Book Five of the Crystal Knight Chronincals.
This is yet another of my early works and C&C, public or private, is always
appreciated.
-Komodo
**********
Lita awoke with a start and looked out the window. The bus was traveling
along a coastal highway. The sky was dark with Gray clouds, and the sea
stretched out to the horizon. Seated as she was in the last row, she turned
to look behind them. Nothing but road and trees and ocean. Most of the
Students were asleep. The ones that weren't were talking quietly.
Across the aisle from her, Amy looked up from her book and smiled. Lita dug a
soda out of the cooler someone had smuggled aboard.
"Want one?" Amy shook her head.
"No. But thank you for offering."
"Boring, aint it?" Amy closed the book.
"I suppose it is." She said quietly. "I'm looking forward to the science
facilities there."
"Yeah. I hear the kitchen is something else. If it's food you can make it
there.
"Yes, and I'm sure Serena will love that." Lita clapped her hand over her
mouth to muffle a giggle.
"How much longer till we get there do you suppose?" She asked, when she had
recovered. Amy glanced at her watch.
"We've been on the road three hours already. We should be there soon." She
opened her book again. Lita leaned back against the seat and took a drink.
**********
Frederick Myers, dean of discipline for Fugimyia Academy, made a note on his
clipboard as the bus pulled up and began disgorging students. It was nearly
Sunset. One by one, the students gave their names to the check-in clerk,
picked up their bags and trudged off to the dorms. He leaned over the clerks
shoulder and frowned. Three students still weren't here. He picked up the
registration cards and went through them. Conrad Howard, Shellie Howard, and
Greg Morgan.
There was nothing worse then tardiness Myers thought as he lit his pipe,
nothing at all. It was at that point that the car pulled in. It was dark
black blue, a convertible. The Top was down. Two boys sat in the front, while
a girl sat on top of the back of the backrest. Even in the dim light, he
could see that her spiked hair was red and green. Her shirt was Tie-dyed and
she wore a leather biker jacket and ripped blue jeans. She did a backwards
somersault, walked around to the passenger side, leaned over and started
lifting bags and suitcases out. The Passenger got out to help, while the
driver, his brown hair tied back and leaning heavily on a cane, walked to the
clerk's table. The other two hauled the suitcases and duffel bags to the
sidewalk. Then they all gathered around the hood of the car to fill out the
cards. Myers drifted closer to listen.
"...My God. Conrad, we are going to be on the same floor of the same dorm
hall." The Girl snapped her gum. "I go through enough crap just being your
sister!"
"Since when have you been through crap?" Retorted the ponytail.
"The night you gave Snake O' Challahan a permanent case of the jitters."
"I warned him not to grab that live wire. That was 500 watts in there."
"You nearly killed him!"
The Ponytail seemed completely confused by the girl's reaction.
"And?" He said. The girl sighed noisily.
"Um?" The second guy spoke up.
"Yeah?"
"I don't understand." The Girl sighed.
"Conrad," She pointed at the ponytail. "Fried a gang leader's nervous system
when he souped up a Harley as a favor."
Conrad shrugged. "He asked, I gave him what he wanted."
"You almost killed him!" The girl stomped up to the curb and lit a cigarette.
Myers stepped forward.
"This is a No Smoking Campus Young Lady." She looked at the pipe in his hand.
"Uh-huh." She blew some smoke. "You gonna stand there with a lit pipe in your
hand and tell me that this is a no smoking campus?" Myers glanced over at the
two boys. The Ponytail was sitting on the car hood eating a candy bar. The
other one was standing in the parking lot next to the curb with his hands in
his pockets, looking back and forth, unsure of what to do.
"As a matter of fact," Myers said with quiet authority, "As the Dean of
Discipline at Fugimyia Academy, I am standing here with a lit pipe in my hand
telling you that this is a no smoking campus." The Girl didn't even change
expression. Instead, she dropped the cigarette to the ground and very slowly
and purposefully, ground it out with her boot.
"I would recommend you all get to your dorms." He said. "Classes start bright
and early Monday morning. You have until then to make yourselves at home."
Ponytail stepped up to the curb and picked up a backpack, a briefcase, and a
duffel bag. Taking out a remote from somewhere, he pointed it at the car and
pressed a button. The Top came up and latched into place as the windows
rolled themselves up. He pressed another button, the headlights flashed
twice, and there was a double beep.
"I agree with the good dean. It is rather late." With that, he walked off to
the dorms.
**********
Shellie Howard stepped off the elevator. The hallway was wide enough for
three people standing side by side. Graffiti and artwork covered the walls.
People sat outside the doors doing homework or socializing. Dear God, co-ed
dorms. She looked down at her registration card. Isaki Hall, 7th floor, room
48. She swung her duffel into the gut of a passing student.
"Hey! What's the big idea?" He glared at her.
