Vol. 05
Chapter 17
I'm Selina Chase, 18 years old, My birth metal is silver. I'm in the first year of college under the Managing Program, hoping to manage a hotel or a apartment building. I'm just a little clumsy and a bit of a complainer. That's about it. One day, a strange woman in black named Luna Lupo showed up and turned me into Guardian of the Moon. But she wants me to fight bad guys. That makes me really nervous. Oh well, I guess everything will be okay. Hopefully.
I'm Hermione Driscoll, 18 years old. My birth metal is quicksilver. I'm in the first year of college under the Managing Program, hoping to become 'the business' of New York City. I'm intelligent (Understatement) and also a trickster. One day, a werewolf named Luna Lupo transformed me into Guardian Mercury. Now I have to fight along side with her and Guardian Moon. I guess that makes me the brains in this team.
In location in the dark cold cave, "WHAT? Did you say the second guardian showed up?" Lady Pandora sits upon her throne not looking to happy, as for Jason,
"Yes." shaking in his golden fleece coat.
"The nerve! Then all the more reason to hurry and collect energy for me to fill up my box!"
"Lady Pandora, I have a great idea. Humans produce more energy when they are psychologically stressed. For example, when they are pressed for time. So, if we steal their time and cause them to rush about, we can efficiently collect their increased energy."
"Very well. Proceed with your plan."
"Yes, my Lady."
Downtown Manhattan, Selina and Hermione just arrived from the station. "Wow! There are so many people!" Hermione has in awe. She was wearing a blue cocktail dress that covered her from her neck to above the knees, sleeveless. On top wearing a pale yellow blazer jacket and black pumps to complete the look.
"I guess you've never come to places like this before." Selina commented. Don't expect much from her, she only wore a black tank top with a white skort, on top wearing a white jean jacket and a pair of white tennis shoes.
"I didn't need to because I have everything that I need in my home back in England. I'd read about them in books, but that was all."
"Oh my God, Hermione, this is what happens when you're filthy rich. But at least you're still young. You need to go out more!"
"There's nothing wrong with having lots of money, you're the one who needs to stay inside in order to save that wallet of yours."
"Hey, let's not talk about me. Let's enjoy the day without Luna and the rest of those creepy business that she has to deal with back at the apartments. Since we're here let's have as much fun as we can by window-shopping!"
"You are such a cheapskate, but whatever works for you, works for me." Hermione joined Selina for a crazy spin at the town. They both tried on Gucci sunglasses, and ridiculous hats.
"Hey, why don't we go to that clothing store. They have some interesting dresses." Selina pointed out the store across the street catching Hermione's attention.
"I guarantee you that none of those dresses you won't be able to afford."
"In that case, we'll just try them on. DRESS UP!" Selina ran to the store as Hermione followed along. They both took out dresses that had nothing to do with them.
"What do you think?" Hermione asked Selina.
"I like this one." Selina commented on her pick. Then they both look at each other. "I DON'T THINK SO!" They both threw the dresses to the side and left the store in a giggle. As they continue walking down the street, a busker went up to them.
"Hello ladies, would you like to see a trick?" the man was in colourful clothing and holding a deck of cards.
"Sure. Satisfy us." Selina and Hermione tipped the man with a couple of dollars. The man shuffle the cards and spread them out in a fan formation.
"Pick a card." he asked. Hermione reached in and took out a card, being the ace of clubs. "Remember your card. Now put the card back in the deck." Hermione placed the card on top of the deck. The man placed his finger on the top of the deck and placed a half of the deck on top. As he removes his finger from the placement he also took out the card that Hermione put back and hid it in his sleeve. As he pretends to look for the card as shuffles the deck, he then shook his sleeves and voila the card appears. "Will you look at that? This silly card has been hiding in my sleeve all this time and by the way, is this your card?" The man held up the card to show the ladies. Selina looked surprised but Hermione didn't seem impressed by the act.
"Of course it's my card you moron! As soon as I put the card down you'd slide it down your sleeve so you can reveal it in a snap. I've seen this trick many times back in England. I can do it myself." The man got degraded and walked on. Hermione sucked her teeth in shame. "The nerve on that man! Thinking he is Mr. Copperfield." Selina looked at Hermione in awe.
When this woman talks all this and that in her accent, she looks feisty! "Wow! You know your magic tricks." Selina commented.
"Those magic tricks are not tricks, it's a type of style to steal others belongings from your pocket to your purse. It derived from the Gypsies." Hermione explained in her most intellectual way.
"Oh really? You think that man is capable of stealing in stealth?" Selina had to ask.
"Oh yes, like I can." Hermione held up a wallet, Selina looked at it in shock. She search in her pockets and bag.
"You took my wallet! How did you do that?" Selina did not like that trick
"Years of practice. I think you want this back." Hermione handed Selina back her wallet. She took it and dumped back in the bag.
"Guess what?" Selina continue.
"What?"
