CHAPTER 3 – Sailor Jupiter Strikes
Written By Rock Kitaro
We finally got to the Sheraton hotel to check the girls in. Like usual, there were cameras and a small crowd. Us guys went into the girl’s hotel room to socialize.
“So when do we start filming?” Serena asked.
“I could have sworn someone already asked that question.” Chris smirked.
“In two weeks.” Ken answered.
“Good! Then we have more time to get to know you guys. And maybe you can show us the city.” Mina said to Chris and I.
“That would be great.” Chris said. “Although, there’s not much to see.”
“Tell me about it.” Ryu grumbled.
“Wasn’t Augusta the first capital of Georgia?” Amy asked.
“I don’t know. Was it, Majestic?” Chris asked.
“Yes.” I said, apathetic and out of it.
“What’s wrong, man?” Ryu said. He was the one sitting closest to me. Lana overheard and immediately I felt her eyes hit me. As if she was waiting for me to say something just to piss her off.
“Nothin.” I grumbled.
Everyone stared at me and they would’ve have kept staring if the chaperone/manager hadn’t knocked on the door. The chaperone informed us that dinner was in twenty minutes.
“Alright!” Mina exclaimed. “I’m starving. Hey Chris, are you guys staying for dinner?”
“Sure! Right, Majestic?”
“Sure, Chris.”
“Great.” Lana muttered.
The way Lana stared at me, I really felt like crying. Here, Lana continued to express her contempt for me and no one seemed to care. Chris was so into Mina that he didn’t see what was going on. I knew Ryu knew because he’d glance at me every time she threw a jab.
The chaperone knocked on the door again. She told us that dinner was ready in the main hall. On our way, I pulled Chris aside.
“Hey man. I’ll catch up with you back at the house.”
“What? Why don’t you stay, man?”
Kinda frustrated, I raised my voice to an angry whisper. “Chris! Are you blind? This day has been the worst in a long time. First you punch me in the stomach, then we go to the airport to pick up bad attitudes, which I know I started first. But then I apologized. We get into a big fight in the mall, just to go back to the limo and get jumped. Insulted the whole trip back. Come here, still insulted. No one cares. And you expect me to spend another hour with them? Good night, Chris.”
“That’s a bunch of BS, Majestic. Why do you even care what Lana thinks if you can’t stand her?”
I shook my head. It was hopeless if I didn’t spell it out for him. “Chris, ever since I laid eyes on Lana, I’ve been in love. I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful.”
“Majestic, are you crying?”
I was…a little.
“What a punk? You are too sensitive.”
I looked at him for a second. Then I punched him so hard that he was forced back into a mirror, shattering the glass. Almost immediately, I gasped. It was pure impulse. I wasn’t the fighter in the family, Chris was.
As expected, Chris came at me full fury. But in that instant, it’s difficult to explain, but it’s like an ability to dole out blows was innate. It came natural for me. Dodging, bobbing and weaving with counters…it’s as if I had the software downloaded in me all this time. He punched me a few good times in the ribs, but surprisingly I did the most damage by busting up one of his eyes. Security came and broke it up, slamming me against the wall and pinning Chris to the floor.
“Alright! Okay! I’m about to leave anyway!” I shouted.
They picked up an irate Chris. His face was red and his left eye was turning blue.
“Go on, Chris. Enjoy your little friends. They’re the only ones you got.” I told him.
“And I’m not doing the movie!” I shouted.
“Yes you are!” Chris blared back.
Weeping with sadness and rage, I literally ran away. Down the hall, to the exit and out of the hotel.
…
It was a dark and stormy night. I kept on running even though my house was over three miles away. It ran through the trees and across busy highways. The police started chasing me when they saw me jaywalking across the interstate but I didn’t care. I just kept on running and eventually lost them in the woods.
Back at the Sheraton, the Sailor Scouts, Ken, and Ryu were sitting down waiting for their food. The hall was very glamourous, as if they were aboard the Titanic. There was even a group of string musicians playing classical music. Everything was peaceful until Chris came into the room.
The music stopped Everyone turned their attention to Chris. Mina rose and ran in her approach but Chris gently pushed her aside.
“Chris! What happened?” Ken asked.
