Vol. 05
Chapter 20
The next morning at the college, Selina arrived at her classroom seeing that everyone was chatting among themselves. "Good Morning!" Selina greeted the class.
"Hey, did you watch the news? There's this 7th grade girl who has been missing for four days after riding the bus!" reported Ellie, who is always up to date with the news of everyday life. "Now there are like at least seventy missing girls and majority are college students. It has to be the work of that cursed '66 St. Mark' bus for sure! Come on, they disappear by that St. Mark church, it can't be a coincident. Man, that just gives me the creeps!" Mrs. Lenz entered the classroom trying to control the ruckus.
"Quiet down! Recently there have been a rash of disappearances in the area. So please everyone, be careful and take care." She announced. Manny saw Selina daydreaming out the window, he walked up to her and sat beside her.
"Selina, I personally think this is someone's new method of kidnapping." Said Manny but Selina wasn't paying any attention to him. Unexpectedly, Luna enter the classroom and walked up to Selina. Manny stared at her and feel a little intimidated by her presence.
"Hello Manny, will you please be so kind to move to the next seat, thank you." Luna wasn't asking. Manny immediately moved to the back of the classroom. Luna sat beside Selina and tried to get her head out of the clouds. "It's so strange, I can smell that the enemy is behind this. Hey Selina, I want to investigate the bus route to St. Mark. Why don't we go and give Marcy a visit?" Selina turned to face Luna.
"Why do you want to go back to the church?" Selina asked.
"To be honest, I'm really curious about this 'Marcella' girl, I think she may be our next ally...Or she could be one of the enemy."
"Oh no, looks like you have some intuition too!" Selina and Luna got up and left the classroom and out of the college. The two ladies went to the bus stop to get to the church.
"Oh look, the bus is here. You better get on the bus!" Luna threatened Selina.
"Calm down! It's only five. But if anything happens in that bus, I'm holding you responsible!"
"Oh, don't worry, like you said, it's only 5 o'clock. Anyway, you should call up Hermione." The bus came to a full stop and open it's doors. Luna and Selina went on board and walked to the back for empty seats. Luna stopped walking, "Oh crap! Not that jerk!" Luna immediately sat on a single seat. Selina looked at Luna and wonder why she want to sit by herself. She continue to the back of the bus and sat on a empty seat, and sat there very still and very quiet.
"Well, aren't you quiet today. It's about time too." said the man sitting beside her. Selina turned to face the person who is talking to her.
"Oh man! Not you again!" Selina was not in the mood to deal with this guy.
"Yikes, don't use such a shrill voice. We sure do seem to run into each other an awful lot."
"What are you doing here anyway?"
"I commute to school on this bus."
"No way! Aren't you just a normal guy? Speaking of which, you're actually in a uniform today!" The man was wearing a white shirt, black tie, a navy blazer jacket and a pair of black pants. For the first time he was wearing a pair of thick frame glasses. He pulled out a student ID from his inside pocket of his jacket and showed Selina where he goes to school.
"I'll have you know that I'm a college student, thank you very much." His ID reads 'NAME: Eddie Aarden SCHOOL: Mother Teresa College AGE: 19 2nd Year'
"Wow, now I know your name and where you go to school...Anyway...Since you're a bus commuter, you know about the 6 o'clock bus right?"
"I have. And it's supposed to be this route. So many weird things have been happening lately..." Eddie took his glasses off, Selina looked at his face.
When I see this guy's face in profile, he looks just like that Guardian who keeps helping out ever now and then. Eddie turned to look at her and she looked away to avoid eye contact. Damn! Why is my heart beating so fast? Eddie stared at her face and wondered.
"Warrior of the Hunt..."
"What?" Selina hope she didn't heard what she thought she heard. Eddie covered his mouth with his hand.
"Oh uh, I didn't say anything." Eddie didn't want to freak her out.
NEXT STOP, ST. MARK STREET. Selina and Luna go up from their seats.
"This is my stop. I'll see you around then." The bus came to a complete stop and open its doors, Luna and Selina stepped out of the bus and walked to the church. As the bus drove away, Eddie looked through the back window and watched Selina walk on.
"Anyway...You need to get in contact with Hermione." Luna mentioned again.
In the church, a parent walked into the church, Marcella saw the woman. "May I help you with something?"
