Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Change of Fate ❯ In in the end, it always comes down to the cheesy poof ( Chapter 3 )

Standard disclaimer. Sailor Moon is not mine, the idea and the show belong to people much richer than I. Please don't sue!

Dimmer however is mine.. of course if someone wants to use him or any of his transformations for ANY reason "thbbt" go ahead. You have my complete and total permission. I only request you tell me… Hell, I don't care if you do it without my permission, it's not like I could find out anyway.

Warning: mild language, and first fic. Maybe lime sometime in the far future, but I seriously doubt it.

The girls and Dimmer are walking toward the temple, still a little nervous about Serena's idea.

"You've got to be kidding!" Lita whispered fiercely in Serena's ear, "Rei is not going to go for this!"

"Ssshhh!" Serena whispered back, "if she puts up with Chad than she shouldn't have any qualms about putting up Dimmer too. Especially since Dimmer needs it more than Chad does."

Lita backed off. Serena did have a point, but Rei was going to have a fit. Amy wasn't being any help either. She was just watching this go down, wondering how it would play out. Meanwhile, Dimmer still didn't even know where they were headed let alone know anything about Rei, or how she trying to hunt him down, to try to exorcise him. (I have no idea if I spelled that right)

"Really girls, I appreciate the concern and all, but I've been fine on the bench. A few of the guys down at the police station and I have become buds, and they look after me here. So it's not as bad as it seems. Why don't I just go back…." Dimmer ended his rambling, which no one was paying any attention to any way, as he saw the giant building in front of him. "Umm... If I'm not mistaken that would be a temple, right?"

"Yup, and if I can help it your new home." Serena said rather proud of the idea herself. "There's no room or board, and they supply the food!"

"Rei will probably be inside Serena perhaps we should let her know before bringing it up with her grandfather." Amy pretty much figured out that Serena would probably go straight to the old priest himself. He was willing to accept anyone who would help with the temple. With only him, Chad, and Rei living in the huge temple by themselves it could be a lot of work.

Serena stopped a bit stunned by Amy's statement, and smiled nervously as she scratched the back of her head and laughed. "Of course Amy, I wouldn't even think about going around Rei, heh heh, she is a friend after all." A stuck up friend, friend, but a friend none the less. Serena sighed silently to herself. This is going to be a lot tougher than it had to be, but Amy's right. I should at least tell her. After all, she can't be too upset with me dropping off a cutie right at her doorstep can she? Of course she knew the answer, Rei could get really upset about absolutely anything when she wanted to be upset.

In the temple the raven-haired girl prayed to the flame, the silence beckoned around her through the darkness of the room. Serena, Amy, and Lita are here, she smiled to herself. She could sense her friend's power coming toward the door. She felt no need for rush since none of them seemed alarmed or scared. Though the meatball head was a little miffed about something. "Well," she said to herself, "I should go see what they want." She was trying to locate the stranger from the skies through the sacred fire, but it seemed if the rumor was even true than this stranger knew how to disguise his aura well, or he had just your average amount. She was pretty much ready to dismiss it as a rumor. Mind you some one had better explain the crater in that intersection.

Serena was about to knock on the shrine room door when Rei had appeared in front of her.

"AAIIEEEEEEEE!!, Rei don't do that!"

"Well maybe you wouldn't have been so startled if you were paying more attention!!" Rei wasn't too pleased after Serena screamed in her face.

Lita and Amy were too busy trying to coax Dimmer out of the tree he was scared into after Serena's screech to pay much attention to the following argument. It was five minutes into sticking their tongues out at each other before Dimmer finally interrupted, "Uh… if this is a bad time we could come back tomorrow" he was still trying to find away out of this. The temple more or less intimated him on its size. "After spending the last month and a half on a bench anything seems pretty big I guess". He thought to himself.

"Huh, who is your friend Serena?"

"Dimmer meet Rei, she's the priest's daughter. Rei this is Dimmer he's the guy who fell from the sky a few months ago, he's been sleeping on the park bench."

Dimmer, as a reflex from being introduced to so many people that night stuck out his hand without realizing how Serena introduced him. "Hi Rei nice to meet you"

"Likewise Dimmer" she took his hand.

After shaking hands they both blinked at each other and looked at Serena. Dimmer slapped himself in the forehead as Rei yelled "What?!"

Which was followed by a much quieter "did she have to mention I sleep on a park bench during the introductions?"

Amy and Lita just had big sweat drops on their heads. And both said together "It's a long story.