"Bite me dipwad." She shot back. "Show me where room forty eight is and you
can go back to your miserable excuse for a life."
"Forty-Eight?" He laughed. "You get to room with the Mouse."
"The Mouse?"
"Yep. Mary 'The Mouse' Mitchell. She's so timid she breaks into tears if the
wind blows to hard." He pointed to her left. "End of the hall."
"Thanks."
Mary Mitchell stared at her exam book. Oh dear, she never should have tried
for extra credit. She looked up as the door banged open and an apparition
stood there. Spiked hair, leather jacket, torn jeans, boots. The Apparition
snapped it's gum.
"Yo. You the Mouse?" Mary nodded hesitantly. "Great. I'm Shellie." She walked
in. The room was immaculate. Not a speck of dust or dirt. "Jeez girl, how
long do you spend cleaning this rathole?" She dumped her bags on the couch.
"Never mind. So what's to eat around here?" She walked to the kitchenette and
started opening cabinets and drawers. Mary walked over to her. The dorms were
rather unique in design. A central living area with kitchenette and then two
bedrooms on opposite each other, each with it's own private bathroom, and
shower/tub. There was a big screen TV in the central living area, but Mary
had never used it.
Shellie finished her inspection of the food supply. She had never seen so
bland a food supply. Crackers, some fruit, a few veggies. She looked over at
her new roomie. The Mouse was tall. She wore a baggy sweatshirt and sweat
pants. Her brown hair was tied back and she wore glasses. She seemed to
expect that she would get flattened or worse. Talk about your mismatches.
On the other hand, maybe there was someone she could get along with under all
that baggy crap.
**********
Conrad and Greg stood in the common area of their Dorm. a door to the left
led to one of the bedrooms, a door on the right led to the other. Each with
it's own private bath. That, and the Big Screen TV was the only luxuries
granted to students.
"Right or Left?" Greg looked at Conrad.
"Huh?"
"Which do you want? The bedroom on the right, or the one on the left?"
"Uh, the one on the left I guess."
"Excellent." Conrad scooped up his stuff and walked into his room. Greg
sighed. He had wanted Adventure.
Cafeteria, the Next Morning.
Shellie set her tray down with a thunk.
"Hi Shellie." Serena said, smiling. Shellie glowered. "Uh...Problem?"
"Yeah. My roommate has a nickname." The look on Shellie's face could have
passed for Cherylnoble.
"Oh?" Serena was slowly backing away from her, a look of fear on her face.
**********
Student Parking Lot.
Dean Myers smiled and nodded as the man next to him waved at the parking lot.
"....look at this! Students having cars! They are here to learn, not drive
around! Did you know that there is a rumor that one student actually owns a
Sunboomer? It's outrageous!"
<And you wish you could have one,> Myers thought as he glanced at the other
Man's car in the next parking lot. Instead of voicing his thoughts, Myers
said.
"Yes Headmaster Falk. Outrageous indeed." Myers gaze slid to the Headmaster's
car. At one point it had been a '75 Datsun 210. But the years had not been
kind to it. Rust showed in some places and the paint was peeling off in
others. Still, Falk's record spoke for his skill as both an Educator and top
Electrical Engineer. Of course, Myers reflected dryly as his gaze slid to his
own '84 Trans AM, his car wasn't much better.
The headmaster opened his mouth to say something else, when a dark blue
convertible, the top down, purred into the parking lot. Myers hid a smile
when he saw it was the same car from last night. The Ponytailed driver got
out. Myers was amused to see the Headmaster's face bristling with barely
concealed wrath at the fact a student had a better car then he did.
"Good Morning Dean." He said as he leaned over the backseat to retrieve
something.
"Indeed." Myers said Dryly. "And how do you like it here so far, Mister. . .
Howard is it?"
"Yes sir. Please, call me Conrad.." He came up with a paper bag and a
terrarium. Myers took the opportunity that the morning sun offered to look
him over. Conrad Howard stood at about five feet 10 inches. His weight was
probably about one-thirty. He was wearing mirrored sunglasses so it was
difficult to discern eye color. Caucasian Male. Pale Skin told Myers that he
spent a lot of time indoors. His Hair was Brown and shaggy. The tip of the
pony tail was probably just level with his shoulder blades. He was Handsome
on the cute side, medium build and his face suggested a Welsh Ancestry.
Next, Myers took a look at his clothes. A Black Denim Jacket over a Tourist's
T-Shirt for the Empire State building. Blue Jeans and Hightops. He appeared
to be evenly distributing his weight on both legs, although Myers saw a
slight angle to his body which suggested the right leg was weaker then the
left. Falk stepped forward.
"Did you say your name was Conrad Howard?" Conrad nodded. "The Conrad Howard?