"I was wondering if maybe your father can exercise spiritually to help locate my daughter."
"My father isn't specialized for locating places. You should probably leave this to the police."
"Are you saying you won't extend this courtesy to us? Even though we came all this way to come to your church? We hardly see your father around, and all you ever do is be rude with people and most likely beat them to a pulp. Are you the ones responsible for our kids being missing?" Marcella was about to burst in tears.
"Go...GET OUT OF HERE!" Marcella screamed her heart out and the woman left the church without a word. Marcella went to the back room in search of Atilio. She found him by his desk doing some paper work. "I'm gonna go out to feed the dogs."
"Oh...Marcella," Atilio went to his desk drawer and pulled out a red leather jewelry box and gave it to her. "...a big man with a black beard gave this to me and told me to give it to you."
"Did he said his name?"
"No, I thought you might know him from somewhere. Do you?"
"I can't think of anybody who fits in that description. Well, thanks anyway."
"I'll be outside selling the rosary beads shortly."
"Okay." Marcella left the room with the box. She went to the front of the church and sat in one of the pews. She opened the box and a folded paper was popping out of the box. She unfold it and read, 'This is a gift for the one name Marcella, my Guardian. Let this gift give you strength. From your God, Mars.' "Okay...This is some kind of joke." She looked inside of the box and pulled out a silver bracelet with the Mars symbol but to her is the male symbol. The metal looked old and very hard for silver. "This has to be made out of iron. At least it will last." She clasp it on around her left wrist. She got up and went to attend the dogs. "Terror! Fear! It's time to eat!" She turned to get their food, when she turn back around the dogs were sitting side by side and waiting quietly. Marcella was a little stun by their behaviour. "Alright guys, don't need to pull the puppy look." The two dogs bowed at her. "What's the matter with you two, just eat your food." Marcella but the dog bowl full of food down in front of them. She turned and saw Selina and Luna coming over. "Oh, it's you Selina. What's the matter?" The dogs stopped from eating their meal and stared at Luna. She looked back at them giving them an intimidating stare. The two dogs folded their ears back and whimpered. "Who are you?"
"I'm Luna Lupo, Selina's Landlord. I'm a friend." Luna held out her hand.
"Marcella Guerra." Luna smiled at the name, Marcella shook her hand. When the two hands meet. Luna a surge of energy running through her body and let go. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Your name means Mars War in that order."
"Yeah. It's weird how I end up with these names." Marcella raised her left hand to wipe her hair off her face. Luna noticed the Mars symbol dangling from the chained bracelet.
"Where did you get that bracelet?"
"Funny you ask. I received it today from a man, not sure who it was but strange that he gave a male symbol for a gift." After what Marcella said, Luna wanted to her guts out. Selina butt in.
"We saw it! Yesterday, the 6 o'clock bus disappeared again!" reported Selina.
"So, you're also saying that it's my father's fault?"
"What?"
"The police came here so many times. I'm sick of it!"
"No, I didn't mean it like that! I was just wondering if you might know something about it."
"I don't know anything!"
"I'm sorry! I just want to be your friend. Honest!"
"Can you please just leave!"
"Alright, I'll come again later. Good-bye!" Selina walked off and the same with Luna.
"It was an honor to meet you. Have a nice day." said Luna.
"Honor? Who does she think I am? And weird how she noticed my bracelet like that." Marcella said to herself.
"We want the rosary beads, please!" Marcella heard the voices from the front of the church.
"Sure, which color do you prefer?" asked Atilio to the young customers.
"Which one should I pick?" the girl was deciding. Marcella went inside the church and knelt in front of the Saint Mark figure. She went into her prayer position.
Ever since the transit introduced the new bus schedule, we have more visitors. But...Why does the bus disappears in front of the shrine? Why? She heard the dogs barking. The church doors opened. "Is somebody there?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you I'm just here to receive my blessing." a man in a public transit uniform in blonde, golden hair.
"My father is quite busy with the sells outside of the church at the moment."
"Alright then, I'll come back another time." the man left the church.
Mysterious eyes like ice...Does he have something to do with the disappearances? Marcella got up and left the church.
Selina and Luna were sitting on a park bench, across the street from the St. Mark bus stop. "Poor Marcella, I feel bad for her. I just can't figure out what the enemy's intention are here." Selina said.
