Sailor Moon: Hidden Memories

Chapter 8

New York City,

Central Park Ice Skating Rink:

Despite the strong and brisk Winter wind that blew bitterly, the long line of people wanting to ice skate waited patiently as the man in the ticket booth quickly collected the money and gave the tickets to the next person in line. It was the Holiday Season, and many New York residents wanted to at least try the old tradition of ice skating. The tanned-skinned Hispanic man sighed with impatience and annoyance as the next people in line couldn't decide if they wanted to pay for a group or individually. Finally after a few minutes, they decided to pay for a group and paid the fee.

The man rolled his eyes and handed the group their tickets. "Have a nice time skating," he said automatically, his breath making a fog in the cold air. He turned his head slightly at the next person in line. "Welcome to the Central Park Ice Skating Rink. Are you paying for one or a group?" he greeted in a tired and bored voice. At the silence, the man looked up at the person, becoming annoyed. The dark-skinned man standing next in line just stared at him, his dark eyes cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Look buddy, there's a lot of people standing behind you. Either you're here to get a ticket to ice skate, or you can leave," The man was beginning to feel uncomfortable at the sight of the tall, dark, man, and he began to look around nervously for any signs of police. There was something strange about the way he just stared....very strange.

The tall man chuckled deep in his throat after a moment and gave a half smile. "Don't worry, soon all these people won't mean a thing to you!" Quick as lightening, Onyx reached out and grabbed the young man's hand. The small machine with the injection in it flashed out and pierced his newest victim's flesh. The people behind him began to cry out and scream in surprise. Then, seconds later, there was chaos everywhere as everyone began running for their lives when the man in the ticket booth screamed loudly in unbearable pain, the poison rushing through his system.

Onyx smiled evilly as his victim fell to the floor and began convulsing horribly. The man's eyes snapped opened and soon, tiny hairs began sprouting from his face and body. He began to grow immensely, and extra legs grew out of his hips and chest. When the transformation was finally done, a gigantic spider with a human-like face stood in the place of the innocent man.

Onyx nodded in satisfaction when it was done. "Good. Now go and collect some energy and destroy all that you see!" His eyes glowed red as he smirked. "This will surely get the attention of those two Sailor Senshi. And when they do come, I have a big surprise for them!" An evil laugh erupted from Onyx then, his voice echoing through the now abandoned ticket booth area of the ice rink. The spider creature hissed loudly and bowed, as if to say "Yes Master", and leaped high into the air and through the roof. Seconds later, screams and cries rang out in the cold December morning, foretelling the complete disaster the monster was creating.

The sound only made the tall man laugh even louder as he reveled in the mayhem and confusion. All is coming into place now! he thought as he rubbed his hands together in greed, his eyes shining almost madly. As soon as those wimpy senshi get here, I'll dispose of them once and for all! He knew he was still having those strange feelings and flashes of memories whenever he thought about them, but somehow, maybe destroying them would make them stop and end his pain. But yet.... he somehow knew in the back of his mind that it still wouldn't end the pain deep in his heart.

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Anna slowly opened the door to the large bedroom she and Tanya shared and crept softly to the smaller girl's bed. "Oh, she's still asleep, poor thing," whispered Anna as she saw her cousin's form under the thick blankets. She carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and gently shook her cousin, "Tanya? Come on, are you alright? I thought I heard you talking a while ago." From ever since the attack at their school nearly a week ago, Tanya was instructed to stay home in bed after Anna's father rushed her to the hospital when they came home. Anna knew her father James Kendon had never been so frightened in his life. Although he didn't show it, she can tell he had grown to love Tanya as his second daughter, and would protect her to his fullest abilities, just as he would her.

Tanya's eyes fluttered opened a second later, and she turned to look at Anna, her mind still cloudy with sleep. But instead of seeing her cousin, Tanya saw the image of the evil woman Valera in her mind's eye, and she screamed in fright.

"Hey, it's alright! You're safe," assured the taller girl as she gathered her cousin in her arms. Tanya gave a small sigh of relief as the image faded away, then leaned away from her and wiped the sweat off her face.

"It...it was so real!" gasped out Tanya. "I was reliving that whole scene over and over again! That weird lady, and how she almost...almost..." Before she could go on, Tanya took a deep breath and tried to breathe normally, wanting the horrifying image to go away.

"I know," soothed Anna, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I was scared too. I've never been so frightened before in my life since..." The girl shook her head from the image of the last time she saw her mother and turned back to look at her cousin. "I thought I was going to lose you,"

Tears formed in her eyes for a moment, but she quickly wiped them away. "But it's over for now, and you're alright. That's all that matters." She gave an encouraging smile and nodded.

"Yeah," chuckled Tanya. "I guess that means I have to go back to school on Monday too, ne?" At those words, the shorter girl gave a groan and plopped back down unto the bed on her back, her black hair spread out around her.

"Awww, cheer up. It's not that bad!" smiled Anna, sitting up closer to her. "Hopefully you've been keeping up with the homework I've been bringing home," She gave her cousin a serious look. "You HAVE been keeping up with the homework, right?"

