CHAPTER 13

Serena and her friend Molly were eating ice cream cones at a table during lunch break at school. They had previously sat through sewing classes with the sewing teacher, Miss Lambert and it had been quite a boring occasion for them. Miss Lambert's voice had droned on and on as she spoke about the sewing patterns she was running through on the blackboard. Her mind had seemed to be in a different world from the present reality however. Her eyes had a dreamy look in them and she smiled and giggled a lot while she talked. Nobody in the class could understand what was going on but typically Serena took it more exaggeratedly than anyone else, including Molly. She was so wigged out with exasperation that she just lay her head down on her textbook just like a pillow and was snoozing and muttering, "When's class going to finish?" in her sleep. Oddly enough Miss Lambert didn't even seem to care. Molly asked her if she was feeling all right and Miss Lambert just put her cheeks in her hands, smiled and giggled. It was as if she hadn't heard her at all.
"I thought that sewing class would never end." Serena yawned deeply. "Weren't you bored half to death Molly?"
"Yeah. I wonder what has gotten into Miss Lambert?" Molly agreed.
"I can fill you in girls." It was Melvin who had spoken.
"Melvin. Do you really know the answer?" Molly asked in amazement.
"I sure do. I have heard that Miss Lambert is engaged to be married. That's why she's become so spaced out. She's thinking of her future husband all the time."
Serena and Molly were bug-eyed to find this out. What a big surprise. They never would've guessed in a hundred years.
"And do you know what the best part is?" Melvin finished excitedly. "He's a computer expert who services computers and even builds them to sell. Hooray!"
Serena was unimpressed though. "That sounds so boring." Melvin and Molly had open mouths as she became all high and mighty. "When I have my wedding I'll have an awesomely cool man. There'll be a huge celebration. My dress will be the most spectacular and there'll be a chocolate cake that goes all the way to the roof of the hall." As she raised her hand with her ice cream cone up high to illustrate the size of her dream cake suddenly the ice cream fell off landing in her hair with a splat. Her friends couldn't help laughing though she was deeply offended and went off sulking.

The next day was Saturday and Miss Lambert was out shopping with her best friend Miss Haruna. Patricia Haruna was very excited for her friend Helen Lambert and she had promised to help her pick out the best possible fabric for an awesome wedding dress. "I know your budget doesn't stretch very far on your teacher's salary Helen, but don't worry. I know a discount store where they have tons of various kinds of fabric at very affordable prices."
"Oh thank you Patricia. You are so wonderful." Miss Lambert's eyes sparkled with joy and Miss Haruna led her friend down the street.
"Herbert is going to be so happy when he sees you all decked out for your ceremony Helen."

At that moment though Nephlite was briefing his soldiers. "The stars have directed me to our next target. A schoolteacher who is expending vast amounts of her precious energy towards her wedding. We must capture it to feed the Negaforce instead."
All his soldiers began cheering in agreement. "Yes. Yes."
Nephlite raised his hands to bring them to order. "Black Widow. I choose you for this mission." He indicated the soldier who resembled a large humanoid spider and she obediently came to his side.
"I am ready Commander." Her huge spider body only just managed to fit inside the compartment and Nephlite activated the machine converting her to mist which he vigorously rubbed into his hands. They were ready to strike Miss Lambert.