"I don't like that trick anymore." Selina said it in a straight face and Hermione just laughed. The two continue down the street to see what else they can scurry through. They stop by a book store to see what they can pick up. Hermione went to the business aisle to see if she can update her collection. As for Selina she found a comic book that she needed for her collection. "Hey, did you find anything interesting?" she asked Hermione.
"Yes, quite a bit actually." Hermione was holding onto a book that Selina noticed.
"Hermione, what kind of books do you read?"
"Shall we show each other what we got?" They both swap books and their faces melted when they opened the books.
"HOLY CRAP! This can be my bedtime story!" Selina commented.
"You have got to be kidding me? Comics!" Hermione also commented. They both left the book store and continue on down the street. They stopped by a crepe shop to rest and have a snack.
"Oh boy! I'm tired!" Selina exclaimed.
"Me too!" agreed Hermione. Selina noticed a big crowd forming across the street.
"Hmm, I wonder what's going on over there? There's a lot of people." Selina mentioned.
"I have no idea." Hermione responded. They both looked about and saw a sign reading 'Clock Works: Big Spring Bargain Week.'
"Looks like they're having a sale."
"I never saw so many people get excited for clocks before."
"50% to 70% off! Wow! That's cheap! Wanna check out?" Selina offered.
"I already have a watch I got from my mother, so I think I'm okay."
"You should act more your age! It's free if we're just going to look. So, it would be a waste if we don't!" Selina convinced her and dragged her to the store. When they enter, the place was in high-end décor. Chandeliers coming down from the ceiling, surrounding a giant grandfather clock. Stylized in a Victorian fashion. A man with tan skin stood beside it wearing a burgundy suit looking top notch. The man walked up to the ladies and greeted them.
"Welcome. Please feel free to look around." The man had an Iranian accent when he spoke. Selina went over to the glass counters to look at the watches.
"Wow! They're so cheap!" exclaim Selina.
"Are watches usually this cheap? They usually range from hundreds to thousands." Hermione looked a little odd.
"Nope, looks like this place is special. It unbelievable!" The two walked around the store and explore the different types of clocks. From children appropriate to a classic and contemporary styles. The two spotted a clock shaped in a silhouette of a wolf howling at the moon, which is the clock.
"Wow, it looks just like Luna in her wolf form!" Hermione mentioned.
"Maybe I'll buy this one. After all, I did threw my old alarm clock out the window." the Iranian man showed up behind them.
"How do you like it? It's a nice bargain." the man insisted.
"I know. It's so cheap that I can actually buy it." When Selina Check inside her wallet, all she had left was a $10 dollar bill. "Hermione, did you took any of my cash?"
"No, why would I? Don't tell me, you're broke already?"
"It may be cheap, but my wallet can't take it! And if I'm late to class one more time, I'll break my own record!"
"Selina, if you want, I'll come get you every morning. Plus, who needs a cheap clock anyway. They're fakes obviously, you'll never see watches at this price." Hermione purposely intimidating the owner to his wits. "So, stop your whining, you spend too much already." Selina hugged Hermione.
"I never thought I would say this but, I love you, Hermione!" Hermione grew red feeling embarrassed being hugged like this in a public area.
"She's just a friend of mine!" Hermione yelled out to the public making sure they don't get the wrong idea.
When the two ladies went back to the Apartments later that evening, they search for Luna. "We're home!" Selina yelled out. Luna popped out of her office and walked over to the girls.
"Hello Selina, and to you Hermione. I got you something useful today, Selina." Luna said with a creepy smile forming across her face.
"Wow, talk about rare! So, what did you get for me?" Luna handed her a sealed box.
"Here. I went shopping with Ellie and Manny today." Selina examine the wrapping noticing it's from that same clock store that Hermione and her were today. Selina then opened the box.
"Clock Works. So, you went there too."
"The clock store we stopped by was having an incredible sale. For some reason Manny bought seven clocks! He said it was for some experiment that I didn't understand." Selina took out the clock from the packaging and was stun.
"Oh! This is the wolf clock that I wanted!"
"Isn't it nice? I just remembered that you are always late for your classes. Am I nice? I also bought myself a clock for the office."
"Jeez, thanks."
"Did by any chance did you get this clock because of your selfish ego told you so?" Hermione has her doubts.
"Of course not! What's a matter with you?" Luna went from happy to grumpy.
"Take it easy, doggie! It was only a question." Hermione wasn't afraid to start up a fight with anybody and the same with Luna. Hermione and Selina went into Selina's apartment and settle down. "Selina, which part of the clock looks more like Luna? Look very carefully! That clock is better looking than that werewolf!"
"Hermione! Can you be any nastier? Well anyway, since you'll be here tomorrow, I don't need to worry about being late." Selina wind up the clock to the alarm settings and set it by her bed. Hermione glance at the clock one more time before she leaves to her apartment.
"I don't like how that clock sits there. It looks like it's going to pounce a you in your sleep."
