PRT 365- “Dealing with the Devil”

“…so that’s what happened.” I explained. Zack had come over to hang out. We were sitting on my sofa eating popcorn and I was explaining what happened to my knee.

“Wow. You and Mina are going to end up killing each other.” Zack sighed.

“Probably.”

“You really have to stop this war. You realize by fighting Mina you’re letting Nemesis gain the upper hand, right?”

“Nemesis isn’t a threat. I’ll take her out…don’t you worry.”

“Sometimes I worry about you.”

“Oh, I’m fine.”

“I hope so. In other news, how is the album?”

“It’s getting there. I’d be happier if Raye would stop bitching about playing guitar. I want to do a few promo shows but I don’t know that Raye is up for it.”

Zack paused for a minute and seemed to be in thought.

“What?” I finally asked.

“Well, what if Raye didn’t play guitar.”

“She’d be happy, but I need a guitar player.”

“How about me?”

“You?”

“Yeah. I play guitar.”

“Yeah, you do, but what about your show?”

“Mina had a show too. I can manage both.”

“Are you sure? Do you even know my songs?”

“I can learn.”

“Hmm, it’s not a bad idea. OK. Sure.” I said as there was a knock on the door, “Can you get that?”

“Sure.” Zack said as he went and answered the door. I saw him make a face when he saw who it was, “Go away.” He said.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“Me.” Jon said as he pushed past Zack and came inside.

“Hey Jonny!” I said with a smile.

Zack rolled his eyes, “What are you doing here?”

“I came to check on Michi.” Jon replied as he sat next to me and kissed me.

“I’m doing fine.” I replied as I kissed him back.

“This is sick. He’s married Mich!” Zack said.

“That doesn’t change how we feel about each other.”

“You know the press is on to you. You’re not hiding anything.”

“Deny, deny, deny. Have you seen my MySpace page? Full of denial blogs.”

“Doesn’t do much good when you’re seen making out in the middle of the Viper Room.”

I rolled my eyes, “Jon and I are just a couple of friends having fun.”

“I hate to tell you, but whether you want to admit it or not, you and Jon are dating again.”

“We’re not back together. Never will be.” I said.

“Jon, do you consider yourself to be dating Mich?”

“I guess so. Michi and I don’t need a label though. We just are.” Jon replied.

“Exactly. It just is what it is.” I added.

“What about your wife and kids man?” Zack asked Jon.

“I love my kids very, very much. I’m a great father. And I love Dot. I just also love Michi.” Jon replied.

“If you loved Dot you wouldn’t cheat on her. But then again I guess that would imply you were a decent man, which we all know you are not.”

“Zachary!” I cried, “That’s uncalled for.”

“It’s ok Mich, I know Zack doesn’t like me.” Jon said.

“Never have, never will. You were a bastard when you hit my sister and you’re still the same bastard.” Zack said.

“I know I didn’t treat Mich right. You have no idea how much I regret that.”

“You’re damn lucky I didn’t kill you.”

“I know…and I deserved it. I never should have hit Michelle. I know that now.”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Zachary, please stop.” I begged.

“Fine. You’re a grown woman. Do what you want, but don’t expect me to be his friend.”

“I didn’t mean to cause trouble. Mich, I really did just come to check on you. I actually need to get to the studio. I’ll see you later?” Jon said

“Of course.” I said as I kissed him.

“Ok, call me if you need again.” He said as he left.

“You could try to be nice.” I said to Zack after Jon was gone.

Zack sighed, “No Mich, I really couldn’t.”

Mina

~~~~

I was laying in bed waiting for my next phone interview. After my battle with Michelle I was pretty beat up, but I had a movie that just opened I needed to promote. I knew this would be the easy day. Tomorrow I had in-person interviews. I would need some really good makeup to avoid questions. I still couldn’t believe how badly Michelle beat me up. I knew she was good…I had no idea she was THAT good.

“How are you feeling?” Adam asked as he walked in with some more bandages to change the ones I had on.

“I’ve been better.” I sighed.

“I still can’t believe you took on Michelle hand to hand.”

“I thought I could take her.”

“Mina, she was a Power Ranger. I know the Sailor Soldiers take on danger everyday but you use your powers most of the time. As a Ranger we mostly fought hand to hand. In the early days we had limited magic powers, just strength, skill, and protection of the Morphing Grid. Mich was one of us back then. She is one of the most skilled fighters I know. I could have told you she’d wipe the floor with you.”

I made a face, “Thanks for you support.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s the truth.”

“Whatever. I’ll be ok.”

“This war is crazy anyway. You two need to settle this and find a way to be civil.”

“Not happening…now if you’ll excuse me I need to call in to a radio interview.”

Adam sighed, “I need to get to the dojo anyway. If you need me call my cell.”

Adam left and I was about to pick up the phone to call the radio station when my phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hello Sailor Venus.”

“Who is this?”

“Nemesis.”

“Nemesis? What do you want? How did you get this number?”

“I have my ways. I have a proposition for you, if you’re interested.”

“I’m not interested in anything you have to offer.”

“OK then. I hope you have a good make up artist.”

“What?”

“It’s just…I saw the nasty hits you took from Sailor Saturn. For someone promoting a movie that has to suck.”

“Yeah, so?”

“So, Mistress 9 can heal and you know it. I’d be willing to have her help you if you were willing to help me.”

“Help you? You’re kidding, right?”

“Not at all. We both want to be rid of Sailor Saturn. I’m just proposing a temporary alliance.”

“I’m not killing anybody.”

“You don’t have to. Sailor Saturn is under scrutiny from the press as it is. A little leak of information and she’ll be too pre occupied to worry about fighting either of us…not to mention if the press is hounding her she can’t transform.”

“Hmm, you make a good point. What do I leak? The girl is a ninja, she never gets caught.”

“Not true. She’s already raised suspicion in her friendship with Jon.”

“Friendship my ass.”

“Exactly. I have proof of their relationship. You leak it to the press and Saturn won’t have time to be Saturn. She’ll be too busy looking for the leak and avoiding press.”

“Ok, fine. I’ll go along…but just this once…and you have to have Hotaru heal me so I can do my interviews.”

“Deal. She’ll be by shortly with the proof and she’ll heal you.”

“OK.” I hung up. I felt like I’d just made a deal with the devil.

Michelle