At the Tanya's guilty look and sweat drop as she sat back up, Anna stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "TANYAAAAA! After all the trouble I went through just to bring them home to you!" Smoke and fire started to form in the taller girl's angry eyes.

"Hai, hai! I've been keeping up! I was just kidding!" cried out Tanya as she waved her hands defensively. Anna's eyes widened in surprise, and a second later both girls giggled uncontrollably, glad for the moment to forget their troubles.

"Oh, before I forget, we got a letter from Usagi-chan today!" Anna reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out a small envelope.

"Really? A note from Usagi? Gosh, I haven't heard from her since my dad came to visit me for my birthday and...umm...what was it you Americans call that holiday again? The one with all those ghosts and stuff?" Tanya scratched her head in confusion.

"Halloween," replied Anna, handing the letter over to Tanya.

"Oh right, Halloween," smiled back Tanya. Since coming to America, she had to learn the many holidays and customs that were celebrated, and of all the holidays, Halloween was the one that struck her as a little...strange. Why would a civilized country like America celebrate and honor the dead and spirits? Yes, it was sad to lose loved ones, but remembering them should be a personal thing. She'd always been taught that.

She shrugged at that, then quickly opened the letter and started to read. After a second, she stopped herself as her eyes widened and snorted in barely contained laughter. "Oh boy, even though she's in 11th grade like us, her kanji STILL stinks!" She giggled as she held up the letter for Anna to see. They were filled with eraser marks and errors.

"HA HA, very funny. Now cut the jokes read what she has to say!" Anna grumbled as she sat back down beside Tanya on the bed. The girl nodded as she attempted to read what her friend from Japan wrote.

"Okay. It says "Dear Tanya-chan, Anna-chan. I'm sorry I didn't write in so long, but Rei has increased our study sessions at the Hikawa Jinga Shrine ever since our second year high school term started. Please forgive me. Everything is fine now, and we are enjoying a peaceful life.

At those words, the two girls looked at one another as sadness showed in their eyes. If only the girls knew about the trouble that just started here in America. Anna sighed and motion for Tanya to continue reading.

Mamo-chan is almost finished with medical school, (he only has one more year to go) and I think he's finally going to ask me to marry him! But don't tell the others I said so! Mako-chan is thinking of going to cooking school after graduation next year , and Minako still wants to be an idol and is going on acting auditions. Ami-chan is still getting the highest marks in school and just got accepted to visit the Tokyo University. Haruka-san, Michiru-san, and Hotaru are still on tour for Michiru's violin recitals. She's getting really popular! Oh, looks like Rei-chan is calling us for another study session. Can you believe it? She's going to be a true Shinto Priestess this Spring! I will write again soon. I hope you all are doing well. Until we meet again, take care, Anna-chan and Tanya-chan!

Tanya wrinkled her nose as she looked at the attempt of English words scrawled at the bottom in shaky handwriting. "Ummm, stay pool?"

She looked up at Anna and blinked her eyes in confusion. Anna shook her head and took the letter. She rolled her eyes and chuckled softly. "I think she means "stay cool." " Once again, the girls giggled, amused at their friend's attempt to write English.

Then for a couple of minutes, the two cousins just sat on the bed together, thinking once again about how wonderful it was to be just normal teenaged girls, just like how Usagi and the other girls were in Japan now. For so long, Anna and Tanya had hoped that the evil had ended, that they would just grow up happy and surrounded by love, family, and friends. But deep in their hearts, they knew that as long as they were Sailor Senshi, the time for "normalcy" would never be granted to them unless their world was safe from evil. But despite missing being ordinary girls, they wouldn't have it any other way. Being a senshi was fulfilling and exciting for them, and it was a duty they carried out with every ounce of their heart, even though it did get lonely at times.

Just then, their thoughts were interrupted when the bedroom door opened, and Anna's stepmother Leslie walked in, carrying a tray of toast and tea. "Good morning girls. I thought you both might like something light to eat for breakfast," The dark blonde-haired woman smiled shyly at them.

"Oh, well...thank you Aunt Leslie," Tanya smiled gratefully, and was about to reach for the tray when Anna reached out and stopped her.

"No thank you, we're fine," she said, her voice suddenly cool and detached. Tanya turned and gave her cousin a concerned look.

Leslie blinked with slight confusion. "But I just thought I'd..."

But before the woman could even finish what she was saying, Anna got up angrily from the bed and stood before her. "I said we're fine! I don't need you to treat us like we're invalids. If we want breakfast, we'll go down and make it ourselves," Anna looked at Leslie with a hint of contempt.

The woman looked down on the ground, her cheeks turning red and shaking just slightly. She looked back up after a moment, nodded slightly, then turned to leave. When the door closed behind her, Tanya looked up to scowl at her cousin. "Anna, what the heck was that for?" she asked.

The taller girl sighed as she sat back down, the rigidness in her body gone. "I'm sorry, I just don't know what came over me. I...I'll go apologize to her," She got up and headed toward the door, but at that moment, Marco and Dief walked in, their faces full of concern.