Designer of the Electrical Bypass System?"
A Nod. "Yes Sir." Conrad set the terrarium and paper bag down. Falk stepped
forward, offering his hand.
"I'm Christopher Falk, Headmaster of the Academy." Howard shook the proffered
hand.
"Falk...Doctor Falk? Of MIT? Sir, it is an Honor to meet you. Your Modular
Current theory was the inspiration of the EPS. I had to alter it rather
drastically I'm afraid though." Myers saw Falk's face redden ever so slightly
as that statement. Conrad popped the hood. "Let me show you." The two fell
into a highly technical discussion with Conrad doing most of the talking and
Falk nodding as head as he listened, asking occasional questions. Myers
however, was skilled at reading body language and saw something different.
Falk was at a loss. He had no idea about half of what Howard was saying. It
gnawed at him that Howard not only had a better car, but had altered his
designs and then had the nerve to patent it.
Myers had traveled all over the world in his career. Insomnia on a Night
Flight had left him with time on his hands and he had read Falk's paper on
Modular Current which had been a gift from an engineer friend. His hobby of
Building Remote Control planes from scratch had given him some electrical
knowledge, and he saw that Falk's design was good only in massive structures,
such as Battleships and Aircraft carriers. He tuned his attention back to the
conversation.
Conrad he saw, had read the dean the same way and was deliberately being
overly technical. Myers took a few steps away and lit his pipe, unable to
shake the feeling that a storm was brewing.
**********
Charwar.....
Bertie tugged at the collar of the high necked formal uniform and stood in
the throne room, behind her, the assembled hosts and hounds and things she
really didn't want to think about watched her.
With a shimmer, Seekay, Lord of the Negaverse, her master, materialized on
the raised platform.
<<My loyal followers, I wish to announce that the Senshi have deserted
Tokyo>> A hearty cheer went up, and Seekay let it go for several minutes,
before finally raising a hand for silence. Bertie cheered as loud as anyone
there, she had suffered defeat twice at the hands of those thrice be damned
Sailor Senshi. Her hand tightened into a fist. She was looking forward to
freezing them solid from the neck down and then, inch by inch, shattering
them. A grim smile spread on her face and then she realized Seekay was
standing right in front of her.
<<Bertie....Perhaps you would like to tell me why my hall is now covered in
ice?>> Startled, she looked around to discover that the room was iced over.
"I apologize My Lord, I was fantasizing about what I would do to the
Senshi....I'm afraid I got out of control." She bowed her head.
<<And what was that Fantasy?>>
"I was going to freeze them solid from the neck down and then shatter them
inch by inch....while they still lived."
<<Impressive. You are now my new Commander in Chief.>>
"WHAT?!" Malachite roared. Skeet's hood turned ever so slightly, as though he
was turning his head to look at Malachite. Malachite paled and then he stuck
a finger in his ear and wiggled it. "Forgive me Master." He said. "I had
something in my ear and couldn't hear you." He jerked his finger out,
revealing a truly nice-sized ball of wax.
<<Impressive.>> Bertie couldn't tell if Seekay was referring to the ball of
wax or Malachite's bold faced lie in an attempt to save his skin. She knew
what sparked it though, Malachite had seniority and she was being promoted
over his head. <<You will be dealt with for your transgression later. Perhaps
I will let Bertie practice the plans she has for the Sailor Senshi on you.>>
He turned back to Bertie. <<Take a Squad to Earth. Specifically to Fujimya
Academy, located on the North coast of Japan. The Senshi have moved there and
I want them distracted. Rubius.>>
Rubius appeared as Seekay spoke his name. "Yes Master?"
<<Begin operation Red Diamond, and no screw-ups! There are only a few months
left until The Lady arrives.>>
"I beg for My Lord's forgiveness for my forwardness," said Rubius, executing
a short half-bow," But are you sure that The Lady will be pleased with the
gift? If she is as powerful as you say, might this not anger her instead of
pleasing her?"
<<You speak with wisdom Rubius. Unusual for one such as you. But this is not
an attempt to please her, no. She expressed a desire to see it. So she see it
she shall.>>
"As you wish my Lord. I shall set out on my task immediately." Giving Seekay
a full formal bow, Rubies vanished.
<<Now then. Malachite, we shall discuss your transgression.>>
Outside the Hall, the guard shifted his lance to a more comfortable position
in the crook of his arm and completely ignored the screams of pain and terror
coming from within.
**********
Saturday Afternoon.....
Mina rolled her eyes. "Yes mom. I'm fine." She said, leaning against the pay
phone, one hand absently twisting the diamond ring on her finger, a gift from
David. "No, I haven't seen the Counselor yet. What? No. No bouts of
depression. Yes, I'm taking the medication." She managed to bite back a snarl
of annoyance. "Yes, I'll go see the Counselor Monday, as soon as class lets
out. No, I don't think you need to call and ask if they want my psych tests.
