Return of the Teaser, Chapter One

“You’ll never believe it, Flashsatsumas,” was Mini-Flash Juniper’s morning salutation as she strode into the former’s room.

Flashsatsumas had still been sleeping in his power-harness. First impressions were that yesterday’s rain must have washed away every last wisp of cloud, for brilliant sunlight was falling on the tall fair figure of his chalet-mate. In her hand was what looked like a small square-shaped comic, the edges of which were well curled-up as from immersion in water.

“I found it at the bottom of my shopping-bag last night,” breathed Mini-Flash Juniper. “It must have come with Miss Ugly! Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“Pat opened her,” returned Flashsatsumas blearily. “I must not have noticed. I know he put everything back in your bag.”

“It tells her whole story, Flashsatsumas!” Mini-Flash Juniper exclaimed. “A long time ago, by Earth-standards at least, Miss Ugly was just an ordinary human. She went to a school where they taught what I’m fairly sure is some sort of terrestrial ritual dance, but the girls were like brutes. They gave her that mean nickname, for one thing, and eventually planned a horrid practical joke which went wrong and Miss Ugly was killed.”

“Sounds to me like the horrid girls have got a lot to answer for,” commented Flashsatsumas, taking advantage of the momentary lull.

“That’s already been taken care of, Flashsatsumas,” affirmed Mini-Flash Juniper, in tones of the utmost grimness. “Afterwards Miss Ugly gained her powers, and joined a superteam of spirits like her who do good deeds and fight the forces of evil on Earth’s astral plane. As for the bullies, let’s just say that what happened to them wasn’t anywhere near as nice. And then, Flashsatsumas, the narrator said that if we ever started acting as if we’d mistaken ugliness on the outside for anything as bad as being ugly within, the same might happen to us.”

Her voice trembled, and she finished on a shiver. “Just remind me what I’ve told you about reading scary comics in bed,” said Flashsatsumas.

Juniper blushed all over, and continued very quickly: “So, Flashsatsumas, it looks as if it’s not possible for Miss Ugly to die, seeing as she already has. I knew she must have escaped that snake. Today I need to go back into town, just in case I can find her. It’s the least I can do. She may not have had a life to lose, but I’m hoping to hang onto mine as long as I can, and she really helped with that.”

“You’re going into town?” repeated Flashsatsumas, who’d woken up by now. “Is that as in, without me or Maureen or Pat?”

“Lasser’s certain to be watching us,” was Mini-Flash Juniper’s reply. “Two trips off-camp on consecutive days would make him suspicious, to the point of interfering. I thought of that when I was brushing my hair just now, and I think I’ve come up with a way to keep my plans private. Get yourself dressed,” she added over her shoulder, as she marched to do the same.

Flashsatsumas was still locked into his harness. The back of Juniper’s shining head and the broad white reverse of the Luttertons she’d slept in vanished behind her bedroom door.

“Erm,” said Flashsatsumas.

At length however he was ready in his orange containment-suit, and she her school stockings and uniform of blue, whereat they struck out from the chalet for an arcade they’d visited before. Once there, Juniper extracted a ten-pence piece which she dropped into the slot of the love-tester machine, then pressed her palm on the button for girls.

Within the same nanosecond as this last, a verdict of “TEASER” was returned.

It took no greater stretch of time for the Mini-Flashes to find themselves in the company of another Mini-Flash Juniper, also wearing her school stockings and uniform of blue.

“You can wipe that look off your face, for a start,” the original instructed her likeness. “And you’re very lucky there’s something we need you for, or we’d have left you in there.”

“And I’m very lucky there’s something you need me for, or you’d have left me in there,” mimicked the counter-Juniper pitch for pitch.

Her prototype ignored this with dignity. “You’ll be spending today with Flashsatsumas,” she went on, “but I’m afraid you’re not going to be able to tease or hurt him this time around. I’ve lent him something of mine which I can’t imagine will require any introduction. Let’s just say it’s been down my panties, and now it’s down his.”

Flashsatsumas wasn’t at all sure that that was a unisex Earth-term, and the counter-Juniper’s smirk did little to assuage his fears.

“Well, I must dash off and catch my bus,” resumed Mini-Flash Juniper briskly.

“Hope your pants don’t go up your bum, or anything like that,” said the counter-Juniper.

“So I’ll leave her in your capable hands, Flashsatsumas,” concluded the genuine article, a dangerous light in her eyes. “And if she tries to give you any trouble, I daresay we’ll find out soon enough who ends today with those particular garments in more of a twist.”

With that she smelled a final warning at her enemy, who smelled her defiance right back. Flashsatsumas had never been to a Ritz Crackers factory, nor had he any need to now.

Even so, he couldn’t shake the feeling he was off to a bad start.

END OF CHAPTER ONE