Episode 5: Computer Error *** Merlyn gaped at the 'Error: This application will now terminate' message flashing irritatingly across her computer screen. "Stupid piece of junk,' she muttered. "There goes the last half hour of my report." She sighed in disgust and shut down the computer, unaware of someone coming quietly down the stairs. Merlyn popped the disk and tossed it in a pile of nearly identical ones. She turned to leave... *** "How do you tell them apart?" I asked. My dancer friend whirled around in her chair so fast that she slammed her shin painfully into the desk?s side. I winced. "Ow!" she cried, rubbing the offended leg. "And you say -I- need a bell around my neck." "You do," I answered, grinning. She just glared at me. Then we both burst into ridiculous laughter. "So, what are we doing?" she asked as we walked upstairs. "Let?s go downtown and go shopping," I offered. "Ok, but I have a dance class at three." "Kay." We stopped shortly in the kitchen, where Carol Beier was going through a cupboard. "Mom, we?re going out, ok?" Merlyn called. "Oh! Wait a sec, honey!" Her mother popped out of the cabinet and walked over to us, pointing toward a pile of books near the door. "Since you?re going, could you drop those off for me?" "Sure, Mom." "Ok, thank you. Be careful, and be back by nine," she directed. "And don?t forget your class at three!" "I won?t, Mom," Merlyn assured, moving toward the door. "See you!" "Bye, Ms. Beier!" I called. Merlyn scooped up the appointed books, and I followed her out the door. Later, we were nearing the busy downtown area of Lunar Valley, chattering aimlessly. "So how do you tell all those disks apart?" I asked. "I don?t," she said, matter-of-factly. "I play ?Hide and Seek?." "Oh. Good point. Why were you so mad?" "Oh, it?s that computer. The thing?s ancient, and the programs are always shutting down at the most inopportune times," she explained. "So get a new one," I said bluntly. "Oh, sure Sunny, and pay a fortune. Mom doesn?t have the money for that." "Another good point," I admitted. "Hello ladies, mind if I join you?" a familiar voice called. The two of us turned, and a smile lit up my face as I saw Tristan Andres walking quickly to catch up to us. "Tristan," I called, running to my boyfriend and taking his hand. "I didn?t think to see you here." "I didn?t think to see you either, Sun. What are you two up to, eh?" he asked, joining us to walk beside me. "Just on our way to check out the scene downtown," Merlyn said. "How about you?" "About the same. I?m on my way to the computer store, they?re having a sale," he explained. "Well!" I said, nudging Merlyn. "Am I good or what?" "Or what," Merlyn mumbled smugly. "But I admit, that was good timing. Maybe I should check out getting a new computer after all." She looked past me to Tristan. "Do they do trades?" "I think so," he answered. "Are you looking to get a new computer?" "She needs to!" I laughed. "Should we go now? We?re almost there." "In a bit, the library is closer, and I have to drop off these books," she told us in a ?duty first, fun later? voice. "And it?s almost three, time for dance class." I just sighed. "I?ve never seen you dance before, Merlyn," I stated as Tristan, Merlyn, and I walked out of the dance studio. "At least not without a Sailor suit and an ugly distraction." I grinned. "Um, thanks, I think." "Now to the computer store?" Tristan offered. Merlyn nodded, and we quickly walked the few blocks to the store. It was a busy little shop, obviously getting a lot of attention from the sale they were having. People bustled in and out of the store, carrying assorted sized packages, filled with software, hardware, and even some office supplies. We entered and started browsing. *** Amythite smiled wickedly as a group of three teenagers entered the computer store. "Perfect," she chuckled. "With so many customers in and out, I?ll have no problem getting the energy I need." She smiled, watching the disguised youma at the cash register, ringing up purchase after purchase. As they were bought, each one was infused with Dark Power, which would drain the energy of any user. It was a foolproof plan, not even the Satellite Senshi could defeat her this time! But an added asset was to use the store?s