Vol. 4
Chapter 16
At the Gold Seminar, students young and old were in their own cubicles working like zombies into the schools high-tech computers. Hermione was in her cubicle looking frantically in her notebook bag. "Where's my USB key? I must have dropped in the way. It's okay. I never use it." As Hermione pulls out her books and notes, a hand landed on her left shoulder very softly. Hermione jumped a
little by the contact and looked up to see who it was.
"Driscoll. Use the Golden USB key. Keep studying hard. You're our best student so don't let yourself slide." A man in dark red hair and in glasses with a awful coloured green suit, the teacher of the class encourages Hermione with a smile.
"Yes, sir." she replied
"I'm counting on you." he then walked away. When he wasn't in sight, Hermione turn back to her computer with a sigh of relief.
"That teacher gives me the creeps. The next time he lays he's hands on me, I'll send his arse flat onto the copying machine, that perv." She said to herself. "Anyway, every time I use that USB it gives me a headache. I can't do business with a headache."
Outside of the Gold Seminar building, Selina and Luna were looking at the sign advertising the school.
"'Use this new Golden USB key and you'll become a genius.'" Selina read the sign out loud. She holds up the golden coloured USB key and examines it. "So, this little sucker is the Golden USB."
"Selina, be careful now. Too much information can be lethal for small minded people." Luna teased and laughing to herself. Selina turned and face Luna with such disregard.
"Are you calling me small minded?"
"I didn't call you that, you did." Luna rebounded another pun with success. Selina grew furious. "Any how, don't get to keen with this girl."
"I'm just returning her USB. Come on, Luna. Lighten up!" As the two were chatting amongst themselves, a man intervened.
"So you decided to study, tomboy." said the man who always seems to be bumping into Selina ever so often. Selina turn to face the man knowingly that she has been irritated enough. Luna stood beside her eying on the man to see what's his deal.
"You again. Why do you always show up at the weirdest moments?" Selina demanded.
"How should I know? But I do realized that you haven't introduce me to your friend. Or is she part of your tomboy clan?" the man is nasty, Luna walked up to him with pride.
"Listen hear you hot shot wannabe, I am nothing close to that girl over there, and for your information my name is Luna Lupo, I am working as her landlord at the Crystal Tokyo Apartments, interested?" the man gave her a quick smirk.
"Well in that case, I suggest you keep that animal in case in one of your apartments and throw away the key. Talking about throwing away the key, how about we do the same but the both of us in the same room?"
"My friend, if that were to happen one day in some life time, you wouldn't survive the clawing,and the biting onto that delicate body of yours. Oh, yeah did I mention howling too?" Luna gave him a fierce look not looking away. The man feels intimidated by the woman in black, the same with Selina, who is watching the whole thing unfold before her very eyes.
"You must be kidding, right?" the man wasn't sure in himself.
"Please tell him your kidding!" Selina can't imagine him in a locked up room with a hungry black wolf ready to rip something apart.
"The next when we bump into you again which I'm surely you will, you better present yourself to us ladies, yes I said LADIES with some dignity and respect. If not I swear to God I will report harassment against you. Better yet, I'll make scene screaming 'ASSAULT' in public just for your humility. Do we have deal?" Luna still standing her ground, Selina with her jaw bombed to the ground and the man in a state of shock, looking very afraid.
"Yes, mam. I think we have a deal." the man responded after taking a deep breath.
"Good, now instead of standing here looking stupid, why don't you turn around and start walking in the other direction." Luna suggested, as she pointed the way for him. And he did just that. He stopped walking for a brief moment and turned his head to see if they were still there.
"Keep going." Luna waved him away in distance making sure he is gone from our sight. The man walked on. Selina went up to Luna slowly recovering from the dramatic event.
"I think permanently destroyed his pride." Selina responded.
"Better, that next time round he won't be such a cock. Easier for you to handle him now."
"Before I forget, I'd better go in and return this to her." Selina holds up the USB key.
"Hey, I have an idea. Before you return it to her why don't we go into their labs and peek in what's in that USB of hers."
"Are you for real, Luna? What the heck you think it's going to be in this thing?"
"Oh well I don't know, maybe her little black or next weeks lottery numbers or better yet, answers for the next exam." Talk about sarcasm. Selina stared at the little thing being a little curious herself.
"Fine, but I'm not the one who's going to be on the computer." Selina suggested.
"No problem." Luna agreed. They both walked into the building looking for a free computer lab. Shockingly enough, the whole building seems to be empty. Not a person in sight. The two eventually found a computer lab and went to the nearest computer to the door. Luna inserted the USB key into the USB port, clicking here and there. Selina watched Luna doing her tech stuff not understanding what she's doing.
"Do Gods have computers?" Selina asked, Luna looked up at her not responding to the question. "By that look on your face, I guess not." Selina got the message, Luna went back to the computer and opening up a program. The screen went blue and a sequence of binary numbers appeared in the screen with a high pitch sound that made Selina and especially Luna uncomfortable. Luna covered her ears to block away the sound as much as she can.
"What is this?" Luna wondered.