Mom, I'm not Maniac-Depressive. Yes, I agree, but that was right after the
funeral." She sighed. "Fine. Send them the damn psych tests. Yes, I love you
too Mom. Give my best to Dad." With that she hung up.
"Moms." Lita said dryly from her perch across the sidewalk on a low wall. She
hopped down. She was dressed in shorts, a Mandai Memorials team jersey, and
sandals. "Yours almost makes me glad I don't have one any more."
"Ha ha." Mina retorted sourly.
**********
Monday Morning, Ms Judith Efflick's English class.........
Mina slipped into the seat next to Lita.
"Morning." Lita said cheerfully. Mina just growled.
"Sod off." She snapped. "Mornings are an evil invention by people who don't
need sleep." With that, she folded her arms on the desk in front of her and
dozed off.
**********
Conrad nodded to Lita and picked a seat in the second to last row. He set his
cane on the floor and opened his binder.
"Nice Cane." Conrad looked to his right. There sat a young man, not much
older then he was. He had straight blond hair and signs of Acne. His blue
eyes were bright.
"Thanks." Conrad replied.
"Don't mention it. Name's Rob. Rob Corbin."
"Conrad Howard."
**********
Mina's head snapped up and she stared across the room to where Conrad was
talking to a blond boy.
"Oh shit."
"What?"
"Conrad's making friends." Mina's head dropped back to her arms. "We're all
doomed."
**********
The teacher was an athletic woman, with large shoulders that suggested a
swimmer. Her platinum blond hair was cut short, and her blue eyes were bright
and expressive.
"Good Morning class," She had a slight British accent "My name is Ms Efflick,
and I shall be your jailer for the next hour." A ripple of laughter ran
through out the classroom. "Now then. We will read four books. Huckleberry
Finn, Catcher in the Rye, To kill a Mockingbird, and a novel of your choice.
After each one I will expect a book report no more then two pages, double
spaced on each one. There will also be a Mid-term and final report. We'll get
into those later. I would also like to point out that I speak and understand
German, French, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish. I also can make myself
understood in Korean. So no snide comments in foreign languages." She picked
up a clipboard.
As you know, this Academy is structured on a basis similar to the American
Universities. Academic standards however, are Japanese. This is a high school
and you are expected to behave like high school students. The Academy is also
designed to locate your hidden strengths and exploit them. So therefore, we
will move around the room, and when I point to you , you tell me your name,
what you are interested in, and what you like to be."
So it began. Finally, she came to Conrad.
"And your name is?"
"Conrad Howard."
"Nice to meet you Conrad. What are you interested in?"
"Electrical engineering mainly. I like to tinker with stuff."
"So you would like to be an Electrical Engineer?"
"Actually, I would like a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering...." Ms
Efflick began to move the next student when Conrad spoke up again. ".....So I
can be a railroad hobo."
The clipboard clattered to the floor.
"A--A railroad hobo you say?" Conrad nodded, his face perfectly serious. Mina
groaned under her breath and slouched in her seat. Efflick cleared her
throat. "Uh...surely a career as a railroad hobo is far from the best use of
your talents.
"On the contrary." Conrad said, "It's perfect. Wide open spaces, you get to
travel and meet all sorts of people. Plus it takes brains to be a railroad
hobo. You have to memorize train schedules and routes, plus timing algorithms
to hop into boxcars."
"Yes.....well....." Efflick cleared her throat again and pointed at the boy
at Conrad's right.
"Robert J. Corbin." He said, then pointed at Conrad. "I'm gonna be a railroad
hobo just like him." Then both boys folded their hands on the desks in front
of them and gave the teacher big smiles.
Lita leaned over to Mina.
"He's kidding.....right?"
"I can never tell." Mina said quietly, slouching further and then falling off
her seat.
**********
After class, Mina caught up with Conrad.
"What was all that about?!" She demanded.
"What was what all about."
"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" She jabbed a finger at the
classroom. "Just what was all that crap about being a railroad hobo?"
"I thought you said you couldn't tell when he was kidding." Said Lita.
"Shaddup Lita." Mina snapped. She turned her attention back to Conrad. "Well?"
"Oh Mina. Don't you know that you never get a second chance to make a first
impression?" With that, he turned and walked away. Lita turned to Mina to
find her banging her head against the wall saying something over and over.
Lita leaned closer to listen.
"We're doomed. We're doomed. We're doomed....."
**********
Gym Class......
The gym teacher hailed from Texas. A broad shouldered man, he paced back and
forth in front of the students.