Meanwhile Raye had called Serena and asked if she could visit her house and meet her mother. "Sure Raye. We're not going out today. You can come. Mum would love to meet you."
"Thanks Serena."
Raye showed up fifteen minutes later and Serena answered the door. "Come in Raye. Mum's very excited."
"Thank you Serena. Hi Luna."
Raye bent down and stroked Luna who meowed in response just like a ordinary cat. She was wise not to risk saying hello audibly because Serena's mother appeared eager to meet her daughter's friend for the very first time. "Hello Raye. Come and sit in the lounge room."
Raye politely thanked her and she and Serena sat down in chairs while Luna curled up on the rug nearby. Serena's mother sat in a chair opposite them.
She smiled. "I've heard so much about you Raye. How did you and Serena meet?"
"Serena came to visit my Grandfather's temple and we met each other there. We became good friends right from the start."
"Oh yeah." Serena wryly thought to herself. "But first she nearly bashed my head in when she thought I was an evil presence."
Just then her bitter thoughts of memory were interrupted when she saw her mother offering a plate and spoon to Raye. "Hey Mum! That's the last piece of strawberry cheesecake!"
"Serena. Don't be so rude." Serena sulked at her mother's stern rebuke as Raye accepted the cheesecake and began to eat. "Thank you. This is delicious. The best strawberry cheesecake I've ever tasted."
"Why thank you Raye."
"By the way," Raye swallowed a mouthful, set her plate on the table and wiped her mouth with her handkercief before continuing. "While I'm here I was also wondering if I could ask you a favour please? There's this promotional contest I saw that's being run by one of the local wedding chapels in town. The prize is a fully paid holiday for two people to Hawaii and to enter you need to sew a wedding dress. I am interested in trying for the prize but I don't know how to sew. Could you help me please?"
Serena's mouth hung open. What was Raye thinking about now? But her mother smiled and said, "Sorry Raye. I don't know how to sew either."
"Oh I see." Raye was disappointed but she smiled and picked up her plate and spoon. "That's okay. I just thought I'd ask. But it's very nice to meet you. Guess I'll finish this wonderful cheesecake while we chat for a little bit more."
"I'm pleased to meet you too Raye. Sorry I can't help you."
"It's all right. Let's change the subject."
But for the rest of the visit Serena was very angry and quietly fumed.

Finally on the pretext of seeing Raye out the door when she said goodbye Serena turned on her when they were at the front gate out of her mother's hearing.
"What are you up to this time Raye?"
"Huh?" Raye was taken aback at the sudden harshness.
"What's this about a wedding dress contest? Why do you want a holiday for two in Hawaii? Are you hoping to invite that creep Darien to go with you?"
This hurt Raye very badly. She had truly been harboring such hopes but she had not been going to make a big deal about it. To her credit she was trying despite her personal faults to be mature about it but Serena was once again rubbing her up the wrong way.
"It's none of your stupid business if I wanted that Serena. I'm entitled to my hopes and dreams."
"So you hope that your dream of making a fool of yourself will come true one day. You can't even sew."
Raye was boiling with anger now. "Okay. Just you wait and see. I'll win that contest somehow and take Darien to Hawaii with me and you can go jump in a mud puddle."
"Is that so? I'll show you. I'll enter that contest and win it. And I'll either take dishy Andrew from the Video Arcade or even better. Cool and hunky Tuxedo Mask."
"Can you even sew yourself Meatball Head?"
"I'll find someone to help me and then you will have to go stick your head in the sand like an ostrich."
Raye had had enough and blew a raspberry at her walking away while Serena stalked back to her front door in rage.
Poor Luna, who had quietly observed this exchange groaned. "Oh no. Here we go again. What am I going to do about those two?"

But while Raye had been at Serena's house other serious things had been happening at the store Miss Haruna had taken Miss Lambert to. Nephlite had been guided to where he could find Miss Lambert by the power of the stars and using Negaverse hypnotic power he had disguised himself as a sales clerk at the counter with dark glasses and a false beard. The real clerk who was supposed to be at the counter was standing inside the staff room out of sight in a trance and the other assistant staff went about their various jobs as if Nephlite really was their superior co-worker. Nephlite smiled as the two women approached him. "Hello sir." Miss Haruna said politely. "I've come to help my friend buy some fabric for her wedding gown."
Miss Lambert blushed with happy modest pleasure as Nephlite answered, "You're getting married eh? Well then let me show you the very best piece of fabric we have to suit your special occasion."
He pulled open a drawer, reached in and whipped out a remarkable piece of fabric. The two women's eyes opened wide as he held it up. "This fabric is perfect for you." He draped it around his shoulders as he continued to speak about its qualities. "It's hard to come by such awesome quality in fabric these days and the colour is just right. If I were you I'd definitely buy this." He took it off and draped it around Miss Lambert pausing just long enough to transfer his soldier, Black Widow into it by his touch. As he had his hands on her shoulders he said, "Doesn't that feel just right? Don't you agree your friend will look stunning in a dress made of this material?"
Miss Haruna considered. "Hmm. Maybe. But what other sort of pieces do you have?"
"Oh there's no need Patricia. I'll buy this one."
"Are you sure Helen? Don't you want to make comparisons first?"
"No believe me Patricia. This is the material meant for me. I know it is because I can just feel myself attracted to it." And Miss Lambert pulled it tight to her longingly and Nephlite silently gloated in triumph to himself.
"If you're really sure then let's buy it Helen."
Miss Lambert paid for the fabric and she and Miss Haruna left together. On their way back they passed the wedding chapel that was running the contest and saw the big sign advertising it.
Miss Lambert gasped. "Patricia. Herbert's always longed to see Hawaii. I'm going to enter this contest with my lovely wedding dress and if I win the trip will be our honeymoon."
"That's a perfect idea Helen." Miss Haruna agreed with a big smile and so they signed Miss Lambert up.
"I'm going straight home to begin work on my dress Patricia. I'm so excited." She held up the fabric in her hands.
"I really hope you win Helen. Good luck my friend."
"Thank you for all your help and support today Patricia."