INSERT ONE LONG STORY HERE

By the end of the long story, everyone was sitting in Rei's room with a few more candles lit, and were drinking tea and having snacks. Amy was just finishing the story "and that's all there is to it."

"Well, no kidding. You say he fell straight from the sky? I don't sense anything strange about his aura at all."

Dimmer answered for Amy, "Well that's what they tell me, but I don't remember it. Thanks for the tea by the way."

Rei smiled "You're welcome, Dimmer. It's nice to have company with manners for a change."

Serena took that as a cue to stop shoving food in her mouth, and smile a sheepish apology. She than went right back to putting as many pastries in her mouth as she could swallow at one time. "I can't help it Rei!" she said as she talked around the food, "its just soooo good!"

Rei sighed to herself "there goes my last stash for the rest of the week." Out loud she continued on with the conversation, ignoring Serena. "So you've had to resort to sleeping on the park bench huh?" she glared at Amy and Lita "and so you guys brought him here?"

Both girls pointed at Serena hoping to direct any incoming wrath toward their unsuspecting friend.

"Well Serena,"

Serena looked up like a deer caught frozen in the headlights of an oncoming 18-wheeler. "Here it comes" she squinted waiting for the screaming to begin.

"Congratulations, you finally came up with a good decision all by yourself."

"Huh?" was Serena's only response. She didn't know whether to be relieved she wasn't in trouble, proud of her praise, or insulted by the way it was given, so she took the one emotion that she knew how to do well. Confusion.

Rei thought the answer obvious, not something to be confused about. Mind you she was used to that out of Serena, maybe she should get a second opinion. "Well," she turned to the other girls, "the temple is to help those in need right?"

Amy and Lita face fault together, but are up in a flash. "Of course it is, we knew that you'd help him out, right Amy?"

"Never a doubt" Amy smiled nervously.

"Great," Rei stated a little suspiciously at her friends "it's all settled, Dimmer I'll make up the schedule for you're chores after we talk with grandfather. The rest of you should get going. It's getting late."

"Okay Rei," Serena hugged her "thanks for taking him in"

"It's not up to me you know, it's up to grandpa." Even though she knew they were desperate for help and her grandfather would accept anybody.

"We'll drop by tomorrow to see how everything's made out okay," Amy said on her way out. "Don't forget Dimmer, You have to help Miss. Grant tomorrow morning."

"Yes mom, thank you, I probably never would've remembered if ya didn't tell me." He answered sarcastically. Sometimes Amy could be a real nag.

Amy just laughed, "Bye guys, see you tomorrow."

"Come up to my house tomorrow Rei, I'll replace your pastry stash."

"Wouldn't miss it Lita, I'll see you than. And thank you."

Dimmer was nervous. Rei's grandfather was walking around him slowly. "Trying to rate his potential" they called it. As far as Dimmer was concerned it was just plain disturbing. He felt like a piece of meat. It was a little less disturbing though, on account of that her grandfather already said he could stay if he helped out with the chores, and participated in the mandatory martial arts lessons. Her grandfather was just looking to see how far he would be able to take him in the lessons.

His mind slipped into thinking about working with the kids that morning. The job was only supposed to be until he found a new job, and the arcade was pretty much a sure thing after having talked with the manager. And now the school wanted to keep him for the rest of the year now that the kids got attached to him. He was going to be doing temple chores and martial arts as well. He was doing the calculations out in his head, and it said not including nights, he'd have about five out of seven days at work. Now he didn't have to pay room and board he'd take a bit of his savings and buy some thing to eat to celebrate.

"Alright!" The short, old, but extremely active priest shouted, I can see you've had no training in the arts thus far, but you do have a lot of potential, I will have you and Chad train together tonight to gain further analysis of your potential. Now I hear you have to go help out at the school? You better hurry or you'll be late."

"Yes sir! Thank you sir!" Dimmer bowed twice ready to hurry off.

"Not sir any more young man, you will have to refer to me as "sensai" from now on"

"Yes, Sensai" Dimmer said cheerfully as he hurried out the door. He'd have to sprint all the way there to make it on time.

"Yup that boy's got spunk Rei, my child. He should go far in whatever he chooses. I just hope he chooses here! Heh heh"

"You really think so grandfather?"

"Mm hmm, now time to get to work myself. Can't slack off just because there will be less to do with a new back around! Oh! Rei, don't you have to be at school?"

Rei's face paled. In a flash she was out the door with her books. "Bye Grandpa" she yelled as she ran down the temple steps.

"Good bye, my child, have a good day" the old man smiled to himself as he went inside. "Young ones these days are always in such a rush.