"What's that noise?" Selina also covered her ears. The computer started to chant.
"SURRENDER ALL YOUR MENTAL ENERGY TO OUR GREAT RULER." The program repeats this numerous of times. Luna got up from the chair and did a hard whip of a kick onto the computer and smashed against the wall, destroying it.
"Was that necessary?" Selina was shocked from Luna's reaction. Luna's face was dead serious.
"That was a brainwashing program."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. This girl might be our enemy..."
"...or she can be in trouble." Selina finished Luna's sentence.
"Well since we're here already, might as well get to work."
"I can't believe this, just when I thought today can be my Monster Free Day."
"Face the facts, Selina. Now come on, disguise yourself."
"And what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to wolf out in this institution."
"Sounds like a plan." Selina took out her silver pocket mirror. "Moon Mirage! Turn me into a nurse." The shine from the mirror showered Selina, when faded Selina was dressed in a nurses uniform in a darker blonde hair. Selina looked around where Luna went but then assume she went ahead of her. Selina ran out of the lab and went to the office of the building. "Excuse me, I was told there was a medical emergency in here. Can you please direct me where the Business Program classroom might be?" Selina asked in a professional manner but in a hurry, the security guard told her the number of the room and pointed to the right direction. She ran down the hall looking for the room number, when found she barged into the classroom seeing that every student is being brainwashed by their computers. "Everyone get away from those computers." Selina yelled out hoping her message has reached through. The zombie-fied students turn their heads slowly towards Selina looking soulless. In the moment, Hermione rises from her cubicle to see who is disturbing the class.
"What the bloody hell are doing here? You are disturbing our studies." Hermione stood tall and strong in her royal blue suit. Selina looked at her strongly noting she's the only one who's not zombie-fied, suggesting that she's the enemy.
"So you're the monster after all." Selina yelled out to her.
"What did you call me?" Hermione was caught off guard, not expecting what she just heard.
"It's no use in lying." Selina replied. Luna howled at the back of the classroom obliviously in her wolf form.
"Transform into Guardian Moon." Luna called out.
"Upon the Rule of Diana, Lend me Your Light!" After Selina transformed, Hermione was shock from what she just witnessed.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" Hermione was definitely confused. Before she can process any of this into her mind, a man's hand grabbed Hermione by the face covering her mouth to prevent her from screaming. The hand belonged to the teacher, who started laugh at the whole situation.
"I'm the monster you're looking for, the name is Labrys."
"The double-headed axe of Crete." Luna informed. The man continue to laugh.
"Oh, the black wolf knows her stuff." he responded. He transformed into a man in armor and a helmet shaped into a bull's head, meaning horns. He wielded a giant double-headed axe on one hand while he held on to Hermione in the other. "This girl's mental energy will go to our great ruler." Selina looked at monster in awe.
"That means that Driscoll wasn't a monster after ALL." Selina yelled across the room to Luna who seem to be a little embarrassed.
"How weird is that." Luna responded not knowing what to say.
"Stop this right now. Geniuses should use their gifts for world peace. I won't let you have her. I am a warrior of the Hunt and the Moon. I am Guardian of the Moon. In the name of Diana, I will defeat you!" Selina threaten the monster.
"Alright then, first question." Labrys responded. Selina was confuse from his response. "This is a question on Newtonian physics. Why do apples fall from trees?" he asked. Selina just stared at him.
"Seriously, I'm not here to play Jeopardy. Why don't you show me what you got?"
"Idiot. Take this!" Labrys swung his axe creating a energy blade flying towards Selina. She dodge it by ducking to the ground, the blades hit the door instead. More blades were flying to her direction, Selina manage to dodge those by jumping inside the classroom. "Idiot, you won't survive unless you answer my question!" He continue to fire energy blades at Selina.
"FINE! A wind pass by them." Selina answered the question from the first thing she can think of at the top of her head. But Labrys fired out more blades to Selina. "SHIT! I guess that's not the answer you were looking for!" Selina ran across the room avoiding the blades.
"Guardian Moon! It's grade nine physics, you need to answer it scientifically." Yelled out Luna. After that Selina started thinking fast.
"ALRIGHT! I GOT IT! The EARTH ATTRACTED THEM WITH GRAVITY!" As she said that the blades disappeared in front of her eyes. Selina ended up in the corner of the classroom.
"Second question. What is gravity? Answer in fifty words or less." Labrys was still holding onto Hermione while he toys around with Selina.
"ARE YOU CRAZY? I can't do that!"
"If you can't answer, this is what you'll get." Labrys had the students in the classroom under mind control, ordering them to attack Selina. The students rise like zombies coming out of their tombs and walking very slowly towards her, not giving her enough room to run to.
"Oh crap! Guys you have to snap out of it!" Selina tried to talk to the students back to their human selves but no luck.
"In the meantime." Labrys held Hermione's head next to the monitor of the computer. "Surrender your mental energy." A aura came out of the monitor wrapping itself around Hermione's head, while her necklace started to glow a bluish light. The aura disappeared from Hermione's head. Labrys did not understand why. "I can't absorb her energy. Why?" He smashed Hermione's face flat onto the screen trying to make it work. "You didn't use the Golden USB key." Labrys found out. Hermione tried to respond.