“Oh nothing. Majestic just beat my ass is all,” Chris said as if he was concentrating on something else.
He was.
He was looking dead at Lana. Then he scanned everyone else with this judgmental glare.
“I don’t understand you guys. What kind of world do you live in? Lana, you are so stupid. Majestic thinks you’re hot for some odd reason. That’s right. He’s in love with you. He said he was sorry. What more do he have to do? Now, I don’t know about you guys. But I live on a planet called Earth. And if you want Majestic or me in this movie, I suggest you land on it. Now then…I’m going to sit on the opposite side of this room and enjoy my dinner. You preps have a nice night.”
Once Chris sat down. Lana got up and left.
“Lana! Lana!” Renny cried out. Renny got up and followed her.
“Oh well.” Ryu scoffed. “Guess we got to have more auditions.”
“No.” Ken said. “We’re sticking with them. Mina, can you go and see if you can change Chris’s mind. And I’ll…”
“Mina, sit down!” Ryu barked. “What? I know I didn’t just hear you say we’re sticking with those scrubs.”
“That’s exactly what I said.” Ken said as he rose to a stand. “They’re the best dancers I’ve ever seen and they’re good people. Mina, go.”
“Sit down.” Ryu said, just as a confuse Mina was about to stand. “Ken, what the hell is wrong with you. Chris was yelling down our faces for something Lana did and you want them back?”
“You heard me! And so did you, Mina.”
With that, Mina hurried over to Chris’s table. Ryu got in Ken’s face. Amy and Serena tried to pull their boyfriends away from each other.
“You know, you’re really pushing it with this leadership shit.” Ryu growled.
“No. This is pushing it!” Ken said.
Ryu squinted with intense fury as he said, “You’re right. That is pushing it.”
Ken parried the girls aside just as Ryu leaped for a brutal side kick that planted into the dead center of Ken’s chest. Ken went sprawling back into the musicians. Ryu pursued him, lunging forward for a haymaker but Ken ducked and clocked his chin with an uppercut. The brawl ensued.
It looked as if Ken had an advantage over Ryu with his long legs. Ryu saw opportunity to strike back when Ken did a roundhouse kick. Ryu grabbed the heel of Ken’s show before it hit his face and swept Ken behind his ankle, slamming him to the ground in a hip toss. Ken quickly recovered and did a combination of uppercuts, ending the fight with a spinning back heel kick to Ryu’s stomach.
Amy ran to Ryu’s side while Serena asked Ken if he was okay.
“I’m fine!” Ken grumbled. “I’ll take to bed and see you in the morning.”
Serena sighed. “Alright. What do you want to do tomorrow?”
“We got to see Majestic.” Ken said, turning around and pointing at a rebellious Ryu.
Before Serena could say anything, Ken told her goodnight.
On the other side of the room, Mina and Chris were getting ready to leave.
“What was that all about?” Chris asked.
“I have no idea.” Mina said with concern.
“Heh. You’re a pathetic liar. I’ll talk to Majestic. Though I doubt it’ll work.” Chris smirked with a playful shoulder nudge.
“Thanks, Chris.” Mina said, as she held her hands modestly in front of her navel. She joined with Amy and Serena and left the hall.
…
In the dark storm, I was finally on the street of the neighborhood I lived on. Just as I was about to get to my driveway, I saw something. I thought it was Chris. I hoped it was mom. No…It was the very person that made me leave in the first place. Lana.
Maybe it was the darkness and the rain that deceived my eyes but it looked as if Lana was wearing a costume.
“Lana! What are you doing here?” I shouted.
“I am Sailor Jupiter! And I had just about enough of you. You think you’re so bad beating up your little brother. I bet you won’t do the same to me.”
I got mad. “Lets…”
Before I could finish, she ran at me so freaking fast and punched me in the stomach. Impulsively, I struck back, swinging for her chin. She ducked, grabbed me by my waist and the back of my leg to pick me up and throw me through the air. It was ridiculous. It was impossible! I saw a streak of lightning as I hurled. But somehow…I miraculously landed on my feet in the middle of my grassy yard.