"Oooooohhhh! I'm gonna be laaaaaeeeeeeete!" Came a familiar whine behind Dimmer as he was sprinting along. The incredible blonde blur had caught up with him easily. "Huh? Oh! Hi Dimmer you running late too?" she slowed down to run beside him as they both headed toward the school.

"Yup, sure am Serena, where'd you learn to run so fast?"

"Oh this? I do this every morning. Huh? Hey I might make it for once! The school's right up ahead!"

"Okay see ya at the temple later than."

"Bye!" she shouted back already reverting back to top speed running.

"Something tells me this is going to happen a lot." Dimmer said to himself. "Ah well, almost there."

Later that day, Dimmer was practicing a few basic stances in the dojo. His sensai was drilling them into his mind, and he was doing rather well. "Yes my boy, now try some of the stretches I have written on the board. Don't worry, I remember you can't read the kanji yet, just try to follow the diagrams."

"Yes sensai"

"My, my, that child is learning more in a day, than most would in weeks!" he thought to himself as he walked out of the room. "I think I should introduce him to Chad now."

Dimmer was just finishing the stretches when his sensai had come back into the room with a tall young man, with long brown hair. "Dimmer this is Chad, Chad this is Dimmer. I've already told Chad about your amnesia, and recent problems with immigration. Chad here is a student and helper that lives at the temple not unlike yourself.

"Nice to meet you, man. Sounds like a heck of a lot of problems, if you need any help, I'd be happy to do whatever I can." Chad shook Dimmer's outstretched hand.

"Nice of ya to offer dude, thanks. I'm just glad to be getting such a warm welcome. From out on the streets to inside a temple with teachers and friends. Heh, I think were going get along great."

"That's good to here out of you both" their sensai smiled, "but don't go easy on each other, you two are going to be sparring partners. You'll also be training together. Chad I'd like you to help Dimmer catch up to your level as quickly as possible, after that I'll be able to train you both equally."

"No prob Sensai! I'll kick his ass all the way into my level in no time!"

"I'll do my best Sensai" Dimmer had a feeling this was going to be a painful week.

Meanwhile

The sailor scouts had gotten together at their favorite food shop to talk about things; Serena even brought Luna to get her advice on everything. (Mina hasn't been introduced into the story line yet)

" Well girls" Luna was saying "it seems that there is definitely something different about this.. Dimmer is his name? He can't be from the Negaverse, I'm sure Rei would have been able to tell that. By taking him under your wings as you have, you've managed to be able to keep an eye on him, and help a young man off our streets. I'm very proud of you all, But as for what to do next about it? All I can suggest is to sit and watch. Don't become too trusting in him in case he turns out to be a cleverly concealed spy, and don't show any ill will towards him in case he is not."

Amy spoke up "So all we can do is continue to do as we were doing before?"

"Precisely Amy, we don't have any choice."

Rei was a little concerned about the stranger in her house. But she really didn't think there was any thing to fear from him. At least not for the present. "Speaking of the Negaverse though, don't you think it's been a little quiet lately?"

"Now that you mention it Rei." Lita answered I think maybe we should all do a quick patrol around the city tomorrow and see if we can sense anything out of place."

"Mm hmm! Sounds good girls!" Serena happily cheered, "but the orders here. Let's eat!"

So they all chattered noisily about who would go where as they stuffed their faces. Luna just sighed. "Oh well," she thought "once they get like this the meeting is finished." She decided to at least try to get one last word in. "Serena," Luna whispered to the girl.

Serena sucked down the rest of her ramen and bent down to listen to the cat. "Yeah Luna?"

"Serena, I would like to meet this young stranger if I could. I can't do much to help you keep your eyes on him if I don't know what he looks like."

"Oh, sure Luna we'll visit him tomorrow while doing our share of patrols, okay?" than Serena quickly went back to chattering with the rest of her friends and eating the meal, jumping back in the conversation as if she never left it. Luna didn't mind this though. It was their endless chatter that allowed them to speak openly about this stuff. No one could tell if Luna spoke through all the chatter, and the chatter didn't make much sense to any one else anyway.

Three Hours Later at the Temple Dojo

"Owie…" Dimmer and Chad were trying to bring Dimmer's body back to working order.

"Still Dim, you were learning pretty fast back there."

"Not fast enough according to my limbs, and back, and head, and … Hell, my entire body is disagreeing with ya man."

"Well I'm still a few months ahead of ya dude. Shouldn't take long for ya ta catch up with me though, going at your pace."

