Jewels...What do They Mean?

Christina hurried down the street. Trees flew past as fast as the cars. She was in a hurry. Tiki was at her heals.

It was Tuesday morning, and Tiki had arrived through her bedroom window with more news about the new Negaverse General. Sure, she had to skip school, but there was something with Lisa…she couldn’t change into Sailor Galaxy. Jessica, she knew, was on her way as well. Tiki ran with her.

"Tobimasu!" Tiki heeded her warning as they neared a puddle. They jumped it and rounded the corner. Lisa’s house was visible from their location. She hurried to Jessica, who was just knocking on the door.

Mrs. Manting opened it. "Hello?"

"He-" But Christina cut Jessica off. She spoke very fast.

"Manting-san! Doko Lisa wa desu ka?"

"Er…she’s right inside…"

Christina rushed in. Jessica nodded a bow at the woman and sweatdropped. "Aa…Arigatō…" She stepped inside after.

"Lisa! Lee-" Lisa put a finger to Christina’s lips.

"Quiet! I’m supposed to be ‘sick’, get it?"

"Hai! We need to talk."

"I know. You two, follow me." Lisa led the girls to her bedroom quietly so as not to alert her mother. She shut the door after them. "The both of you skipped school to come here?"

Jessica took a seat on the floor by Christina. "Un. It’s important."

"Thanks."

"No problem, Lees," Christina said amiably as she shifted.

Tiki meowed loudly and everyone looked at him. "Listen up now! The Negaverse has a new General."

"How did you know that, anyway?" Lisa leaned down by her cat.

"I have feline contacts. You’ll see soon enough," he added when he saw their puzzled looks. "Anyway, he’s already attacked part of Tokyo. I was surprised that none of us knew. He must be powerful to hide like that. Two other scouts showed at the scene and forced him away. Lisa, I think he has something to do with you not being able to transform."

"When did you try?" Christina asked inquisitively.

"When I felt his energy. I was downtown. It was gone after an instant, but I knew it was bad news."

"Well…try again."

"Galaxy…Karma…Power." Lisa threw her arm holding her locket up into the air. "See?"

Jessica motioned for Lisa to give it to her. She did so, and Jessica toyed with it until a hidden clasp unhitched.

"How didja know that was there?" Christina blinked.

"I accidentally knocked mine off a shelf and it opened. Just what I guessed, Lisa. It’s empty."

"Nani?"

"When mine broke open, there was a jewel planted inside. Yours is empty now…just a normal locket." Everyone else was allowed a peek before Lisa took it back and closed it. Her face was blank and upset.

"Tiki…do you think…?"

"The General. He must’ve gotten it somehow. Lisa! You have to get it back! It’s valuable!"

"Tiki," Christina interrupted, "what do the jewels do anyway?"

He shook his furry gray head. "I used to know…in the past…but it’s left me. My memory’s been clouded."

"You just never knew, I bet." Christina still wasn’t about to believe the "past".

"Maybe that’s the case. Whatever the reason, Lisa…get it back!"

Christina pulled a crinkled piece of paper from her pocket. "Here Lees."

"You were accepted…?"

"Jessica too."

"Wow…"

"I wanted to invite you to the open house. I doubt they’ll care if you come."

Lisa smiled her usual bright smile. "Of course!" She sighed. "But what if I can never be a scout again…?"

Jessica put a hand on her shoulder. "Iie! Stop that, now. You’ll get it back, and we’ll help you."

"Thanks…really, I mean it."

Tiki plodded across the floor and lay down on Lisa’s bed. "Lees," he said sleepily, "you’d better get ‘sick’ again, and your friends should go before they catch a cold."

They grinned. "Bye Lisa!"