customers as a source of energy right then. It was the afternoon, people were stopping by on their way home from work. The store was almost full. Amythite sent a telepathic message to the youma running the register. "Take the customers? energy now!" She felt the youma?s telepathic nod and relaxed, awaiting the coming energy flow. *** Tristan and I peered over Merlyn?s shoulder as she worked at a console. She was an incredibly fast typer, and I had trouble keeping up with what she was doing. Tristan seemed equally in awe. "This is nice, but..." Merlyn began, letting the unfinished sentence hang. I looked over at Tristan. "Maybe this wasn?t such a good idea," I giggled. Tristan chuckled and started to answer, but suddenly tensed. Less than a second later, I felt something too, and blinked in surprise. Merlyn had stopped typing, freezing with her fingers splayed over the keys. "Dark Force!" I whispered harshly. I started to speak again, but was silenced by the sound of metal shutters crashing down on the doors and windows and people immediately began to fall. "Transform time," Tristan said. "Dance Power, Make Up!" "Flower Prism Power, Make Up!" Merlyn and I spun quickly into our Sailor uniforms, and posed to see Tuxedo Rose where Tristan had stood a few moments before. The clerk behind the counter suddenly laughed, a deep evil snicker. The normal human form shuddered with dark energy and shifted to a tall, formidable creature. Cables replaced the arms and legs, and on what would have been it?s hands, computer chips sparked with black electricity. Three cables whipped out from behind, aimed straight at us. "Jump, everyone!" Tuxedo Rose shouted. We each leaped away in separate directions, Sailor Stardance to the side of the terminals, Tuxedo to the store window, and I to the middle of the room. I stood. "Stop!" I shouted, distracting the monster. "You have used people?s interest in technology for evil and for that I cannot forgive you! I am the pretty soldier Sailor FlowerPower, and in the name of Thalassa, moon of Neptune, I will punish you!" "And I, Sailor Stardance, Senshi of Titania, moon of Uranus, will not forgive you either!" Stardance shouted, appearing at my side. I jumped slightly. "Told you you need a bell," I whispered to her. She began to answer, but our moment was interrupted by the creature swinging one of the thick, sparking cables toward us. We both dove to the floor, the cable barely missing our heads. But it recovered the swing and began to sweep downwards toward us. Trapped! Suddenly, a blue rose sprouted from the floor before us, magically stopping the crushing blow before it hit us. I heard Tuxedo Rose?s voice echo behind us. "Technology is to be used to help, not harm. You have disturbed this peace, and for that you cannot be forgiven!" he called. "For your disturbance you will pay!" Stardance stood. "I came here for a purpose, and I had business to take care of! Starlight Step!" She pirouetted and cast out a hand, aiming the pink beam at the creature?s chest. It managed to leap away, but the beam had burned a long stripe along it?s side, injuring it. "Sailor FlowerPower, now!" she cried. "Gotcha!" I turned to the creature, lifting my tiara high. "Flower Tiara-" a new word popped into my head- "Stardust!" The shining disc soared toward the monster, showering it with shimmering dust, and disintegrating it more quickly than by just hitting it. Victory! *** Amythite ground her teeth in fury. "No! It can?t be!" she screamed. Forcibly calming herself, she immediately began forming a new plan, but her recent failure haunted her. "Metallia?s not going to like this." *** Tristan and I grinned at each other behind Merlyn?s back. Merlyn sat before her new computer, grumbling quietly. "What is this thing doing? Why isn?t it..." she trailed off. I smiled at Tristan. "You sure this was a good idea?" He only laughed. Extra credit to Ami-chan for this one! (I hate writer?s block.) She came up with the episode, and I just did the touchups! Arigato Ami-chan! Ep. 5 - http://eternal.dreamhost.com/fanfics/ss5.txt Beverly "Usagi" Alliss - beverly@magicalgirls.net Merlyn "Ami" Baker - yumesan@yahoo.com First Written, 1998. Recent Editing, May 2000. Tsuki no Yume http://eternal.dreamhost.com/fanfics/