I stood in bewilderment, barely coming to grips with what just happened, with what she did, with how I reacted and landed safely. Then, all of the sudden, I heard her chanting something through the hard patter of the relentless rain. She ended the chant with, “JUPITER LIGHTNING POWER!”
A bolt of lightning seemed to strike her hand but she simply harnessed it. I saw it, her fist glowing with loud, buzzing, dangerous electricity. And with fury in her eyes, she swung her fist my way. The discharge of lightning hit in the pit of my stomach and it hurt so much. I fell into the wet muddy grass, gripping my midsection in tremendous pain.
She was walking towards me with this casual strut. Another streak stretched across the sky, lighting up the scene just enough to give me a clear picture. She was wearing what looked like, a white one-piece with a green skirt, white gloves with green trimmings, white knee-high boots with green trimmings, a green scarf akin to Japanese schoolgirl uniforms and a stupid pink bow over her chest.
Sailor Jupiter. She was indeed formidable. The way she stalked me like a wolf with that resentful glare in her eyes really spurred me to get up. I couldn’t go out like that. We were taught never to hit girls but Sailor Jupiter was something else. She wasn’t my equal. She was my superior. And when you’re dealing with someone stronger, I say, go all out.
So I picked myself up, palms to the grass. And as she ran to kick me in my ribs, I beat her to the punch and slugged her in the gut. She hunched over in pain, her wet hair grazing my face. Even then, she grabbed me by my sleeve but I kept on the offensive, head-butting her in the face and putting everything I had into a right hook that struck her across the face.
She fell down. She stared up at me as if I had three heads growing out of my neck, almost in disbelief, it seemed. She tried to pick herself back up twice. But she never got back up. I won the fight.
Or so I thought…
As I turned to the house with regret and remorse beginning to sink in, Sailor Jupiter speared into me from behind, tackling me to the ground with my face scraping across the mud.
“ARRGH!!!!” She bellowed as she flipped me over, straddled me, and proceeded to beat the ever-loving daylights out of me, raining punches on me almost faster than the actual rain itself. Each blow rang out like a wet towel slapping concrete. Over and over again, she struck me, until finally…someone hooked her by the elbow.
“Come on, Jupiter. It’s over.”
With one eye half open, I saw. It was Rei, Renny…Sailor Mars. She was wearing a similar uniform to Jupiter’s, except instead of green, all of her trimmings were a crimson red.
I felt the relief of pressure as Jupiter rose from my stomach. Then I covered my throbbing face with one arm as the rain washing away the mud and blood.
As Sailor Mars and Jupiter walked off down the street, I heard Jupiter scream, “It’s never over, Majestic! NEVER!”
I just laid there. It must have been at least a half hour later when Chris came, brought me into the house, and helped to the couch. I didn’t sleep. She was so strong. But so was I. I never knew I could do what I did. Not against her, and certainly not against Chris. But I did. And so badly I wanted a rematch. I wondered what else I could do.
I was up early the next morning. I took a shower just to get dirty against in the backyard. I ran laps around the yard, did some basic aerobics exercises, and about an hour later, Chris came outside.
“Good morning, bro!” Chris said in a cheerful tone.
I still remembered our fight from last night so I kept running around the yard. He started running with me. I picked up the pace to lose him but he caught up with me.
“Yo, Majestic. Sorry about last night.” Chris said, huffing and puffing. “If it makes you feel better, I quit the movie.”
We stopped. I stood up straight with my hands on my hips while Chris had his hands on his knees with heavy breathing.
“I said the only way I’ll do it is if you do it. I’m sorry, Majestic.” Chris told me.
I stared at him for a second. “You look like you could use some water.”
We laughed a little.
“What did you do? Drink battery this morning? Sheesh.” He joked.
We sat down at the table and drank some lemonade as we watched “Salute Your Shorts.”
“Yo, Majestic. I had no idea you were in love with Lana.”
I nearly choked on my lemonade.
“Love Lana? I freakin hate Lana! You know what she did to me last night. She tried to kill me. I ran all the way home and out of nowhere she shows up looking like a school girl in spandex. She says she wants to fight. So I’m like, bring it on! But dude…She picked me up and threw me in the air, bro. Then, no lie, she controlled the lightning bro and struck me with it.”
By then, I could see the incredulous look on his face.