But as the days went by and Miss Lambert sat at her sewing machine inside her apartment a drastic change slowly came over her personality. She became so obsessed with sewing her dress that she wouldn't spare any time for Herbert. He was beginning to worry that he'd done something to offend her. She wouldn't even answer his phone calls though he left messages on her answering machine. Finally he went around to her door with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. He knocked and pleaded. "Helen. Please let me in. It's Herbert. Have I done something wrong?"
He persisted so much that she did open the door and glared at him. "Helen I'm sorry for whatever it is. I bought you these flowers."
As he handed them to her she knocked them out of his hand. "I don't want your stinking flowers and I don't want you either. I'm no longer going to marry you Herbert. You make me sick. You pathetic, little man. Get lost and don't ever come back." She screamed at him and slammed the door.
Poor Herbert was in tears as he bent down, picked up the flowers and walked away.

It wasn't long afterwards that Miss Lambert heard another loud knocking at the door. "Go away!" She yelled at the top of her voice.
"No I won't. It's Patricia. Helen I demand to know why you upset Herbert. He came to my house crying his eyes out. I can't believe you'd do such a thing to him. Open this door now."
When the door did open Miss Haruna was met with the contents of a big jug of water in her face. She was furious at being so unexpectedly drenched from head to toe. "My hair. My dress. Helen what's the big idea?"
"Get this Patricia. I don't love Herbert any more. I don't want him for my husband and I don't care if you never speak to me again. I don't want you to be my best friend anymore. Don't come back or I'll soak you again." Miss Lambert slammed the door and Miss Haruna squelched away in rage.
Miss Lambert cared about nothing except sewing the wedding dress contest entry with the fabric possessed by Black Widow and she started to work at her machine 24 hours a day without food, drink or sleep pouring out all her energy.

In fact she wouldn't even come to work at school anymore. She locked herself away in her apartment and never came out. Even Miss Haruna forgot about her anger and began to worry that her friend had lost her mind. Herbert shared her concerns and bitterly lamented the fate of his dear Helen.
Silly old Serena had not thought anything about Miss Lambert's absence however. All she thought about was the contest. She only regretted that their substitute sewing teacher was too critical in her opinion. "How dare she tell me I'm going to fail my sewing classes? I'm merely taking a slow time to learn it carefully. I need to if I'm to sew the winning wedding dress."

Luna was getting fed up with Serena. She had a strong hunch that the Negaverse was to blame for Miss Lambert's condition and felt that she had better get Amy and Raye to help her talk sense into Serena. She went to see Amy and told her what she suspected.
"Oh dear Luna. I agree with what you say about Serena going crazy about this wedding dress contest. The day after she first heard about it she came round to see me and asked for my help in making a dress."
"What did you say to her Amy?"
"I told her I would help her out and gave her a pile of sewing books. I told her I hoped she had been studying hard in sewing class because I did not have time to sew with my own study commitments. She muttered that she should have known there'd be a catch. Then she left and I never heard anything more direct from her about it."
"Typical of her." Luna sighed. "But for now let's go get Raye and then the three of us can go speak to Serena."

