Arc Three: When Life Goes On...
Shadow Of The Girl
Chapter Four: About Chimera

"So, when exactly am I going to lay down my video?"
Sirena perched on the edge of her mother's desk, a frown on her face. "I thought you said that you wanted this song out as soon as possible - now what's up?"
"What's up is we don't have a video director." Phyllis retorted, casting her daughter a weary look. "Zoe phoned me this morning. She's come down with some flu bug and the doctor has told her to stop in bed for the next couple of days. She's the best that there is and noone else of any quality could be found at that short notice. So, unless you wanna go out there with a camcorder...video's off till further notice."
"Oh, just great." Sirena rolled her eyes. "You tried everyone? Anthony Julian? Vivien Montgomery? Everyone?"
"Everyone." Phyllis snapped back. "Even my goddamn half sister, since she's in California at the moment. Everyone is booked out."
"So I'm never going to get this single out then." Sirena groaned. "I guess that...hang on a minute!"
She wheeled on her mother, meeting irritated green eyes with quizzical ones of her own. "Did you just say your half sister?"
"Yeah...I did. So?"
"Hold up here. You have a sister? I have an aunt out there somewhere?" Sirena's expression could not get any more incredulous.
"Half sister, Emily. And barely that." Phyllis responded quietly. "It's not big deal."
"You have a sister and you didn't tell me about her?!" Sirena stared. "And you think that's not a big deal? Hell, Mom, I spent my whole life scrabbling to find a family and now I discover I have more family I didn't know about? How many others are there? How many Gabors are there?"
"None." Phyllis' eyes narrowed. "Listen to me, Emily. Chimera is my half sister on my mother's side. Why do you think my bitch of a Mom left Dad? Because she was pregnant by some casanova rock star, that's why. Chimera is that baby. I have nothing to say to her that isn't business and she feels the same about me. She used to work for the Misfits - produced our videos and stuff till we split. She lives in Connecticut now I think. I don't know. I prefer to use Zoe for video production. She doesn't have the bitch attitude Chimera does."
"If you ask me it runs in the family." Sirena muttered. She sighed. "Okay, I guess I can see why you didn't mention her, if that's the deal. Does Grandpa know about her? I mean, who she is and all?"
"Yes, he does." Phyllis nodded. "They've met. Dad went to my mother's funeral - I don't know why he did, but he said he needed the closure. I didn't go. I would only have laughed my way through the service. I was glad when the bitch dropped dead."
"What did you say she was called? Your sister, I mean. Sounded weird."
"Chimera. It's a stage name -something to do with arty farty nonsense, I dunno. She's a video artist. Her real name is Suzanne - Suzanne Mayor when I knew her, but she's been married a couple of times since then."
"You know, she can't help who her parents are any more than I can." Sirena spoke softly, considering. "I mean, you and Dad never planned me to happen how I did, but that isn't my fault. So just because your mother was some kind of rock-babe slut doesn't mean that your sister is to blame."
"If it hadn't been for her I would've had two parents and a decent childhood." Phyllis snapped back. "And you would never have happened, either. I wouldn't have been messed up with a creep like Eric Raymond and I certainly wouldn't have slept with him. And who cares if she can't choose her parentage? She still happened. She's still the reason. Besides, she's a bitch. I didn't not mention her to you deliberately, I just forgot about her. It's easy to do when you can't stand someone."
Sirena eyed her mother thoughtfully for a moment. Then she shrugged.
"Well, okay." She said at length. "You said she was in California?"
"You're not meeting up with her." Phyllis shook her head. "She doesn't know about you and she'd only laugh in your face if she did. Besides, you've enough work here with this song."
"Not if I don't have a video artist." Sirena said sweetly. "I'm going to go and do some research of my own. Ciao, Mom. Catch you later."
With that she was gone, Phyllis staring after her.
"Kids." She muttered. "Just what I don't need right at the moment, Emily haring off to bond with Chimera. Gah."
"You sound troubled, my dear Pizzazz."
The sound of his voice started Phyllis from her reverie and she stared up at him, green eyes blazing with anger and hate.
"What in hell are you doing here? Who let you in?" She demanded. "I thought I told you what would happen if you showed your face in America again - what in hell makes you so cocky you think you can waltz into my office unannounced?"
"Your office now, huh?" Eric took a seat, not noticeably perturbed by her outburst, though inwardly he was still apprehensive. He had to appear calm, unruffled and unflustered. He needed that money, and she was the prime source of money in the whole of California. "I thought Harvey owned this company."
"Well, you thought wrong." Phyllis snapped back, getting to her feet and banging her hands down on the desk. She met his gaze with a stony, defiant glare. "I own it. It's mine. Daddy's retired. Misfit Music belongs to me."
"Well well." Eric pursed his lips. "He must be very proud."
"That's none of your business."
"Where's your business partner? I should congratulate her equally on the success of the company."
"Jetta's not here."
"Not here?" Eric looked surprised, though he had planned his visit carefully, not entering the building till he had seen the executive's car leave the parking lot. "Why, what a shame to have missed her. Did you have a fight?"
"No, she's doing what you never did. Working." Pizzazz snapped back darkly. "What in hell do you want, Eric?"
"Just to talk." Eric spread his hands. "I believe we have matters to discuss."
"I don't believe we do." Phyllis spat back tersely. "I believe that when I told you to get your sorry butt out of America I meant it as a final goodbye message. I don't think it meant come back and visit anytime."
"Well, granted." Eric nodded. "But that was before things changed."
"Changed?"
"Yes." Eric nodded again. "Before I found out about the little mistake."
Phyllis' eyes narrowed.
"Emily." She muttered. "Is that why you're here? Because of Emily?"
"She was here just before I left." Eric did not answer the question. "I saw her drive off - she looked annoyed."
"It's none of your business what she does, or what I do." Phyllis told him grimly. "And if that's all you came here to say then get out, before I throw you out."
Before Eric could answer there was a knock on the door.
"What the hell is it?" Phyllis exclaimed. "I'm busy, can't it wait?"
"It's me, Aunt Phyl." Nancy's voice came through from the other side. "I have the manuscripts you wanted me to scribble up - you wanted to look at them?"
There was a pause, then,
"Aunt Phyl?"
"Come in, dump them on the desk and then scram." Phyllis answered reluctantly. "I'll look at them later."
The door swung open, and Nancy entered, casting Phyllis' guest a surprised look. However, she could tell by the executive's expression that it was not a time for polite pleasantries, so she did as she was bidden, fleeing the room as quickly as possible and shutting the door hard behind her. Eric raised an eyebrow.
"Aunt Phyl? Making a family of it now, are we?"
"Shut your face." Phyllis growled. "Nancy's Jetta's brat, nothing to do with me."
"Jetta has children?" This startled Eric, and a smirk crossed his face. "Well, that is a turn up for the books."
"A very profitable one, where Misfit Music is concerned." Phyllis retorted, moving the manuscripts to one side. "Now quit with the chit chat and get to the point! What do you want? Cos you're going the right way for a fist in your face!"
"Very well." Eric nodded. "I'm here with a small...business proposition."
"Why in hell would I want to do any kind of business with you, you creep?"
"Hear me out, Pizzazz." Eric got to his feet, moving over to the window. "My business in Canada is in need of a new investor. I thought immediately of you."
"Hah, very funny." Phyllis snorted. "Go to hell, Eric, and take your nerve with you."
"That's not very nice." Eric raised an eyebrow. "Considering."
"Considering what?"
"That I know about Emily."
"So? So does half of America." Phyllis laughed, though her laugh was bitter. "Is that it? You think you can blackmail me over Emily? Well you're too late, as usual. Since Michael came into the picture Emily's worked for my company and every Tom, Dick and Harry in this state knows she's my daughter." She smirked at his expression. "But evidently not every Eric, huh?" She gestured towards the door. "Get outta my face. You're wasting my time."
"I'm not finished with you yet." Eric spoke in low tones. "So keep on your toes, Pizzazz. You had your chance to take the easy way."
With that he was gone, and Phyllis pulled a face at his retreating figure.
"Moron." She muttered. "Damn, I'm all het up now! I hate Eric Raymond! And what did he mean, keep on your toes? What in hell does he think he's going to do? Eric Raymond has had his day...he can't do anything to hurt me now!"



