Serenay Moon
Episode 23: Third round Stand-in
©2001 Kitty Ocean
 

"Honey, you are holding the map upside down!"

"No I'm not!"

Star sighed bored while her parents argued if the map was upside down or not.

"This map is just wrong! We have to go left!" Her father answered.

"No, right! Look, we are here and there is there. You see?" Her mother pointed at the map. "Cabin 13 is that way."

Suddenly, Star heard a new voice. "Excuse me, could I ask you something?"

Star looked up and saw a friendly smiling woman and a man. "Sure." Star replied. Her parents looked up also.

"We don't have a map and we are looking for cabin number 13. Could you tell us what way that would be?"

Star was startled. Cabin 13? Then there was only 1 possibility! Those were Zach's parents!

"What a coincidence." Star's father noticed. "We are also on our way to cabin number 13."

"Oh?" Zach's father said. "Wait! You must be the father of that girl our son is traveling with! What was her name again? Karin?"

"Kitt darling." Zach's mother corrected. "Zach told us she is his trainer."

Star laughed. "No, Kitt is..." But her mother put her hands on her mouth.

"Yes!" She quickly said. "She is his trainer. And he has done quite well! You must be very proud."

"We are." Zach's father answered. "Shall we go together?"

"That would be wonderful!" Star's mother exclaimed. They all started walking, but Star's mother had a little word with Star. "Listen, Kitt hasn't told Zach she was in the tournament for a reason! Don't you dare telling them otherwise!"

"But mom...!" Star wanted to say, but her mother interrupted her.

"I don't want to loose her again, understood?" She walked to Zach's parents and together they walked towards cabin 13... wherever that thing may be!

 

Zach sat down for the TV. He turned it on while Kitt joined him and put down 2 glasses of juice. "Here." She said. "This will help you."

"How?" Zach wanted to know.

Kitt lifted her shoulders. "How should I know? The package says it will improve your mental and physic skills. There are million little vitamin bombs in that one glass."

"And you believed that?"

"No!" Kitt smiled. "But it tasted great!" She drank her glass empty and stood up. "I think I'll take another one."

At that moment, the doorbell rang. "Oh." Kitt said. "Will you get it?"

"Sure." Zach grumbled and stood up. He walked at the door and opened it. At the same moment, a woman grabbed him and almost hugged him to death!

"Zach!" She exclaimed. "I'm so happy to see you again!"

"Mom?" Zach peeped. "Let go please." He saw other people behind her. He recognized his father and Starleen, but who were those other 2 people?

Kitt walked out of the kitchen again and saw the visitors. "Mom? Dad?"

"Hi sweetie!" Her mother exclaimed.

Zach was very surprised. "Mom? Dad? What are you two doing here? I thought you couldn't make it."

"We also thought we couldn't come, but last week, we found a letter in the mail with tickets. I don't know from who they are, but it was very nice. He or she sighed with S. Etoile." She grabbed him again. "Congratulations with your victories honey!"

His father looked at Kitt. "Ah, you must be Kitt." He shook her hand, but Kitt didn't know what to say. She just stood there. Zach's father turned at Zach. "You sure have great taste son!"

"Dad!" Zach yelled embarrassed.

 

A few minutes later, all were sitting before on a couch. Kitt brought something to drink. "Thank you dear." Zach's mother thanked.

Kitt sat down. "So mom, dad, what are you doing here?"

"We thought we'd visit you." Her mother smiled. "And we wanted to meet Zach."

"And we finally met you Kitt." Zach's mother smiled.

Zach's father looked at Kitt. "You know, you remind me of that girl who won yesterday the...."

"Yuck!" Star yelled. All looked at her and saw that Star had spoiled her glass all over her. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She apologized. "Where is the bathroom?"

"I'll go along." Kitt stood up and led her sister to the bathroom. She closed the door behind them. "Why did you do that?" She asked.

Star looked at her dress. "That thing is ruined." She sighed.

"I asked you something Star." Kitt repeated.

Star smiled. "I don't know why I did it. I think... ehm... his parents were about to spoil your cover. And mom asked me... you know."

Kitt sighed. "Thank you."

"Nah," Star raised her shoulders. "It was nothing. Would do it again without hesitating."

"In that case." Kitt started. "I wanted to ask you a favor."

Star continued cleaning her dress. "Fire away."

"Look." Kitt continued. "I have a problem."

"Tell me something I don't know yet. You owe me a dress baby."

Kitt sighed. "No, another problem. My match...."

"What's about it?" Star looked up.

"It's at almost the same time as Zach's!"

"Girl, you really have a problem!" Star answered. "He expects you to be there."

Kitt nodded. "I know. That's why I wanted to ask you... to replace me."

"In battle?!" Star exclaimed.

Kitt hissed. "Be quiet!" She whispered. "No, of course not. You have to be at Zach's match." Star pointed at herself in disbelief. "Look, just dress as me. You don't have to say anything during the match. He can do it all by himself, even though he thinks he needs me. I never helped him." Kitt laid her hands on Star's shoulders, but suddenly she heard Zach screaming.

"Kitt!" He yelled. "Kitt come quickly!"

Kitt stormed outside the bathroom and saw Zach pointing at the TV. "Oh my god!" She gasped. "That's Moka!"

Zach stormed out of the cabin, followed by Kitt. They left their parents behind while they stormed to the arena.

Zach and Kitt ran inside the building and up the stairs. Soon they reached the tribune. There they saw Moka, battling a lost battle.