"Girls, we have to hurry! There's a disturbance uptown at the ice rink in Central Park," whispered Marco, careful not to let anyone else hear him. "We just heard it on the news." Dief nodded vigorously beside him.

Anna looked at the dogs in disbelief for a moment, then looked back at her cousin. "Tevra!" they both said at the same time.

"Okay Marco, we'll be there in a flash!" said Tanya. She quickly jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom to freshen up. Anna rushed out to the living room to gain more information and what was going on from the television. Tevra was attacking again! If somehow she could get there, then maybe she could at least talk to him and find out what happened that turned him so evil. She knew it could be a trap for them, but she had to at least try. She couldn't give up on Tevra yet, she just couldn't!

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Breathing hard, Tanya, Anna, and the guardian dogs rushed up to the block where the disturbance was. News cameras, cars, and a big crowd awaited them as they finally stopped to catch their breath. Suddenly, they could hear the screaming and the sounds of breaking glass coming from inside the park. They tried to make their way pass the on-lookers, but found it nearly impossible.

"Oh no, how are we supposed to get in and see what's happening?" cried out Tanya as she jumped up and down to see over everyone's head.

"Come on, I've got an idea. Marco, Dief, you guys stay here in case...whatever it is...comes out and we don't know about it," said Anna. The dogs nodded, their eyes filled with worry. Marco desperately wanted to ask if Tanya was up to such a task...considering what she went through not too long ago, but he knew he couldn't risk being heard with such a big crowd around the four of them.

Tanya saw this in his eyes and she smiled as she squatted down and padded his golden head. "Don't worry Marco. I'm much better now, I promise. I'll be fine!" With that, Anna nodded and grabbed her cousin's smaller hand. They quickly crossed the street then rushed up the block until the crowd was behind then. They crossed back over the street when it was safe to and climbed over the short stone wall into the large park famous for its many trees and greenery. They ran until they finally came to an area not to far from the front entrance of the ice skating rink. They hid behind a tree to hide themselves as two policemen walked up to the abandoned ticket booth entrance. To their surprise and horror a moment later, a giant spider monster suddenly jumped out from the air and landed in front of policemen who were investigating the disturbance.

It hissed loudly and opened its mouth wide. A spray of a slimy substance shot out, and the two girls gasped as the men were wrapped instantaneously. They screamed as they began to glow brightly, and soon, the telltale signs of their energy waves began to rise out of them and into the large once-human beast.

Tanya and Anna looked at each other, and with a nod of determination, prepared to transform after making sure no one else was around.

Tanya passed her hand over her necklace and raised it up in the air as she yelled "Sirius Emerald Star Power! Make-Up!"

Anna grabbed her henshin stick, and raising it up into the air, she shouted "Polaris Sapphire North Star Power! Make-Up!"

Both girls were then enveloped in their respective auras of blue and violet, and with a burst of colorful light, they stood together as Super Sailors Sirius and Polaris.

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The two policemen fell limply to the ground, their energy now gone. The spider creature hissed loudly to itself and prepared to go and search for new victims. But suddenly, two figures jumped down from high up in the air and landed one knee in front of it. They stood up and turned accusing eyes on it.

"The Christmas season is a time for joy and happiness here! We will not let you spoil it for all these people!" shouted Sailor Polaris. She pointed at the creature, then groaned in disgust. God how she hated spiders! She shook her head to clear away her fear. "Representing the Star that has guided Humanity since the beginning of Time, I am Sailor Polaris, and you will not be tolerated!"

Sirius stepped up next to give her speech, but she never got a chance to say it. The spider creature suddenly hissed its displeasure loudly and jumped up high into the air. But instead of rushing towards the girls, it did a double twist and flew back towards the ice rink, disappearing behind the building before it.

"Come on, let's follow it!" shouted Sirius. The girls rushed forward and jumped high and flipped over the fence. When they reached the ice rink behind the large white building, they stopped dead in their tracks in horror. Out on the ice, bodies of drained people lay every where, their skin pale and lifeless.

"Oh my God," breathed out Polaris, hardly believing her sight. Almost everywhere else, there were shards of broken glass windows and pieces of the building scattered.

"We've got to stop this creature somehow," Sirius said. She turned her head to look around the area. "But where did it go?"

"I don't know, but we can't worry about that now. We have to see if all these people are alright!" Polaris replied. At those words, Sirius nodded her agreement. Carefully, the two dark-skinned Senshi stepped out on the ice. For a moment or two they checked the pulses of some of the people and breathed with a sigh of relief when they found they were alive, but weak. Suddenly, the hard icy ground began to tremble heavily, and the girls desperately tried to stay on their feet. Hardly a few seconds later, the ice rink ground burst open before them. The spider creature shot out of the huge crack and flew high into the air screaming, chunks of ice falling from its body. Time itself seemed to slow as it shot forth a slimy secretion from its mouth at Sailor Polaris as she gaped in shock.

"Sailor Polaris, look out!" screamed Sirius. She tried to rush forward to help, but inside her heart, she knew she might be too late.

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To Be Continued.

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