"If this is even the enemy's doing...They are probably searching for the Moonstone, but I can't tell for sure." Luna was thinking out loud.
"The enemy is also searching for the Moonstone?"
"That's right. Selina, please remember this, the Moonstone must not be allowed to fall into the hands, at any cost." Selina and Luna got up from the bench and ran across the street to the bus stop.
"Hey, Luna. Why did you act all weird with Marcella?"
"I want to check something."
"Check something? Like what?"
"I'll tell you later. Anyway, Selina, you have to get on the 6 o'clock bus today!"
"I know, but..."
"Don't chicken out this time!"
"Fine." Selina checked her watch. "Hermione is so late. She said she'd get on the bus with me."
"Oh, it's the bus!" alerted Luna.
"Oh crap!" The bus was arriving at the stop. "It's already 6 o'clock!"
"We have no choice, let's just get on the bus by ourselves!"
"What will I do now?" The bus came to a complete stop by the bus shelter and open its doors.
"Let's go!"
"You know what, I changed my mind! I rather go with Hermione!"
"Oh, Selina!" The passengers started going in the bus one by one.
"But..."
"Don't do this to me! Not today!" Luna grabbed Selina by the arm and dragged her to the bus.
"Shit! I'm not going!" Selina tried release herself from Luna's grip but she was to strong.
"The bus is going to leave! Hurry!" Luna continue to drag.
"But I don't know what I should do!...Wait!" Selina took out her Silver Pocket Mirror. "Okay, then!"
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Moon Mirage! Turn me into a bus attendant!" A white light burst out of the tiny mirror and shined all over Selina, transforming her into a public transit uniform. During the transformation, Marcella ran inside the bus without the other two noticing. She didn't notice them either. "Good! This will make me a little less anxious!"
"But why do you have to be a bus attendant?" Luna was confused.
"Because it is the duty of a bus attendant to ensure that all passengers have a safe trip! Hey, bus wait!"
"What's with you!"Selina manage to get the attention of the bus and got inside but Luna got shut out when it closed it s doors on her face. When Selina settle herself inside the bus, she notice that everyone where all knocked out.
"Oh my God! What in the..." She turned to the bus driver. "It's my duty to make sure passengers are safe and comfortable during travel! Hijacking is unforgivable!" When the driver turned to face her, Selina stood frozen when she saw he's face.
"I think there comfortable enough, mam. Don't you think?" Jason turned back to the wheel and started the bus. The bus lifted itself off the pavement and floated off in the air. Selina lost her footing due to the movement of the bus, falling all the way to the back of the bus. When she recover herself from the fall she noticed Marcella hiding in one of the seating.
What the heck is she doing here? As the bus floated off, Luna transforming quickly into a wolf and did a great jump and grab hold to the bus' window by barely. She held on but not long enough, her paw slipped off the edge of the window and fell. Luna went to flash thinking wondering how many broken bones she'll have once she hit the pavement. But before any of that happen, she ended up in the arms of a man in green.
Him! Terra's Guardian! Luna thought to herself as she saw his Earth symbol made of lead pinned on his left chest. When the two made it safely to the ground, Luna jumped off from his arms and landed behind him. She gave him a slash from her claws, he manage to block the attack.
"HEY! I just save your bones from shattering! Whats the big idea? I'm on your side!" He yelled out in confusion.
"Your Goddess, Terra has a reputation of being independent. She's not part of Mt. Olympus, so she is not to be trusted, and the same for you!" Luna warned him.
"I've been given the order to help out the Olympians by the Goddess herself."
"That doesn't prove anything!" Luna was getting ready to attack and growling.
"Okay, how about I'll help you out to get your friend back."
"Then you'll have to listen to me, and ONLY ME!" she growled.
"I'm all in your...paws!" He raise his hands up in surrender.
"Fine, follow me." Luna ran to the church, Guardian Earth looked back at the bus being devoured by the black hole. Hermione made it to the stop but too late. The bus was swallowed whole by the black hole.
"Shit! I didn't make it in time!" Hermione fell to her knees in agony. "Upon the Rule of Mercury, Lend me Your Speed!" She got up and went to the church and noticed Luna and a man in green with her. "Luna! Who is this?"