"Alright. Now here's what y'all gonna do, yer gonna jump in that there pool
and do ten laps." He paused. "Now git!" The students all stood up and jumped
in and proceeded to flounder about. Except for Mina, who struck out for the
far end with swift and smooth strokes.
"...And then, just because I could swim, he singled me out for extra laps!
Its not my fault I can swim!" Mina swung a vicious kick at the wall. Amy
watched her. "I'm from Southern California damnit! Swimming is one of the few
ways to stay cool in the summer! "She swung another kick at the wall. "He's
an ass!" She exclaimed, her kicks punctuating each word. "A stupid-stogie
smoking-hasn't-shaven-in-three-days-ASS!"
"Um...kicking the wall won't do you any good Mina. Perhaps you should talk to
him."
"I tried that. You know what he said?" Amy shook her head. Mina hitched up
her pants and squinted as she launched into an impression of the teacher.
"'Well now little lady. I can't rightly see what you're so mad about. Its
like advanced math. The best students get more work.'" She straightened. "I'm
not the best! I'm just the only one out of that whole sorry mess who can
swim!" Amy chose not to point out the holes in Mina's logic.
"Oh God, I miss David." Mina sagged against the wall and then slid down it.
"He always knew how to make sense of this kind of stuff." She covered her
eyes with her hands and sobbed.
**********
That evening, at 7:16 PM, Isaki Hall Lobby
Mina, Amy, Raye, Lita, Serena, and several of their schoolmates, stared at
the overlarge hammock in the middle of the room. The hammock was filled with
mannequins dressed in various pieces of lingerie and in evocative positions.
There also was one crash test dummy, and three blow up dolls, Marlin Monroe,
Meryl Streep, and a young Yohko Ohno, respectively.
Shellie snapped her gum, looking vaguely bored. She looked over at Conrad,
who had somehow managed to look smug and innocent at the same time.
"You forgot the dragon lady mannequin."
Conrad shrugged.
"The store didn't have any."
"Like that ever stopped you." Shellie retorted acidly as she grabbed her
roommate's sleeve and dragged her out.
**********
Mary let herself be dragged outside where Shellie lit up a cigarette,
completely ignoring the No Smoking sign.
"Um....there's a...no smoking sign." Mary said. Shellie looked up at the
sign, then pulled a wrench and with a few minutes work, took down the sign
and tossed it and the bolts into the bushes.
"What no smoking sign?" Mary stared at the audacity of the act.
"But there's.....I mean, there was.....which you......" Shellie looked at her
expectantly.
"No wonder they call you the Mouse." She scoffed. "I've met up with actual
mice less timid." She paused to finish off the cigarette and grind it out
with the toe of her boot.
"You have?" Mary asked, curiosity overcoming her shyness.
"Yeah. In the Subway system of New York." Shellie stuck her hands in her
jacket and walked down the steps "I'm going into town to grab a movie. See
ya, don't wait up!"
**********
The Scout craft materialized just before setting down on the hillside. Bertie
studied the veiwscreen as the sensors took their readings.
"Twentieth century's are the same everywhere." She observed, her eyes
flickering over the running column of data scrolling up the side of the
screen.
"Not nessacarily true ma'am," one of the pilots ventured. "There's the
inhabitants of dimension one twenty four who--GAACK!" He screeched as a
collar of ice formed around his neck, just enough to put pressure on his
windpipe. "--Are of no interest to any of us!" He gasped out. The collar
vanished. Bertie resumed staring out the window. This attack must be handled
carefully. Yes.
**********
Raye frowned as a familiar but unpleasant tingle rippled across the back of
her neck. She raised her head from the book long enough to take a quick
glance around the room and out the windows. Nothing. It was probably just her
imagination.
"Miss Hino!" The voice cracked across the room like a whip. "We are here to
study, not to sightsee!" Raye bent her head back down to the book, silently
seething at the old Englishwoman who was her math instructor. Raye looked at
Shellie, who was one row away and a seat up. Shellie was slouched in her seat
her math book standing up. Behind it, she was reading a tome of cyber-gangs.
Raye focused her gaze on the book before her and tried to ignore the
increasingly insistent tingle at the back of her neck.
Mrs. Abigail Horton Harriwether stared down at the math test before her. The
Howard girl's name was scribbled out across the top and the answers penned
rapidly and without much thought. Still. Reluctantly, she picked up the
answer key. The young tramp probably cheated her way through the test and she
felt no surprise when all the answers proved to be correct. It was obvious
then. The girl had cheated.
The fact that all of her tests were written at her home and kept in a
triple-locked archive in her computer which was kept in a safe making it all
but impossible for anyone but her to get at them had no bearing on the
conviction that Shellie Howard had quite obviously cheated. One only needed
to look at the girl. Her hair was dyed, she wore clothes more suited to the
life of a call girl, and her attitude was dreadful. She was obviously a
cheater.
