' movie.