"Now your scared of it? Why don't you go on to your place and get some rest before your imagination goes out of control." Hermione did just that. Selina got into her sleepwear and tuck herself in bed. Hermione was just outside of Selina's entrance floating in her doubts.
"I seriously think that clock is going to jump at her in her sleep." she said to herself as she walked to her apartment. Later on that night, Selina's clock struck twelve. The clock began to glow a green coloured light shining down upon Selina's sleeping body. Hermione stepped out of her apartment and down to take some midnight fresh air. As she walked past Luna's office she saw a green glow illuminating the office. She peeked through the window and saw Luna's new clock on the wall by her desk glowing ever so brightly. "I wonder if this as anything to do with the enemy." Hermione back to her doubts.
Early next morning, Hermione arrived at Selina's apartment door and knocked. No response. She knocked again. "Selina wake up!" It was no use. Hermione went down to the office to check in with Luna. "Luna, do you know why Selina is not opening her door? And why are you up in such a rush." Luna popped up from her desk getting folders and organizing papers after papers creating piles on top of her desk.
"Well, Selina left for class already and I'm trying to sort out these papers before I have to go out into the world and investigate for the stone."
"Selina left already, it's only bleeding 7 'o' clock!"
"No kidding! You need to hurry. Otherwise you'll be late. Look at the time! I have to maintain the rooms and do the rest of my laundry. Oh my goodness! It's almost time for lunch! What are you doing standing there, GO TO CLASS ALREADY!" Luna pushed Hermione out the door and closed the door behind her. Hermione turned around in confusion of Luna's reaction, she then walked slowly to college. At the college, only being 7:30, every student ran for dear life to avoid being late. In the classroom, only six out of the twenty-five showed up. Ms. Haruna Lenz paced backed in forth checking her watch.
"They're late! Where are the rest of the students?" Mrs. Lenz was growing out of patience, but Ellie beat her to it.
"I can't wait anymore! I'll go out there and get everybody!" Ellie stood up from her seat. The same with Selina.
"Me, too! I can't stay here like this anymore!" Selina got bored.
"Then, me three! Somehow, I can't stay still!" goes Manny. Mrs. Lenz slaps her teaching stick on to the board creating a loud crack, scaring everyone in the classroom.
"That's enough! You can study by yourself today! I have no other choice. It's already 8, and most students haven't even shown up yet. Anyway, I have four other classes to teach. So, I cannot stay here like this. I'm sorry." Mrs. Lenz left the classroom.
"If she's leaving, then I'm leaving too! Once I finish eating my lunch, I have nothing else left to do." Selina took out her lunch and began to eat it. Manny came in between Selina and Ellie.
"That's right! In the old days, they used to say, 'Fall in love, life is short.'" He said, the two girls turned around and faced him with such bad looks in their faces.
"You're so wrong!" the two said simultaneously. Ellie stood up.
"Anyway, we shouldn't waste our time like this!" she said.
"You're right! Let's go home!" Selina agreed and stood up and walked out of the classroom as the same with the rest of the students. Meanwhile, Hermione continue to walk to the college and realized the stores and boutiques are opening early.
"Why are the shops opening so early?" She stopped walking and turned around. "I bet it has something to do with that clock." Hermione ran back to the apartments as fast as she could in heels. She checked to see if Luna was in the office. She peeked through the window and saw no one. She tried to open the door but it was lock. "Damn! Anyway, I don't think I can survive in that messy office of hers." Hermione doesn't want to encounter the giant piles of papers that can timber down on top of her. She then went up to Selina's apartment door. She went through her bag and took out a bobby pin and a long needle like pin. She bent down to the same level as the door knob and started to work in the lock with her tools. In a few seconds, the door as open. "Viola! Never lost my touch." She went inside the apartment and searched for Selina's wolf clock. She went into the bedroom finding the clock by the bed. "Found you! I don't know whats going on but I'm going to find out." Hermione took the clock and left the apartment quickly, checking to see if anybody saw her. She then went to her apartment and went to her study room and placed the clock on her desk. "Now something wrong with these clocks. I need something that can help me to check this thing out." Hermione was planning out on what to do with the clock. "Oh hell, I have no idea about clocks. Anyway I'll just open it and see if anything unusual but first I need my tools." Before she got up from the desk a blue light burst on her desk like a mini firework and appeared a silver clutch with the Mercury symbol embedded on the casing. Hermione stared at it for a few seconds and took the clutch. She opened it, there were tools for a world class thief and a note. This is a gift to the worlds best thief. From your God, Mercury. "Great! Now I get gifts. Thank you!" Hermione took a flat head tool from the clutch and popped open the backing of the clock. When opened, a green glowing orb flew past Hermione's head and went through the window. Hermione ducked to the floor being scared she'll loose her head. "What the fuck was that?" Hermione went back to her desk slowly, scared of another orb flying into her. She looked inside the clock expecting to see gears and other mechanical parts to make it work. When she looked, the clock was empty. "I thought so. This is no ordinary clock. The weird way people are acting must have something to do with that Clock Works store."