Mrs. Harriwether huffed to herself, gave the girl a F and then wrote a
scathing note underneath it before placing it in the pile of papers that was
to be returned to the pack of monsters before her.
Raye rubbed the back of her neck. The tingle had turned into a solid ache.
Where was it? She risked another glance and saw a huge shadow at the door.
There was no way she could transform in here. She would have to wait. Her
hand tightened around the wand as she kept her face in an expression of
studious concentration. But her eyes kept drifting to the door. What was it
waiting for?
The answer came moments later as the monster ripped through the door like a
hot knife through butter. It was an ugly beast, at least eight feet tall,
with a rounded head, no neck that could be easily seen, a large, muscular
body with large claws at the end of its four fingered hands.
The students screamed. Raye raised her wand, hoping the confusion would hide
her as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Sit down!" Mrs. Hariwether's voice, accompanied by the sound of the meter
stick smacking against the blackboard served to quiet most of the students
down and the rest soon followed. "Resume your places."
"But its a monster!" A student called out.
"Rubbish." Mrs. Harriwether snorted. "This is obviously a prank by some of
the seniors."
"Aroo?" The monster stared at her then raised his arm, claws gleaming.
"Rahwrrr!"
"Oh quit that you stupid child." She smacked his arm with the stick. "You may
have fooled these students but you will not fool me with such an obviously
fake costume. Now come along and we will go see Mr. Myers." She turned to the
class. "I expect to be back in ten minutes and you all seated in those seats
studying and that mess by the door cleaned up." She turned and walked out,
the monster following.
Raye pushed the transformation pen back into her shirt pocket before she
joined the kids who were putting the desks back into place. Now she had seen
everything.
**********
Myers looked up as one of the Math Instructors, Mrs. Harriwether, walked into
his office, followed by a monster.
"This student," She said, indicating the beast behind her. "Saw fit to
interrupt my classroom, and break the door to do it. I leave the matter in
your hands." With that, she turned and walked out. Myers looked up at the
monstrosity before him.
"I take it you have quite a tale to tell." The monster nodded. There was a
pause. "You're not some student in disguise, are you?" Again the nod. "You're
here to trash the school and kill some people, or are you here for a certain
group of people in particular?" The Beast shrugged.
"Rohr groop savanar." Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Myers was having
trouble believing he was having this conversation. Maybe it was a dream.
"I see. And who are these people?"
"Soonshi."
Soonshi? Senshi?
"You're here to kill the Senshi?" It nodded. Myers gestured to the bench
against the wall. "Would you like some coffee?"
"Rrrroooo." It was at that moment that Conrad Howard walked by. Then he came
by again and stopped. He wasn't staring, just watching. Then he walked
forward and opened the door.
"Good Afternoon sir." He looked at the monster. "Discipline problem?"
A shrill whine split the air and Raye sat up straight. She was in her room,
and the clock said it was time to get up. She looked around, making sure
everything was in its place. She held her hand to her head. That was the last
time she tried Serena's cooking before bedtime. Then with a heavy sigh, she
got out of bed and ready for school.
The air was sweet this morning, and Raye took a deep breath as she left the
dorms and headed across campus to class.
She was passing near the athletic field when she saw Conrad talking to one of
the Gardeners. As She got nearer, she could see that the Gardener was huge.
Then Conrad spotted her.
"Hey Raye! Check out the new Gardener." The Gardener turned around to reveal
that it was the Monster.
"AH!" Raye sat up straight in her seat to find that she was sitting in her
chair in Mrs. Hariwether's class, and everyone was staring at her. She looked
down, there was a bit of drool on her math textbook. She must have fallen
asleep. What a weird dream.
"Miss Hino, report to Mister Myer's office." Raye sighed and stood, her face
flushed with embarrassment."
"Yes Ma'am"
**********
Myers looked at the note and then at her, his expression politely but firmly
requesting an explanation.
"I disrupted the class."
"Why?"
"I fell asleep and woke up from a nightmare." Raye said quietly, her
attention fastened on Myers' nameplate on his desk.
"I see." His voice paused a moment and Raye sensed someone else enter the
room. "Ah, thank you. Just set it down here on my desk." Myers said to the
other person. Curious, Raye looked up and stared as she saw the monster,
dressed in a receptionist's outfit, set a tray of tea down on the table.
**********
"Conrad, shut off the damn machine!" Lita looked down at Raye. Wires ran from
sensor disks on her forehead to a machine perched on her night stand.
Raye had been suffering from insomnia and had Conrad if he knew of a way to
help her sleep. A few hours later, Conrad had shown up at her door with the
device. When asked what it was, he said something about Alpha waves and sleep
frequencies. When Mina demanded he say it in English. He told them it was to
help Raye sleep. That had been three days ago and excuses were running out.
