Who Is She, Anyway?
 

Chapter Twelve: As If Nothing Happened

"Three weeks is up so quick."
Stormer sat down on her bed, her expression thoughtful. "But you know, Kimber, in some ways it's like everything has changed. I've never had to lie to the other Misfits before."
"I don't see the problem." Kimber responded with a grin. "They make a habit of lying to you, right? So why worry? And you know it's important."
"Yeah, I know." Stormer smiled. "I'll manage it somehow, Kimber. I guess you'd better scoot - they'll be home soon, no doubt."
"Okay." Kimber nodded. "See you at the studio tomorrow morning, okay?"
"Yes, definitely." Stormer agreed. "Tomorrow morning."
Once her friend had gone, she moved over to the window, idly gazing down at the driveway below. It would, she mused, be difficult, but not impossible to keep Jem's secret.
"No doubt they'll be full of news from New York." She decided. "Judging by the reports back here they made fine work of the Stingers' tour and Eric will be livid, so I suppose what I've been up to will be forgotten very fast indeed. In some ways I'm glad...things will be back to normal."
The sound of a car horn caught her attention, and she glanced down, smiling as she saw the big black limousine pull to a halt on the gravel. Strangely she had missed them, though she had enjoyed staying with Kimber.
"Stormer? You here?"
That was Roxy, and slowly she headed downstairs to meet them. Pizzazz cast her a comptemptuous look.
"I told you you'd miss the fun." She said derisively. "I bet you've done nothing but write your stupid soppy music since we went away, have you?"
"Kimber and I have a deadline now, I've kinda had to write and edit." Stormer said mildly.
"We showed those Stingers who's boss." Roxy said with a smirk. "They ain't gonna mess with us again in a hurry."
"An' we got ourselves some new allies." Jetta added. "They work in music videos, and they're going to produce out next, so we'll 'ave something new to show off to the world."
"I don't like that girl, but she knows what she's doing." Pizzazz nodded. "You'll meet 'em Monday, when we start working on the new album." She grinned. "Eric's livid about what happened at the Stingers' venue, but he can't do anything about it, because he can't prove we were involved!"
"Misfits 1, Raymond 0." Roxy agreed. "I don't know why he wastes his time on those Stingers."
"We'll fix things, somehow." Pizzazz decided. "He'll come crawlin' back, you'll see. But for now, I wanna forget about him and work and go relax by the pool! Anyone coming?"
"Count me in." Jetta nodded. "Stormer?"
"Sure, why not." Stormer grinned. "I could do with a break."

Across town, in a hotel suite in the posh part of Los Angeles, Chimera and Sakura were also making themselves at home in their new surroundings.
"I like California." Chimera decided, dropping down onto the sofa and reaching for the television remote. "I think we did good, in the end. Mark was kinda mad when Riot told him what we'd done, so all in all we hit it lucky getting mixed up with the Misfits."
"You are not worried, then, about where it will lead?" Sakura came to sit beside her. Chimera frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean with Pizzazz."
"What about it? I don't like the girl, but you don't have to like someone to work with them."
"No, I know that." Sakura agreed patiently. "But I meant...Harvey Gabor. Your mother...what did she say?"
"I haven't told her, and I'm not going to." Chimera replied. "There's no reason why Pizzazz should know anything, either. From all I know she's nothing to Mother and Mother doesn't often seem concerned about her...why rock the boat? We got a good career opportunity here, why blow it by bringing all kinds of family drama into it?"
"But she is your sister, Chimera." Sakura chided.
"Half." Chimera shrugged laconically. "And so what? It's not like we've grown up together or anything. I know and you know full well that Mom left Harvey to run off with Dad and that the reason she did it in such a rush was because she was expecting me. How on earth could it benefit me...or you, for that matter, to go all mushy on Pizzazz and call her sister? I don't want a sister, Kura, and I damn well don't need one. It's more trouble than it's worth."
"Well, okay. If you say so." Sakura shrugged. "But just be careful, okay? Pizzazz is not someone to be messed with."
"Nor am I." Chimera replied stubbornly. "And nor is Mother, for that matter. We'll be okay, Kura, quit fussing. Now we're here in California, things are gonna be just fine."

Chapter One: The Misfits On Break
Chapter Two: Chimera
Chapter Three: Kimber's Proposition
Chapter Four: The Stingers' Tour
Chapter Five: Personality Clash!
Chapter Six: Writer's Block
Chapter Seven: Secrets
Chapter Eight: Betrayal
Chapter Nine: Chimera's Plan
Chapter Ten: Double Trouble
Chapter Eleven: Synergy
Chapter Twelve: As If Nothing Happened...

(The Misfits and Holograms and other animated Jem characters are copyrighted to Hasbro Inc. All characters who do not appear in Jem episodes are my own creation. This story is copyrighted to E.A Woolley (2001)