"He is a Guardian of the Earth, under the Rule of Terra. He's here to help us get our friend back." Luna turned to the Earth and kept her face firm considering the situation. "She is Mercury's Guardian, I watch for her if I were you. She's a professional heist artist. Now we need to work together on how to get that bus back!"
Back in the bus, Marcella got up from her seat and challenge the driver. "So, you're the one responsible of this operation!" Jason got up from his seat and face her with a grin.
"Geez, I hope so." he responded. Selina watched on from her seat in shock.
Man, this girl has guts! Selina thought to herself.
"Don't play dumb! How dare you mocking me by entering the church, you're the main instigator! Show me who you are!" Marcella got brave.
Is this girl crazy? Selina continue to keep her thoughts to herself.
"Well, if I must." Jason burned out his disguise and reveal his true self by wearing his Golden Fleece. "The name is Argo: Jason." He looked at her with such attention. "Too bad, you are so beautiful. I've been attracted to you since the moment I first saw you at that church. What a waste, now you must die!" The bus landed in some space of nowhere, the doors opened and Jason threw Marcella and disguised Selina out of the bus.
"Where are we?" Selina demanded. Jason stepped out of the bus and walked slowly to the girls.
"My dear, you need to pull yourself together if you want to be a true professional." Jason responded.
"Ha-ha! Very funny! It's kind of hard to do that considering that situation we're in!" Shout back Selina.
"Let's go my dear." Jason grabbed hold of Marcella and headlock her with his arm.
"Oh no! Marcella!" Selina worried.
How does this woman know my name? Marcella was scared.
"Don't worry. This won't hurt a bit." Jason whispered in Marcella's ear.
"I don't think so! Upon the Rule of Diana, Lend me Your Light!...I'm the warrior of the Hunt and Moon, I'm Guardian Moon!"
"Good! You've finally shown up! I've been waiting! I guess your other friend isn't with you, but one will do." yacked on Jason. In the meantime, Marcella's forehead glowed a red symbol of Mars on her forehead.
"That mark! Release Marcella! Keeping everyone locked up in here is unforgivable! In the name of Diana, I will defeat you!" Selina took out her discus and attack. "Silver Moon, Watch my Aim!" The discus rushed to Jason but he jumped out of it's way.
"You think that thing will stop me?"
"Think again!" Marcella grabbed his arm and body slammed him flat on the ground and ran away from his grasp. The discus came back to it's original route like a boomerang. Jason caught the discus.
"You cannot beat me with this toy!" Jason grinned at Selina.
"Are you sure? Because you definitely fell for it. Wrap him up!" the discus wrapped itself around Jason, trapping him in a tight bound.
"What? Let go of me!" he yelled out in anger. Selina ran to Marcella in worry.
"Marcella, are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"Marcella, this might sound crazy but that bracelet has the same symbol as your mark."
"What?"
"I'll explain everything later. Hurry up and transform!"
"With this?" Marcella pointed out her new bracelet.
"Use that and transform! According to the history books, you are the Guardian of Mars, a warrior of War! Just yell what I yell out, I'm sorry I really don't know much about your part but if it helps, listen to what your heart have to say!" Jason manage to break free from Selina's discus, dropping the lifeless discus on the ground. "Oh crap! Hurry!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, but I don't care right now!" Marcella closed her eyes and did what Selina told her to do. "Upon the Rule of Mars, Lend me Your Rage!" As soon as she said that, her Mars bracelet shot out a red light surrounding all over Marcella's body. The light wrapped around her body like red satin ribbons and transformed into a red bra, then the ribbons wrapped around her hands creating red fingerless gloves of leather covering right before her elbows. The ribbons moved to her feet creating red high-heel knee-high leather boots with a design of straps and iron buckles going around the boots, then the light traveled to her waistline creating red sport bikini bottoms. The ribbons completely covered her whole body including the legs and arms creating a red leather strap wrapped around each thigh and each upper arm with iron buckles. Also red leather straps criss-crossing around here belly area and cris-cross across from her shoulders going around her chest with iron buckles (If it helps, think of Lady Gaga's You And I video with her doing a dance number wearing black straps with her green hair in a barn.) At the crown of her head appeared a iron tiara at the same time her hair gained red highlights, iron stud earrings, a red leather collar with a iron buckle around her neck. Finally the bracelet transformed into a iron cuff bracelet with the Mars symbol embedded wrapped around her left arm. After the transformation, Selina was surprised.