"Why isn't it shutting off?"
"It's on a timer."
"Well where's the timer?" Conrad examined the machine.
"I forgot to put one in."
"You WHAT?!" Mina screeched, reaching for the lamp so that she might inflict
intense bodily harm upon his person.
"Come on Conrad." Lita said. "Didn't you put in a power switch?"
"Well of course." He hit a button. "I had to turn the power on didn't I?"
Mina stormed out and they could hear her kicking the couch and screaming
about all the things she was going to do to Conrad.
"I think she's upset." Serena observed.
**********
The next night.
"...And the rain will continue to hammer Northern Japan until late tomorrow
and possibly through the weekend with lows continuing in the high sixties
until the middle of next week." Myers tilted his head as he walked into Isaki
Hall. The Night manager, who had been listening to the radio, waved her hand
in passing greeting. Pausing only to hang his coat up to dry,
Myers headed for the lounge area.
Word was that Howard was a closet insomniac and would spend hours in the
lounge, playing his guitar or in one of the labs that were open all night to
students desperate to finish their projects.
Myers had already checked the labs
He found him on the lower floor of the Lounge. He had stoked the fire in the
fireplace and was seated in an overstuffed easy chair that had been dragged
close to the fire.
One leg was hooked over a chair arm and he was playing his electric guitar.
An iguana was perched on top of the chair back. Conrad had plugged in
headphones and was playing something. Myers sat down opposite him and waited.
Finally, Conrad opened his eyes.
"Rainbow Connection. I always get a kick out of it." He shifted the guitar to
a more comfortable position and began idly picking at the strings. "So tell
me, what brings the Dean of Discipline to Isaki Hall at 1 in the morning
during a storm?"
"You." Conrad said nothing. "I've been going over your record and I found a
few things that...intrigue me."
"Such as?" Conrad began plucking at the strings faster.
"The Mental Aptitude Test you took when you were eleven, it's very
intriguing.'
"How so?"
"Most people know better then to answer multiple choice with an essay
question and vice versa. The answers were correct though."
"Some people get those confused." Conrad looked to his playing. His fingers
moving faster, playing something that was probably a song written for the
Spanish Guitar.
"Also, questions that even an idiot would get right, you got wrong."
"Really?"
"Yes. I find it interesting that someone would make these mistakes, unless
they had something to hide."
"And what would that be?"
"I re-tallied your score. If you got ninety-eight percent of all questions
right, your IQ is, or close to, three hundred. Perhaps more."
"So?"
Myers leaned forward. "You deliberately threw the test, didn't you? You
wanted to hide your real IQ and you knew that the scores were tallied by
computer so that nobody would catch you until years later, when you would be
firmly entrenched in the School system and it would be too late to move you
to a school for people like you." Conrad's eyes seemed to go from blue to
green and then black.
"Assuming your right, why would I do something like that?"
"That's what puzzled me. You obviously had a good reason for what you did. But
what, what could make an eleven year old kid want to hide how brilliant he
was? So I started delving into your background and I found out that your
father believes that everyone should be well rounded and be skilled
physically, mentally, and socially.
That's what made it click. You had the physical and mental skills down, but
not the social, and if you were moved to a Special School, you wouldn't have
that. After all, you had a promised position at Sunboomer designing
electrical and Computer systems for the 21st century on the next generation
of Supercomputers. You would have to deal with people and you wouldn't get
the social skills you needed to do that at some Special school. So you
flubbed the test."
"An amusing theory, and assuming it's true, why are you telling me this?"
"Because your record also indicates you masterminded several incidents at
past schools. Each incident is different, except the exploding toilets. That
seems to be your trademark. Of course, there is no proof, just speculation."
"Of Course." Conrad's voice was level and his face composed. There was no
telling what he was thinking.
"I run a tight ship Mr. Howard. Your secret is safe with me, but I don't want
to catch you causing any incidents on my watch."
"Oh don't worry, you won't"
"Good, I'm glad we agree on the Rules."
"Me too."
Myers got up and left the lounge, as soon as he was out of sight, he darted
up the back stairs to the upper floor of the Lounge. There he crouched and
watched.
Conrad set his guitar aside and coaxed Iggy down from his perch. Iggy looked
up at him and Conrad could almost hear the words in his mind.
"What was that all about?" Conrad considered for a moment, ever since Iggy
had hatched, he and Conrad had a.....connection. Even though it was just body
language on it the lizard's part, it spoke volumes to Conrad, and Iggy
apparently understood what he was saying.
The Iguana thumped his tail against his arm and glared at him.
"Well?" Conrad looked down at the one being who truly understood him
"The good dean challenged me. He bet that he could catch me red handed."