Dimmer's face and arms were covered in bruises, and a few cuts. His whole body was starting to feel numb, and the few parts that weren't numb all he could feel was pain. He grimaced as he sat up from the futon they gave him for his room. The room was pretty empty. He unpacked everything he had, and it didn't account for much. "Dude, I'm glad that my job at the arcade don't start until next week. I can just picture me coming in like this. They probably wouldn't even recognize me."

"No joke!" Chad laughed, "but you should be glad you don't have to help with those kids at the school tomorrow. Seeing their role model done up in black and blue could scar the poor things for life."

"Yeah, no kidding. Ya know I could really go for a snack about now. Eating is probably the only activity I'm up to."

"Ha! Need there be any other activities? I'll find somethin'. Be back in a sec."

Dimmer laid back down on his futon after Chad left. "Ya know, I never thought I'd become good friends that easily with someone who just beat the tar out of me, and is going to continue you to do so for the next few weeks."

"What was that Dimmer?" Chad walked back in the room with a few bags of chips.

"Eh, nothing. Hey wick~ed! Cheesy poofs!"

"Yup, glad to see you still remember all the important things in life despite the amnesia."

"No joke! What kind of moron could forget cheesy poofs?!"

Chad threw him a bag and they both chowed down.

"Sorry about all that Dimmer, I think I got carried away."

"Duh," Dimmer laughed "what was your first clue? Sensai telling you to make sure to keep practicing all day? Or maybe it was how I couldn't stand after two hours?"

"Both" he laughed back, "but seriously. I think you definitely learned a bit, but I don't think you're putting your all into it."

"How's that?"

"I don't think you're properly motivated. It's the same problem I got. I just don't feel the need to go all out to kick some one's tail for no reason other than to say "I win."

"Yeah, pretty much the same with me ya know. That could put a stopper into going very far in the world of martial arts."

"Mm hmm, but the question is what can get us motivated?"

By now the two were sharing the last bag of cheesy poofs trying to come up with something. That's when both looked into the bag to see one left. They both looked up at each other and smiled.

In a flash they were both back in the dojo taking up fighting stances. Chad had set up a pedestal, and laid the single last cheesy poof on it. The pedestal stood a bit back further, as they took stance to face each other. They both knew the rules. There was only one. Who ever ate the cheesy poof won.

"I'm only going to warn you once Chad. No one, and I mean NO one gets between me and my last cheesy poof."

"I think not young man. I still have a few months training on you, and this is your first day. I admit your determination of fighting despite your wounds impresses me, but I will not go easy on you just because of them." Chad said with a voice imitating an old Chinese master

"Say what you will! But that cheesy poof is MINE!! AAAAHHH!"

Dimmer made the first move. Copying his favorite moves from movies and games he couldn't remember. First with a high roundhouse and than down with a sweep kick. Chad ducked before the roundhouse ever had a chance to hit and did a fancy spin kick in the air to try to counter it. Since Dimmer had ducked with a sweep kick, Chad's foot sailed over his head while Dimmer's sweep kick had swished underneath Chad when he jumped.

Hoping to catch his friend as he came down on top of him, Dimmer went for a flying uppercut. Chad saw it coming though. He managed to lean back in the air just enough to let Dimmer's fist nick his nose. He grabbed Dimmer's out stretched arm and continued to lean back so that he would hit the floor in a roll.

Dimmer was caught off guard, and he knew what was coming, he couldn't think of any way out of it. Chad was going to use the inertia of the fall to roll and throw him. Dimmer knew he couldn't prevent it, so he thought he would go with it. Chad brought his feet up to give his throw some extra height, hoping to send him further. Turned out the height was exactly Dimmer needed to recover. He managed to bend his body into enough of a ball that the flip ended up turning into a somersault in the air.

Dimmer landed softly on both feet facing Chad, who had rolled to his feet facing Dimmer. They both took up stances and glared at each other. They waited for the first sign of movement from the other. Both knew they would not lose, not with the last cheesy poof of the bag at stake. Than as if there was some kind of psychic agreement they both rushed forward with a yell.

Their sensai was watching this spectacle with interest. He'd never seen Chad fight this well, and Dimmer was competing with him as much a rival as anybody with real training. It was Dimmer's unique ideas and fast thinking that kept him in the match, not to mention he was completely unpredictable. Yet Chad had his own advantage as well. Dimmer was still too new for most of his moves, they ended up shaky and often inverted back at him with Chad's few months of training.

