[Scene: The bus to Hen Tie High. El is sitting on the bus next to her brother, with a lunch box perched on her knee. She's in pretty high spirits]
Dev: Do you want me to hold that for a few minutes?
El: [smiling] No need.
Dev: Oh, don't be a martyr. It must hurt.
El: It doesn't. I wrapped the crystal in insulated cloth then lined the inside of the box with mirrors. The fact that I can't feel anything confirms my theory that the power of the Silver Crystal is derived from protons.
Dev: Um, what does that mean,exactly?
El: It means that the power of the crystal takes the form of positively charged subatomic particles, which are accelerated by a catalyst, such as light, until they-
Dev: El? Love? Could you dumb it down for me a little more? Remember, you're the smart twin, I'm the pretty one.
El: [claps his shoulder] Aw, you're smart, too… My guess is the magic of the crystal works on the same principal as light waves. If I'm right it means that not only can we weaponize the Silver Crystal at full power, we can protect ourselves by using mirrors.
Dev: Wait. So we have to attack Metalia dressed up like a pair of disco balls?
El: No, dummy. You need to think *inside* the box. It's the crystal that needs to be surrounded by mirrors. Not us.
Dev: Then how do we use it to kill Metalia?
El: [grins] With a marvel of modern science we call the 'laser'.
Dev: [gives her a quick hug] You're so sexy when you're being brilliant.
[Scene: Later at Hen Tie High at lunch time. Umino, Naru, Zoi, Usagi, and Mamoru are making their way through the cafeteria.]
Umino: [To Zoi] The one good thing about Kunzite graduating is that we get you back for lunch again.
[Minako is already at their usual table. She is still wearing her mask and lying cheek down on the table, with a spacy look in her eyes.]
[Rei is sitting there too, eating a salad.]
Usagi: [plopping down next to Minako.] Are you ok?
Minako: [a mile a minute] I'm fine I think my cold is gone but I'm just a little worn out and I haven't slept in three days.
Mamoru: What do you mean you haven't slept in three days?
Minako: [nasally] Exactly that. I haven't slept in three days I've spent the last three nights cleaning up our place because I've had insomnia and what's weird is I'm not even tired.
Rei: You finally cleaned your room? You must be sick.
[Minako reaches into her purse and pulls out a half empty bottle with a browning labels that says "Daytime Cold Medicine"]
Minako: This stuff works miracles you see my cold symptoms flare up every four hours but I drink some of this and I'm as good as new.
[Mamoru takes the bottle and reads the label]
Mamoru: Where did you get this?
Minako: It was in back of my mom's medicine cabinet why do you ask?
Mamoru: [Reads the back of the bottle] They stopped making this stuff years ago.
Minako: [brows raised] Are you saying it's gone bad?
Mamro: That's not the problem. This was banned by the FDA. This brand of cold medicine has unsafe levels of Ephedrine in it.
[Minako gives him a quizzical look]
Naru: Ephedrine is like speed.
Umino: You are literally on drugs right now.
Mamoru: How much of this have you had?
Minako: Um… when I found the bottle it hadn't been opened?
Mamoru: No wonder you haven't slept in three days. [Gives her back the bottle] You need to stop taking this. In fact, you need to go home, stay in bed, and drink plenty of fluids until you get better without this.
Rei: [shakes her head] I really don't think the bitch should be driving in her condition.
Minako: [morose] I have to drive I don't know anyone who can get off work to pick me up right now besides how am I going to get my car home?
Zoi: I could ask Kunzite to take you home…He's in town, and I think he'd be willing to do this for me if I ask.
Minako: [giddy] Kunzite O'Sama driving me around town and to my house in his fancy sportscar? Hell yes!
Zoi: I'll give him a call right now. In the meantime, you should go the nurse's office and try to have a nap until he gets here.
Minako: Thanks manslut you are a true friend. [touches her mask and then groans] Oh wait I don't want him seeing me like this.
Rei: [annoyed] Bitch. He's got a boyfriend. He's not going to let you ride his rocket no matter what you look like.
Minako: You know what you're right this is a lost cause no matter what I look like so I might as well take whatever I can get.
[Minako's giddy again as she rises and backs her way toward the nurse's office. She backs up so fast she doesn't even realize she's headed right into the path of Dev and El, who are looking through a stack of photocopies. She collides with El, who falls to the ground with Minako on top of her]
[El's lunchbox flies open and the crystal rolls out onto the floor. Dev is staring at it in horror.]
Minako: [To El] Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you ok.
El: Watch where you're going, cow!
[Minako helps El to her feet then walks over to the crystal. She bends to pick it up.]
Dev: No! Don't touch it!
[Minako picks up the Silver Crystal, and for a second, bright light seems to travel up her arm through her veins. Then she gives off a glowing aura as she stands very still, with her hair blowing about and a faraway expression in her eyes. She stops glowing before she turns to El.]
Minako: Here you go.
[El just backs away in terror]
Minako: I don't think it's damaged, but if it is, I'll pay for a new one.
Dev: Um…could you put it in the lunchbox for us?
[Minako puts it in the lunchbox and hold it out to El]
Minako: Again, I'm really sorry. I-
[Dev and El grab the lunchbox and run off]
[They keep running until they are outside.]
[They look back at the cafeteria for a long while before relaxing]
Dev: Did you see how she was glowing? What just happened back there?
El: I don't know. But I'm willing to bet it was nothing good.