So the two of them went to the Cherry Hill Temple. As they entered the grounds Amy remarked, "I love this place. It's always so peaceful."
"Raye. Come back here. Give me back my sheets."
To their shock Raye was running around with sheets draped around her head and body and her grandfather was chasing after her demanding that she return them to him. Suddenly because Raye was half blinded by the sheets she ran into Amy and Luna knocking them over and allowing her grandfather to catch her up.
He snatched back the sheets and snapped, "How dare you even think about cutting up my best sheets to make a dress?"
While Amy and Luna slowly rose to their feet Raye whined, "Ah Grandfather."
"No I mean it Raye."
"You rotten old spoilsport. I could win a trip to Hawaii if I win the wedding dress contest."
"For the last time. When I say no, I mean no. Besides do you even know how to sew?"
Luna whispered in Amy's ear. "Peaceful you said?"
Grandfather greeted Amy and apologized for the disruption. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm here to see Raye."
"Oh really. Well let me warn you. She's losing her mind over this wedding dress contest. I swear she is."
Luna groaned quietly. "As if worrying about Serena was bad enough."

Speaking of Serena at that moment she was barefoot at her home and sneaking very quietly up towards her parents bedroom. She crept up to the door and peeked in. "Good," she thought to herself. "Neither Mum nor Dad are present. This is my chance."
But what she didn't know was that her mother had spotted her creeping along on her tip toes from behind and she had alerted her father who had been reading a book in his favourite chair. Together they quietly made their way after her and upon entering their bedroom were just in time to see their daughter feeling their beautiful silk curtains for their window and hear her muttering, "These will be perfect."
"What will they be perfect for Serena?" Serena jumped in fright at the sound of her dad's voice. Turning around tremblingly she beheld her parent's angry glares.
"Yes Serena. What will our precious silk curtains be so perfect for? And for that matter why are you sneaking around in our bedroom to begin with?" Her mother sternly added. Serena gulped and tried to speak but no sound came out except "Ah-ah-ah."
"We're waiting for an answer young lady," prompted her father.
"Uh okay. Would you believe I need some fabric for an assignment we've been issued in sewing class Mum and Dad?" Serena wished she could sink into the floor and out of sight. Her parents looked at each other then turned to address her again.
"No we would not believe that. Your mother and I can guess what you're up to Serena. First of all you are not entering that wedding dress contest."
"But Dad." Serena's protest was cut short by her mother.
"Furthermore for having the gall to try to steal our curtains your father and I are going to punish you Serena. I think we will cancel your pocket money for at least a week."
"And you are also forbidden to watch TV during that time period." Her father pointed his finger in her face. Serena broke down in tears as her parents ordered her to get out of their room.

Eventually Amy and Luna were able to get Raye and Serena together for briefing. The following day was when all the contestants were to present themselves at the Chapel where the wedding dress contest was held. There was a long line of ladies wearing the dresses they had sewn awaiting the doors to be opened so they could enter. Serena and her friends stood nearby in observance. Luna was perched on Amy's shoulders. Raye had realized how silly she had been behaving after they had talked to her at the Temple yesterday and she admitted that it was all just because she had been so angry with Serena. She had put it all behind her and was focussed only upon investigating the possible Negaverse threat. But Serena? I'm afraid she was a different story.
"It's not fair. No pocket money and no television for a whole week. I only wanted a chance to win a trip to Hawaii for me and the man of my dreams." She whined, pouted and wrung her hands and the others were getting very annoyed with her.
"Put a sock in it Serena!" Raye demanded.
Serena started to get angry again. "Don't start on me Raye. It was you who got me started on this contest. So what happened to me with my parents is technically your fault."
Raye was incensed but before she could respond Amy quickly cut in. "Serena. Don't begin antagonizing Raye now. We have serious business on hand."
"Yeah. Right," said Raye closing her eyes, clenching her fists and swallowing her rage.
"That's correct. Serena you disguise yourself as a contestant and try to find Miss Lambert," ordered Luna.
"What? How can I do that Luna? I have no dress."
"Remember you have that magic disguise device Luna gave you," said Raye.
"Oh yeah." Serena blushed while the others all giggled at her. But she took the device that resembled a pen out of her pocket. "Disguise power. Turn me into an absolutely beautiful bride, just like in the magazines."
When the magic did its work Serena was indeed the picture of a gorgeous bride. "Oh look at this awesomely cool dress. Now I have a chance and you don't Raye. Ha ha ha!"
"Serena. Stop it." Luna growled.
Amy added, "Remember. You're not going in there to win."
Serena sighed. "Yeah. Yeah. Mum and Dad would never allow me to go even if I was picked the winner."

