(Disclaimer: A warning to those who continue.  This is a sequel to a previous story.  Both of these were written in the mid-1990’s.  While the first one was slightly edited and vanity press published, this one has not been touched in over 20 years.  I figure I should do something with it and people may get a laugh or fright from how I used to be.  Every author comes from somewhere, so this is part of my origin.  To that end, I am deeply sorry for whatever nightmares I will inflict on the literary world and the American English language.  Enjoy?)

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The inside of the museum is very dark and quiet as Fate wanders around the empty hallways.  Every now and then, the guardian comes across a group of people that are cowering in the shadows.  A few quick words of comfort are all he uses to get them to leave the museum.  When he gets to a room with a blue whale hanging from the ceiling, a sadly predictable sight greets him.  Suspended from the whale is a dead cop, whose neck was snapped like a toothpick.  There are big, red blotches of lipstick all over his silent, smiling face.

“I hope you like it.  Originally, I was thinking of doing the traditional head on a pike.  But this way is so much cleaner and a lot less nauseating,” says Adriana from atop the stuffed whale.  She gracefully jumps down and leans against a display case with a fake Portuguese man-of-war in it.

“Why did you kill him?  I was the one you wanted,” responds Fate as he draws the magic sword.

“The guard?  His death was an accident, but I decided to make some use of him.  You were taking far too long, so I found a new playmate.  As you can see, I was a tiny bit too rough with him, but at least he died with a smile.  Human beings are such fragile creatures.  Can you please put your weapon away before you do something that I will regret?”

“Not a chance.”

“Look, Eddie.  I left my staff on top of the whale and I want you to put your sword up there.  Personally, I think we would have much more fun in a no weapons battle.”  The Mars guardian begrudgingly throws the sword of light onto the blue whale while Adriana runs to the doorway.

“I thought that you wanted to fight me.  So, why are you running away?”  Fate leaps over to her and lifts the blond off the floor by her tight shirt.  Adriana simply laughs before slapping his hands away.  She begins to back away while silently beckoning the guardian to follow with a quick movement of her fingers.

“Show a little patience, Fate.  I have something important to discuss with you.  So, let’s walk and talk.  The problem is that I have had to be secretive with this for a very long time.  Hard to break habits that one has had for so long.  It will be a lot easier once I give you your present,” mentions Adriana while they walk through a two-floor room with a large elephant herd.

“What present?” Fate asks.  Adriana starts swinging on an elephant’s tusk like a playful, and adorable, monkey.  When she gets enough momentum, the voluptuous immortal flips onto the guardian’s shoulders.

“That is my little secret.  But I can tell you that this item is something that you lost a long time ago.  And you can’t even begin to guess what it is.  So, don’t waste time trying.”  She kisses Fate on the forehead before she gets off of him.

“Are you feeling sicker than usual?  You’re acting much too weird for me to possibly take you seriously.”

“I’m fine.  It’s just that I thought you loved girls who are playful and sweet.  Or I am reading Kelly’s usual behavior the wrong way.  But since you insist and you are the guest of honor, I’ll try to act serious.  But it won’t be easy.”  Adriana lies down on a bench and slowly calms down while Fate cautiously sits next to her.

“Let me see if I understand this.  You acted like that in order to make me give you all of my attention?  You’re losing your touch.  Why not use your powers and make it easier and a lot less embarrassing for yourself?  Anyway, I won’t join you.  So you shouldn’t waste time your time.”

“Good point.  Although, I do so love a challenge and, if you remember, my powers don’t work so well on you.  Besides, I was only trying to get you to relax and have a little fun, which obviously didn’t happen.”

“So, why did you even mention me loving you?  That won’t happen in a few million years.”

“It will happen.  By the end of this day you will love me like you never dreamed.  Or maybe you have dreamed about it and don’t know it yet.  Just wait until you get your present.  Well, that’s enough resting time.  Follow me for the surprise of your life.”  She swiftly leads him into one of the dinosaur exhibits.  When they stop near the large Tyrannosaurus skeleton, Adriana spin kicks Fate in the face.

“I guess we’ve stopped with the walking and talking.  You’ve gotten stronger since our last bout,  Adriana,” says the Mars guardian.  He grabs the woman by the arm and tosses her over the towering skeleton.  She bounces off of the wall and lands gracefully on her feet.

“I’ve been working out just for this particular fight.  Well, it’s not really a fight.  I prefer to call it the party’s entertainment.  Wouldn’t you agree, birthday boy!” she hollers while Fate leaps at her.  She falls onto her back in order to push the younger immortal over a display case by using her legs.

“This isn’t my birthday.  It’s not for another six and a half months.  How would you know when it is anyway?”

“I’ll tell you later.  All you have to know is that your entire life has been one big lie since you hit the age of five.  And I am the only one who knows the truth.  Today you are going to be reborn into what you were supposed to be.”  Both of the immortals attempt to hit each other with flying kicks and they miss completely.  They land on their feet, but Adriana moves fast enough to elbow Fate in the back.  He stumbles forward as Adriana tries to hit him again, but the guardian clumsily rolls into her.  They fall onto the ground and Fate quickly pins the blond on her back.

“What do you mean?  How can you know anything about me beside my name and powers?  Answer me or I swear I’ll rip your beating heart out!”  Adriana wraps her legs around Fate’s waist in order to flip him onto his back.  She jumps up and bounces off his stomach like a trampoline.

“Looks like I nailed one of your nerves.  You see, I’ve been aware of you since you were born.  In fact, I was a very good friend of your father.  Startrix told me all about the new Mars guardian, so I went to enter this young child’s life.  It was you, but after your father died and your mother . . . disappeared, I lost track of you.  My daughter’s problem took my attention away from you and I nearly forgot about your existence until we met about over a year ago.  Are you buying any of this story because you look a little doubtful?”

“That’s because I don’t believe you.  That excuse is the lamest story that I’ve ever heard.  What’s the truth?”  Adriana gives a little shrug before she uppercuts the guardian in the face with all her strength.  Fate sails into the towering Tyrannosaurus skeleton with enough force to shatter the bones and knock the entire display over.  From out of the cracked skull bounces a blue present with a sparkling, gold ribbon on it.

“There’s the real truth.  Go ahead.  Open it up.  I swear on my child’s life that there is no danger.”  Just then, Draveon punches through the floor and kicks the present behind a case that holds a nest of fossilized eggs.

“Am I interrupting anything important?  Well, if I am then you both have my sincerest apology,” says the ultimate genetic weapon.

The other two immortals look at each other and Fate replies, “So, Infinity didn’t stop you.  Well, you can’t kill both of us.”

“Of course, I can kill both of you.  Tegam and the two female guardians have left the planet.  Cybro and Infinity are off hiding somewhere while healing and resting.  The two of you are alone and weak.  I can’t possibly lose this fight because the two of you are incapable of working together.”

“Over our dead bodies.  Oops.  I don’t think I should have said that,” mutters Adriana.  Both of the blond immortals pounce on Draveon as if they discussed doing it beforehand.  But the larger villain grabs both of them by their necks before they can get any shots in.

“I’m not even going to reply to that overdone cliché.  Although, you will be happy to know that I won’t kill either of you any time soon.  I plan to torture the both of you first.  Sweet dreams.”  Draveon continuously slams the struggling immortals together until they are left limp and barely breathing.

“That was much easier than I expected.  I guess you two were planning on fighting each other.  Didn’t even see me coming,” whispers Draveon as he drags them away.