"I am getting really tired of you laying your hands onto me! And for your information, I like to study for myself, not with some stupid machine." Hermione protested trying to free herself from Labrys' grasp.
"You fool." Labrys got angry. At that moment, Hermione's forehead started to glow a blue symbol the same as her necklace which was also glowing. "What's this?" Labrys notice the glow. Luna also noted the symbol on Hermione's forehead.
"That mark. I get it now. That strange energy was that of a Guardian." Luna ran to Hermione to give her a message.
"I'll just take your brain." Labrys threw Hermione onto the floor like garbage. "Say your prayers." Hermione recovered herself from the impact of the floor and just watched what would Labrys would do next. He took his axe and made a big swing coming down to Hermione. She got scared, but Luna got to her on time.
"Hermione, over here!" Luna called out to her. Hermione look around and saw the talking black wolf. Hermione ignored her doubts and followed the wolf, missing the axe at that second. She hid in one of the cubicles with the wolf. "You need to say 'Upon the Rule of Mercury, Lend me Your Speed!' Do you understand?"
"A wolf is talking to me!" Hermione was stunned. Luna lost her patience and growled at her.
"Do you want to LIVE?" Hermione nod. "Then do as I SAID!" Hermione went into a complete agreement that she will not argue. So she did what she's been told to do.
"Upon the Rule of Mercury, Lend me Your Speed!" As soon as she said that, her Mercury necklace shot out a blue light surrounding all over Hermione. The light wrapped around her body like blue satin ribbons and transformed into a strapless brocade over-bust yellow corset, then the ribbons wrapped around her hands creating white wrist gloves of satin. The ribbons moved to her feet creating black high-heel pumps with a design of 'wings' on the outer side of the shoes, then the light traveled to her waistline creating yellow boy shorts. The ribbons completely covered her upper body creating a royal blue tailcoat with short sleeves (Shoulder length) and peaked lapel. At the crown of her head appeared a quicksilver tiara at the same time her hair gained blonde highlights, quicksilver stud earrings, a yellow scarf around her neck fashioned in a cravat bow tie with the Mercury symbol pinned in the middle and a royal blue Tyrolean hat with a white feather sticking out from one side. "BLOOODY HELL! I look like those slutty flight attendants! What is all of this?"
"You are the second guardian, Guardian of Mercury!" Luna explained quickly, Labrys swung his axe again at Hermione, she jumped up and disappeared but appeared at another spot of the room.
"Ooh! I move fast!" Hermione commented.
"Guardian Mercury, you need to use your attack! Listen to your heart!" Luna yelled out. As Labrys located Hermione, she stood her ground and tried 'to listen to her heart'. As the monster gets closer to her, the words popped into her head.
"Quicksilver Haze, Surround!" Hermione took out her left hand and blew on it, blue-silver dust came out of her hand and cover the room in a gray fog. Labrys looked around to see what's going on but couldn't see squat.
"What's this? Where did she go? I feel so weak all of a sudden." commented Labrys. Selina's group of zombies collapse on the floor, she too realized the fog but happy the zombies gave out. Labrys saw Hermione's face in the distance. "There you are." He charged at her and used his axe to attack. When he did, instead of attacking the Guardian, he destroyed a reflection of her from a monitor.
"Now I've got you." called out Hermione from behind. Labrys turned to see the Guardian.
"Damn it."
"Guardian Moon, get rid of this bastard of a monster!" yelled Hermione.
"You got it!" Selina gave her a thumbs up and concentrate through the fog and located the monster. She took out her discus and ready to fly. "Silver Moon, Watch My Aim!" She whipped the discus to the enemy, in impact the monster turned to dust, disappearing with the fading fog. The students that collapse on the floor regain themselves in order. "You'll be alright now." Selina told the students and ran to Hermione. Hermione just stood there still registering what just happened.
"I'm...confused..." she said.
"Again, you are the second guardian, Guardian Mercury." Luna explained again as she walked up to Hermione. Hermione didn't like the idea of a talking wolf. Selina went up to her to greet her.
"Guardian Mercury? Well this is getting interesting."
The three finally met up at Hermione's new apartment, helping her to move in. "I'm sorry I thought you were one of the enemy." Luna apologized.
"That's quite alright, I'm just still processing the fact that you are a werewolf as my landlord." Hermione replied.
"Now that Hermione has joined us I feel safer. Right Luna?" Selina commented.
"That's right."
"Really? You guys are going to make me blush." Hermione smiled.
Especially when it comes to exams. Selina thought to herself.
"Selina." Hermione spoke disturbing Selina's train of thought.
"Yes."
"It's nice to be partners with you. Let's fight together to defeat the enemy." Hermione brought out her hand for a handshake. Selina gave her hand to her and made it a firm shake.
"You betcha!" I'm afraid this girl might be too smart for me.
Note: Quicksilver Haze- is an attack of a mist of the liquid metal mercury, weakening the enemies' stamina due to the poison in the metal.