Prologue: February 1997  
Chapter One: Sirena's Show
Chapter Two: A Plot
Chapter Three: In California
Chapter Four: About Chimera
Chapter Five: Sirena's Aunt
Chapter Six: A Special Quest
Chapter Seven: The Plot Hatches
Chapter Eight: Eric Strikes
Chapter Nine: Webchat
Chapter Ten: Complications
Chapter Eleven: Handling Emily
Chapter Twelve: A Discovery
Chapter Thirteen: A Birthday Surprise

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE
Copper, Nancy, Sylva, Anna, Blade, Raesha, Sirena, Topaz, Aaron, Sophie, Justin, Elliot, Rosita, Luis and any other characters in this fiction which do not appear in the animated Jem series are copyrighted to me (E.A Woolley) as of January 2002 <unless otherwise specified> and are not to be reproduced without permission ANYWHERE. Jetta, Pizzazz, Stormer, Roxy, Raya and all other original Jem characters are the copyright of Hasbro Inc, Sunbow, Christy Marx and the other writers of the Jem series. The future world of Pizzazz, Raya, Jetta, Roxy, Stormer, Clash, Synergy, the fate of Jem and her memorial are all copyrighted to me. The future world of Kimber and Shana is copyrighted jointly to myself and Gemma Dawn.
The concept of 'Jewel' is entirely my own, and any apparent link with any fictional or actual person or persons of this name is entirely coincidental. Equally the characters in this fiction are not based on any real life individual.
The concept behind the future world of Danse, Aja and Craig, the idea behind Jerrica's futureworld and the split of the Holograms is copyrighted to Gemma Dawn, whose Teenangel Outsiders fiction is directly twinned with Just a Dream. The character Sammi and any of the other Teenangel Outsider characters mentioned in this fiction are entirely copyright to Gemma Dawn and appear here only with her permission.
Pay her page a visit!