"So, Marcella is the third Guardian?" Marcella checked herself out and did not like what she's wearing.
"What's going on? I look like a strapped dominatrix!" Before anybody could answer her question, Jason lunged himself at Marcella expecting of getting rid of her quickly and easily. Selina saw him coming and alerted Marcella. Marcella turned and faced Jason, looking very pissed off. (I wouldn't blame her!) "Creep! You won't get away with this! I'll take care of you! Iron Fist, Collide!" Marcella took her left hand and made a fist, the bracelet turned cuff glowed in red. She then punched the ground with immense amount of rage. From that, a energy force came out of the ground from where she punched and blasted towards Jason. On impact, Jason's fleece wrap started to disintegrate. Jason opened a portal and escaped the full attack, leaving the girls behind. Selina noticed the black hole they entered through.
"What the...Oh no! The black hole is closing! Damn that asshole running off! We need to get out of here quick!"
"How?"
"I don't know! Damn it! How are we going to do this?"
Back at the church, Luna had a plan of how to get everyone back safe. "Mercury, your role is a messenger. You can cross over to hell and back OR heaven as a matter of fact, but I don't recommend that. Why don't you use your power to create a bridge from here to that black hole." Hermione just stared at Luna.
"How the bloody hell do I do that? I have no clue!"
"Try to connect with your God from all you might, and ask for help." Hermione closed her eyes and hold on to her Mercury pin on her bow and chant.
"I called upon the Messenger God Mercury, from your Guardian, please help me to create a bridge from here to those who are needed." Selina, Marcella, everyone please be alright. Hermione's pin glowed in blue. Coming through the black hole a blue ribbon of light came down to where Hermione is standing, creating a pathway. Luna looked at Guardian Earth with concern.
"Now go through that path and come back with all the victims and don't get any funny ideas while you're at it. Remember, I need to earn your trust." The Guardian nod in agreement and ran into the light blue pathway and into the black hole.
"The hole is closing." Selina panicked. All of a sudden, a blue light came through the black hole and stretched itself to where the two girls are.
"What's that?" Marcella asked.
"It could be Mercury. It might be her trying to show us where the exit is! We'll escape towards the direction where the light is coming from!" Coming down with the light is Guardian Earth doing his rescue mission. He ran towards the three missing buses with it's passengers. He tied the two buses with a green vine and tied them to the first one which he is going to drive in.
"I'll be the driver! Hurry!" He yelled to the other two Guardians.
"Oh, Sir Guardian Earth! Now your making yourself useful by doing the easy part when we have to do the dirty work!" Selina complained as usual. Marcella had to respond.
"Well at least he's rescuing us." The two Guardians went into the bus and drove into the blue light path. On the other side of the path awaits Hermione holding onto the pathway and Luna waiting with anticipation. The buses came through the hole and landed safely onto the pavement. The doors of the bus opened and popped out Selina and Marcella.
"Hey, Mercury!" Selina yelled out. As soon as all the buses came through cleanly, Hermione closed the portal immediately and ran into Selina, hugging her tightly! Up on the top of the church stood Jason with a beat up Golden Fleece wrap, watching the Guardians do their happy dance.
"So, another warrior has appeared. They are worthy opponents! I will beat them next time, without fail!" Jason was not happy, especially now that his beautiful wrap has been tarnished. Jason vanished into thin air leaving the warriors alone with their celebration. Luna went up to Selina and smacked her across the head.
"Hey! What was that for?"
"For pulling a stupid stunt like that! You could have gotten yourself killed!"
"You're the one who's telling me to get into the bus, and with urgency!"
"Well, I'm off. I will see you again." Guardian Earth interrupted, Selina didn't even bother to turn around.
"Yeah, yeah. Go ahead and do your usual disappearance act, don't worry we won't miss you!"
"Alright, goodbye then." He disappeared. Marcella was confused.
"Where is he going?"
"I have no idea, like I care! Don't tell me you like the guy?"
"You have got to be kidding me! I just wanted to thank him. What about you? Are you in love with him? Of course, it could just be a one-sided love." Marcella was quick when it comes to insults.
"One-sided love? Are you for real? The man leaves me hanging dry everytime I'm in danger!"
"Hey I'm just thinking out loud."
"Well think for yourself!"