“Have you ever been struck by lightning?” I asked him. “It feels like a thousand bees stinging you at one time in one spot. It hurt!”
“Then what happened?” He said, half-interested.
“Then Renny came and got her off me.” I said, knowing how stupid and unbelievable it all sounded.
“Come on, Majestic. Lightning? How come you don’t have any scars? Look at you. Not a mark on you.”
I got up from the table and rushed to the mirror in the foyer. Chris was right. There wasn’t a bruise on me. I know Lana busted me up last night but…
“Yeah…” Chris said with a smirk. “Pathological liar.”
I smirked and jabbed at his chest just as the doorbell rang. I looked through the peephole and saw that it was Renny with her long black hair and that dark red eye shadow.
“Crap!” I whispered. “Should I open it?”
“Yeah! It might have something to do with your lightning incident.” He said, mocking with exaggerated concern.
I opened the door. Renny…it was the first time seeing her without the others and I had to confess, there was something alluring about her as well. Her eyes exuded sass and seduction with those long lashes.
“Hi. Can I come in?” She asked.
“Wait. Were you here last night?” Chris asked her.
“Yes.” She said.
Chris dropped his jaw in astonishment. “Come in,” I said, tapping on Chris’s jaw to close it.
We escorted her to the living room and sat down on the couch. She began.
“Majestic, about last night. Well, I was wondering. Why did you leave?” She asked me.
I thought the answer was obvious. “I was upset by the way your cousin was treating me. It had nothing to do with you.”
“Then why aren’t you doing the movie?” She asked.
Again, I thought the answer was obvious. “Because if I do the movie, I’ll have to work and cooperate with her. I’m sorry but the very thought of that makes me sick.”
“Grow up.” She said, raising her voice. “Do you think you’re the only one who can’t stand somebody? Every day and every night I have to put up with Serena. I can’t stand her!”
I got up, frustrated, and paced around. “But she’s your cousin!”
“And?” She said, rolling her neck.
“Why don’t you like her?” Chris asked.
Renny crossed her legs and tucked hair behind her ears. “Alright, well Ken already explained we’re the Sailor Scouts. My cousins and I have incredible powers, as you witnessed last night.”
“Lightning?” Chris asked.
“That’s Jupiter. She has the power of lightning. Our powers are based on their mass and the distance they are to us. Serena, being Sailor Moon, is the strongest. Meaning, we need her participation more than anyone else.”
“For what?” I asked.
“To protect the earth from monsters and demons. I know how that sounds, but they’re real. And with her slack, lazy attitude, it’s been like pulling teeth to get her to step up. I’ve been hurt in plenty of battles because she wasn’t there. She’s always shopping or playing in the arcade or gushing over Ken. It ticks me off!”
“Why do you want me to do this?” I asked her.
“Because according to Ken, you’re the best.” Renny said.
“Come on, Majestic! Let’s do this!” Chris urged.
After a moment of contemplation… “Yeah, man. Let’s do it.”
“Excellent!” Renny said, standing to her feet. “Now we can tell the others. Come on!”
“Wait, they’re here?” Chris asked.
Renny nodded with a smirk.
I squinted at her. “Oh, you’re good.”
…
We opened the garage door to see Ken and Ryu playing “21” in basketball.
“There they are!” Serena said, stomping her foot. “What took you so long?”
Renny and I exchanged a mutual glance.
“Who’s winning?” Chris asked.
“Nobody. They just started.” Lana said.
At that, I ran up and stole the ball from Ryu who seemed to have difficulty getting by Ken. As I dribbled by Lana, she grabbed me by the shoulder and turned me to face her. She stared at my face with a perplexed expression and let me go. No doubt, she was surprised to see I was without bruises as well.
It was a good game of twenty-one. Kind of cool to see Ken and Ryu were just as competitive as us. Which is saying a lot because Chris and I were extremely competitive. The girls looked on and cheered for us and gradually, I began to notice what Renny was talking about. The way Serena bragged about Ken’s every shot was starting to wear thin. And nobody checked her. They just smiled and ignored her. We spent the rest of the day together. All of us. Ken, Ryu, and the Sailor Scouts.
Stage In The Sky 