Inside all the ladies including Serena were lined up in rows on a huge stage in front of all the people who had come to watch the winner selected. But there was no sign of Miss Lambert. Raye, Amy and Luna had also been trying to find her among the audience but it was looking as if she hadn't come. Just as the three of them met up together and confirmed with each other that they couldn't find her, the owner of the Chapel made an announcement with a microphone on stage. "Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming today. Let's give a big hand to all our lovely contestants."
After the applause he continued, "Thank you very much. Aren't they all a pretty picture? Now next I'm proud to introduce our guest hostess who will select the winner with me. Here she is. Zoey Sublime."
Everybody applauded again as a woman walked onto the stage. But it wasn't Zoey Sublime. "Hey. That's Miss Lambert," gasped Serena. Yes it was Miss Lambert in the dress she had made out of the fabric infested by Black Widow.
"Hey." The man was very surprised as she approached him. "Where's Sublime?"
"She's asleep," Miss Lambert replied in a voice that was nothing like her own. "And now I'm ready to leave this human's body with her energy. She's reached her maximum peak."
To everybody's horror an eerie vapour seemed to erupt from Miss Lambert's dress and as she collapsed a giant monster humanoid spider appeared standing over her prone body. Screams of horror erupted from the audience and the girls on stage. The poor Chapel owner looked like he would have a heart attack.
But suddenly a voice called out. "Everybody don't panic. We'll fix this monster."
"Who's that?" Black Widow looked around in surprise. Next thing Raye and Amy jumped onto the stage in their Sailor identities.
"What? You've already transformed?" Serena was incredulous.
"We don't waste time. Now you'd better hurry up slowpoke," said Sailor Mars.
Serena started to get mad then composed herself. "Why y-you. Ah right. MOON PRISM POWER."
Before Black Widow's startled eyes Serena transformed from one of the wedding dress contestants to the Champion of Justice, Sailor Moon.
"We are the Sailor Scouts," said Mercury.
"Sworn to defend the cause of good and vanquish evil," added Mars.
"And that's includes nasty spiders like you," finished Moon.