Moka got hit again and knocked down the floor. "Get up!" Mika yelled. "You can beat him!"

Moka didn't understood what went wrong. He had send a box with chocolates to him with a sleeping potion, but that guy had showed up after all! There was that foot again!

Moka got another close encounter with his opponent. He shove towards Mika and tried to get up. His body was acing everywhere. He looked back and saw Mika. Because of that, he didn't see the fist of his opponent.

"Moka!" Mika screamed.

Moka lifted himself slowly and looked at Mika. "Mika?" He asked softly. He saw the tears in her eyes.

Mika walked up the battlefield. She kneeled down before him. "It's over." She tried not to cry, but couldn't.

Moka embraced her. "Yes." He sniffed. "It's over...."

Zach and Kitt looked at the arena, seeing Mika and Moka in each others arms, crying. "He lost...." Was the only thing Zach could say.

Kitt nodded. She didn't knew how he got here, but she felt sorry for him. It was his dream to be here also. At that moment, she heard something. She saw her sister, dressed in the same way as Kitt. She waved at Kitt.

Kitt walked to Starleen. "Thank god, you came in time!" She whispered. "I've got to go."

"Wait!" Star stopped her. "Your necklace."

Kitt looked at her necklace. "No way!" She hissed. "I'm never going to put him off!"

"Does Zach know that?" Star asked and Kitt nodded. "Then I have to have it."

Kitt agreed and gave the necklace. She quickly ran away and Starleen walked towards Zach.

"I can't believe it he lost." Zach sighed. "But then again, it could also happen to me, couldn't it?"

Star swallowed. What would Kitt say? Maybe she would say that Zach shouldn't be worried, or maybe that it would depend on him. But Kitt was always down to earth. Star had no idea what to reply. "Ehm... yeah." She answered.

 

Star sat down on the bench. 'Why did I ever let Kitt talk me into this?', she thought.

Zach took off his jacket and walked towards the center of the battlefield. He saw a half full moon. He still thought about Moka. "I have to focus." Zach reminded himself. "I will only win if I want to win."

His opponent walked also to the center. Zach looked up. That guy was huge! Zach sweatdropped. This wasn't what he expected! That guy was almost twice his seize!

The bell rang and  the match had begun. Zach jumped at the guy and pounded his fists at him. However, the guy stood still.

Zach kicked him several times with all his strength. The guy stood still.

"Come on!" Zach whined. "Don't tell me that didn't hurt."

The guy looked down and grabbed Zach. Without any trouble, he threw him away. Zach crashed on the ground. He saw Kitt (at least, he thought it was Kitt) sitting there, biting on her nails. That was something she hadn't done before! "Hey Kitt, how about some advice?" He yelled.

Star swallowed. 'That wasn't in the job description', she thought. "Ehm... euh... maybe... ehm... Try to find his weak spot!" Yeah, that was an answer Kitt would give.

Zach sighed. Now that was a great help! Though, Zach crawled up again and stormed at the guy. With all his strength he hit the giant in his stomach. Satisfied, he looked up.

The guy rubbed his belly, but still wasn't affected. He aimed his fist and bashed it against Zach.

Zach tried to get up, dizzy as he was. "I don't think he has a weak spot Kitt! Any other bright ideas?" He sarcastically asked.

Star sweated again. "How should I know?" She finally exclaimed. "For all I care you tickle him to death!"

Zach stood on his feet again. Something was really strange with Kitt, but he hadn't any time to find out what. He saw his opponent walking at him. The floor was shaking with every step. He stood before Zach again.

Zach laughed of despair. He slowly raised his finger and tickled his belly. As a response, the giant smashed him away. How on earth could he win?

Zach crawled back up and thought: 'This is going to be my last try. If this doesn't work, I give up.' He saw the giant walking at him. Zach ran at him, but at the last minute, he dove and rolled under him through. Quickly, he kicked his opponent against the leg. Surprisingly, the guy lost his balance and fell for the floor.

The whole arena shook when he hit the floor. Zach prepared for the next move he would do, but was astounded. The giant couldn't get up any more! He waved his arms, but his opponent just couldn't get up any more!

The referee walked at the giant. "Ehm." He said. "I don't know if this counts. You stayed on the ground for 10 seconds, but you are still awake." He looked at his watch. "20 seconds to be precise."

Zach walked at the guy and took his arm. With all his strength, he tried to pull him up. "Man!" He said after a few efforts. "You are heavy! No wonder you can't get up!"

Star walked at the referee. "If he can't get up any more, then he can't battle any more. And that means Zach has won."

Even another referee showed up. "I guess she is right. We can't wait until he gets up and we aren't allowed to interfere."

The other referee agreed. "You are right. That means that Zach has passed the Half Moon Round!"

"Yes!" Zach yelled and jumped up. He saw his parents is the public, clapping for him. Zach was so proud. He danced and cheered. At the same moment, Kitt returned from her battle. Star saw her and quickly went to her. She gave back her necklace. "Remind me to do this never again!" She looked at Kitt. "You look like hell!"

"Yeah." Kitt put on her necklace. "I didn't have time for the complete make-over in the MC." She looked at Zach. "I've got bruises everywhere. He won?"

"He won." Star smiled. "Go to him."

Kitt smiled and walked at Zach. "Well done Zachy-boy." She complemented.

"Hey, you are still here!" Zach surprisingly noticed. He hugged her tightly. "I won!"

As an answer, Kitt screamed of agony....

Long live bruises!

End of episode  23

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