Their Sensai came to a decision while watching the scene unfold. His newest student was a genius. And there was much more talent in an old student where he had thought there was only a chance at some. He couldn't help but cackle, this was going to be fun!

In the end it wasn't the bruises from earlier that won out over Dimmer, it was Chad's training. The bout lasted for a good three hours, and they had gained not only their Sensai's attention, but his granddaughter's and her friends as well. The cheering and laughter were far from the ears of the fighters though. It seemed there would be a winner Dimmer had managed to get to face the back of his opponent and behind Dimmer was the prized cheesy poof. He charged hoping to knock his opponent down with enough time to grab the cheesy poof behind him, Chad had other ideas though. Without turning around he did a standing back flip over Dimmer's charge. He landed hands down on top of the pedestal, and continued the flip off his hands.

Dimmer ran at him knowing already it was too late. Chad had thrown the cheesy poof up in the air with him; all he did was land on one foot and knee with his arms spread as if saying "Ta Da!" as the cheesy poof landed directly into his mouth.

With a crunch the fight was over and Chad relished the taste of his reward. For the first time both fighters noticed the crowd's cheers. All except for Rei were cheering; she was just standing in shock. Dimmer looked pissed as he glared at Chad "You. You… you…"

Chad looked at his new friend with a smirk trying to predict what ever was coming. The crowd stopped cheering, no one liked a sore loser, but what came was the complete opposite.

"You…. You" with each time he said it Dimmer's face looked more cheerful "oooo…. You… are … good.

Chad and Amy were about the only ones not thrown off by the change, (well… Rei's grandfather just laughed, so he might not have been too thrown off either)

"Naaaahh"

"No I mean it man you-are-good!"

"Nah, I'm not that good, Rei kicks my ass every time…"

"No dude, you are THE MAN!

"No, you Da man. This you're first day and you kick ass."

"I kicked ass? You kicked ass! You definitely da man!"

"No you da man."

"Nah you da man" They got quieter as they argued turning it into a joke

"No, you da man"

"Know what?"

"What?" They were pretty much whispering now, and everyone leaned into hear what it was he'd say.

"We da men" Dimmer said in a growl type whisper

"WE DA MEN!!" Chad yelled out throwing his arms in the air.

The girls were all laughing now, when Lita popped up with her usual saying when she sees I cute guy. "You know Dimmer kind of reminds like my last boyfriend.

All the other girls looked at her suspiciously now, "What?"

"So your last boyfriend looked like he came from America, huh?"

"Well okay, maybe not. But he's still cute"

A small "oh no" was heard from Amy's vicinity as she put her hands over her ears.

"I AM NOT CUTE!!"

"Dimmer!" Amy scolded, "I warned you about that!"

Dimmer looked like a scolded child, and was still mumbling under his breath.

"Apologize to Lita!"

"But…"

"NOW!"

Without looking at her, Dimmer in a near whisper said, "Sorry"

Lita just laughed. "I thought you were just kidding about that Amy."

"Unfortunately no, and his reaction to it has been steadily increasing lately

"It's okay Dimmer, you're forgiven." Lita ruffled up his hair.

"Cool, okay I'm going to go take a shower and go to bed, I'm beat." He looked down at himself. "Literally".

"Night dude, good match by the way. I'll try not to wake ya up with my tunes." Chad waved good night".

Rei whispered to her friends "If you call what he does a tune"

All the girls nodded knowing exactly what Rei meant.

"You mean you haven't broken his guitar yet?" Lita whispered back.

"Lita," Serena answered the question for everyone as she looked at the empty pedestal, "If he'd do that over a cheesy poof, what would he do if anyone messed with his guitar."

They all looked at the empty pedestal together and silently agreed. Now that Chad and Rei's grandfather were gone to leave the girls with their privacy, Serena looked down at Luna. "So Luna what do you think of Dimmer?"

All the girls looked toward the cat.

"Well, I do say he has one unpredictable personality."

"That's for sure" Amy supplied shaking her head.

"He's also a genius. Look how fast he picked up on our language, and now martial arts. Yet, I believe as you girls do, that he has a good heart, and lots of determination. I also think he has no real goals right now other than a happy life. But remember he could shed a disguise at any moment we should still keep an eye on him.

All: "Right."

Endnotes:

Hey! It's my first battle scene! Kinda…Hope people weren't too confused by the jumble of writing. I know nothing of martial arts so don't expect too much from me in that area. Luna and Rei's grandfather are dead wrong! Dimmer ain't no genius he's insane! Ha! Oh well, see ya in the next one!