While all the people watched in shock and wonderment Black Widow attacked the Scouts sending sticky spider webbing shooting out of her mouth. Sailor Moon was wrapped up as her friends leaped aside to the right and left. Black Widow began to tighten the cords. "You're done for Sailor Moon. Nobody has ever escaped my webbing."
But Sailor Mercury had other ideas. "MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!" She sent her frosty bubbles all over Black Widow who was overcome with the sudden massive drop in temperature and released her hold on the strands of web holding Sailor Moon.
Next it was Sailor Mars' turn. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!" Both Black Widow and Sailor Moon screamed as the magic fire burned away the webbing.
Sailor Moon jumped around, rubbing herself and crying. "Ooh. Get it off. Get it off."
"It is off." Sailor Mars told her.
"But I still feel yucky and icky."
Sailor Mercury cried, "Get a grip Sailor Moon. That monster is about to attack again."
Black Widow was determined to catch all three of them at once this time. She took a deep breath and exhaled with all her might producing heaps of webbing. Sailor Moon came to her senses just in time and threw her tiara. "MOON TIARA MAGIC!"
The webbing was no match for Sailor Moon's tiara. It cut through it like a knife through bread heading straight for Black Widow. She realized what she needed to do and did it quickly. The tiara cut all the way through her webbing and bounced harmlessly off the force shield as it had done with Tensie and Petasos. Then she vanished back to her Commander Nephlite with Miss Lambert's energy.
"Aw. Another enemy escaped."
"Never mind about that Sailor Moon," said Sailor Mars taking charge as she addressed the crowd. "Everybody listen. This poor woman here was taken control of by an evil force. That monster we saved you all from was responsible for draining away all her energy. She needs urgent medical attention."
As she indicated Miss Lambert's unconscious form it was obviously clear that she had suffered extremely badly through Black Widow's influence. She was malnourished, dehydrated and smelly, having eaten nothing, drunk no water and never bathed or showered all the time she had sat at her sewing machine. Not to mention being half dead from all her energy taken away. The Chapel owner was horrified but then two people from the audience came running up the stairs onto the stage.
"So that's why Helen broke up with Herbert and then threw that water all over me. Oh the poor dear." Miss Haruna was crying as she knelt next to her friend while Herbert cried even more deeply and buried his face in his hands. Many of the other women in the audience and on the stage in dresses alike began to cry as well as Miss Haruna took the microphone and tearfully explained the whole story. All the men in the crowd bowed their heads and closed their eyes in respectful sympathy.
The manager of the Chapel took immediate control when Miss Haruna had finished. "Somebody call an ambulance please." He spoke into the mike. "Ladies and gentlemen. I believe we need to say a big thank you to our three super-heroines, Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars. If they hadn't been on the scene that monster may well have drained us of all our energy too. Let's give them a round of applause."
The Sailor Scouts stood together on the stage and smiled as everybody clapped and cheered. Luna at the back of the hall felt so proud.
Then when a man called out to say an ambulance was on its way, the manager had something else to say. "In the light of what this dear woman and her fiancee have suffered ladies and gentlemen, I feel it is only most proper that when she gets out of hospital they marry in this Chapel as soon as her strength is back. And the prize for the contest should go to them for their honeymoon. I believe you will all agree with me."
Everybody cheered and applauded the loudest they had ever done yet. Herbert and Miss Haruna were so overcome with emotion that they both cried heavily by Miss Lambert's side until the ambulance crew arrived to take her away.

It was a two-week recovery process for Miss Lambert but with the best medical staff to support her she did recover and gain fresh, new energy. She felt so terrible for what she had done while she was not herself but Herbert and Miss Haruna told her they understood and not to fret about it. This cheered her up greatly and assisted her full recovery.
It was only two days after being discharged from hospital that she and Herbert were married in the Chapel and the manager himself officiated the ceremony. It was wonderful with so many people and Serena, Amy, Raye and Luna were among the crowd outside when the doors opened and the bride and groom exited being showered with rice and confetti. Herbert was dressed in an elegant three piece suit with a shiny top hat and bright, yellow tie, while the former Miss Lambert sparkled in her beautiful white wedding gown.
"I really am happy for them though I still kinda wish I could be going to Hawaii myself with Tuxedo Mask." Serena sighed with dreamy eyes.
"Never mind that now Serena. She's getting ready to throw the bouquet," Raye said with a determined voice.
Miss Haruna suddenly appeared beside them and declared, "That bouquet is MINE!"
As it flew into the air with a huge toss of her hand Serena, Raye and Miss Haruna all tried to grab it but they got in each other's way and the flowers were knocked aside by their outstretched fingertips and fell smack dab into Amy's hands. She was taken completely by surprise. She really hadn't even been trying to catch it but it so happened to land in her hands that were conveniently held open casually in front of her and she clutched them instinctively with her fingers.
"AMY!" Serena, Raye and Miss Haruna all cried with disappointment and resentment. Luna looked up at Amy from the ground and smiled at her. Amy smiled back and turned to stare in wonder at the bouquet she was holding.

But hundreds of miles away in another city a boy about Amy's age was sitting in a cafe having a milkshake with his friends. He suddenly jerked his head up and gasped as he saw a vision of the bouquet landing in her hands and took in her cute face smiling in his mind. His friends were surprised. One of them asked, "Hey Greg. Are you all right?"
He recovered himself and said, "I-I'm fine. I don't know what came over me just then."
"You sure nothing's wrong?" Another friend asked with concern.
"I'm all right now. I assure you it's nothing."
With that he and the others all went back to sipping their shakes through their straws, but inwardly he was wondering about his sudden vision.