~~~~~~~

After Jon left Zack and I started working on some of my songs. I had a guitar I let him use and he played while I sang.

“Gonna go out dancing in the pouring rain/Talk to someone I don’t know…don’t know…don’t…” I stopped, “Dude, take that down…it’s not that high.”

“Sorry, I’m working on it.” Zack said, “How are you going to perform this anyway? You can’t dance.”

“Says who?”

“Darien. Your knee, remember?”

“Oh, it’ll be fine by then.”

“You’re being awfully careless.”

“No, I’m just refusing to let something like my knee keep me down. Now let’s try it again.”

We worked for awhile longer before we decided to take a break. Zack went to get us some sodas from the kitchen and I turned the TV on. It was on AC’s entertainment ‘news’ show.

“…representatives for Jessica Simpson refused to comment. Next up, country starlet Michelle Morris as been denying any romantic link to ex-husband, rock star Jon Giovanni. As a result of the denials new pictures have surfaces that clearly show Jon and Michelle, or JaM as their supporters refer to them, making out in the VIP area of an LA nightclub. Spokespersons for Jon and Michelle were unavailable for comment but we’ll bring you more on this story as it develops. Coming up we have more on…”

I turned the TV off.

“Oh…my…god.” I said as I sat in shock.

“Told you that you’d get caught.” Zack said as he handed me a soda.

“Don’t even start.” I sighed, I had no idea what I’d do.

Mina

~~~~

I had done what Nemesis wanted. I e-mailed the pictures to Us Weekly…the tabloid that had been on Michelle’s case for months digging for a scoop. And, as promised, Hotaru healed me. After it was done I did a couple more phone interviews before going to the kitchen and making a sandwich. I was just about to sit down to eat when Adam walked in.

“Hey…what are you doing out of bed?” Adam asked.

“Feeling better.” I said as I sat down.

Adam looked at me, “You’re not feeling better…you are better…your cuts…bruises…all gone…but how?”

“Accelerated Venusian healing I guess.”

“No, no. If you had accelerated healing we’d have known it before now.”

“Venus Crystal got stronger?”

“The Venus Crystal doesn’t heal, it promotes love and good-will.”

“Um…”

“But I know of three powers that do heal. The Silver Crystal, the Power Amethyst, and Hotaru. Now, I’m guessing Michelle didn’t do this and I don’t think Darien would let Serena…so please tell me that you didn’t somehow convince Mistress 9 to heal you.”

“OK, I won’t.”

“Mina, my god, what did you do?”

“Nemesis wanted to strike a deal and for my cooperation she had Mistress 9 heal me for my interviews. No big deal.”

“Very big deal, what did you have to do?”

“Nothing major.”

“Mina, tell me.”

“I…” I really didn’t want to tell him.

“Mina, tell me or I’ll track down Nemesis myself.”

“Ok fine, I just had to leak some information to the press.”

“What kind of information?”

“Just a few pictures.”

“Pictures of what?”

“Nothing.”

“Mina…”

“Fine, pictures of Michelle making out with Jon.”

“What? You what? Mina, how could you do that to her?”

“She deserved it. And it’ll keep her busy so she will leave me alone. She started this Adam, not me.”

“I don’t know what started this, but I do know that I don’t like the person you’re becoming.”

“What? I’m still me.”

“No. I don’t know who you are and that scares me.”

“I’m your fiancé.”

“No, you’re not the woman I proposed to and honestly I’m not even sure if you’re the type of woman I want to marry anymore.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“Yeah Mina, I do.” Adam said as he turned and left.

I sighed, what had I done. What would I do now?