Iggy flicked his tongue out.
"Why?"
"For the challenge I suspect. He's bored. This school is new and nobody wants
to cause a ruckus, too caught up in school work. All the Troublemakers are
carefully screened out, the poor man is going bored. Then here I am.
Someone who trouble seems to follow."
Iggy looked at the fireplace
"It's a game then."
"Yes, and one I'm only too happy to play."
Iggy looked back at him.
"What if he catches you?"
"What if he does?"
"Iggy looked back at the fire, his curiosity satisfied. Conrad studied the
flames as well. He hoped he had read Myers right. He had never fully mastered
the art of reading body language, so he wasn't a hundred percent sure. But he
was pretty certain he was right. He hoped he was anyway.
Conrad scratched his nose. He already had plenty of ideas. He mentally ran a
finger down the list. Which one? No not that one, too complicated. Nope, not
that one either. While the farm animals were readily available, he didn't
have access to the equipment he needed.
Best keep it simple.
No, that one had been over used in Cartoons and he would need people and a
few hours to pull it off.
Hmmm, Yes. That one would do nicely, but he would need Shellie's help.
Humming softly to himself, he set Iggy on his shoulder, picked up his guitar,
and went off to find his sister.
**********
Myers woke up and staggered into the bathroom. What a night. He took look at
himself in the mirror. A transvestite stared back at him. He was instantly
wide awake. Good Lord! He looked himself over. Makeup, a wig, nice dress, he
had on the whole nine yards! Myers sighed. He was pretty sure he even had the
appropriate underclothes on. The Phone rang. He went to answer it.
"This is Myers"
"Uh Mr. Myers, Sir? This is Fredricks, night security. Um, we just got a
report from the drama department head. Somebody got into the Wardrobe and
took one evening gown, a wig, some perfume, and some of the makeup. They also
took some women's underwear that were to be used as a prop in the next play."
"What kind of Dress?"
"Black Velvet with Satin trimming."
"Tell Erin to come by my Room in about half an hour, I'll have the missing
clothes and wig waiting."
"She's already on her way there sir." Myers took a moment to compose himself.
"How long ago did you speak to her?"
"About two minutes ago." There was a knock on the door. That Had to be Erin.
"She Just Arrived." Myers Hung up, took a deep breath and answered the Door.
Erin Florence entered and he closed the door, turned and waited.
Erin Florence was a Acting Coach and Talent Senshi who in very high demand.
She had been lured to the Academy by the promise of a king's ransom for her
salary, the position of the Drama Department head, and complete autonomy to
run her department as she saw fit. She and Myers often wound up in the same
area. They had an on again, off again romance. But they were both too
career-minded to settle down. On the other hand, neither of them were getting
younger.
Erin for her part said nothing. Just looked at him, trying very hard not to
smile. Finally she walked up to him and took the wig off.
"Fred, I had no idea." She was trying very hard not to laugh.
"I assure you." He said stiffly. "This is not my usual choice of wardrobe."
"No, I see you in more of a springtime motif. Something flowery and light."
She giggled. "Fred, what are you doing in that?"
"I woke up like this, and judging from the stuffy head I have, whoever did
this gassed me before getting me into this." Erin simply sat him down and
proceeded to get all the makeup off of him. Then she waited while he took off
the dress although she had an absolute laughing fit when she saw the
underwear.
Afterwards, once they had dressed and left, the door opened again, to admit
Conrad and Lita. Conrad snuck into the bathroom and opened up the mirror.
Behind the mirror was a medicine cabinet, here, on a shelf was a high-tech,
hi speed, palm-sized video camera. Conrad removed it, stopping the tape at
the same time.
"Did you get it?"
"Think so. I hope we did anyway." Conrad said as he plugged up the hole that
had been made so the camera could see out the one-way mirror they had
installed.
**********
Myers wandered through the maze of tables in the cafeteria. Students were
laughing and joking. Some had out newspapers and books.
"Good Morning Dean Myers."
"Good Morning Mr. Howard.
"Excuse me for asking sir, but are you wearing makeup?" Instead of answering,
he turned and moved on. Howard was behind this he was almost sure of it.
Unfortunately, there was no clues, and he probably had an ironclad alibi.
Something also told him that this affair was far from over. Howard still had
one more card to play.
The last card came at noon, when everyone had filed in for lunch. On a blank
section of the wall was Myers, in full drag, larger then life. Across the top
was a sign that read, "The Dean practices for his role as a cross dresser in
the play "Little Shop of Horrors." Myers mentally fumed.
Of course, the cafeteria staff would've heard or saw nothing. Howard stepped
up next to him.
"Wonder who did that?" He said, his face thoughtful.
"First blood to you Mr. Howard." Myers murmured, then he turned to walk away.