Warning: This chapter containts mature subject matter. If you think it warrants a mature tag for the entire fanfiction, then let me know.
Bands
Chapter 09
"We figured you'd be coming," Michiko said with a sly grin. "After seeing what they said on the news, we knew that you'd come crawling back to us."
"What do you know?" Star demanded, obviously not in the mood for their games. She just wanted direct answers, answers that would explain the fear she was feeling.
"You know it too, Star. It's just been blocked out," Kin told her and Michiko nodded in agreement. "All you have to do is remember."
Star stared at them, dumbfounded and suddenly finding herself shaking. She didn't know whether this shaking was from the chill that still held her or from the fear that those words brought into her heart and mind. Her vision was even starting to blur from the anxiety that flooded her and she unconsciously took a step backwards, almost stumbling.
"It'll be okay, Star," Michiko reached out for her. "We're your friends, remember? We're here for you."
The Senshi only shook her head furiously, leaning against whatever was behind her. She wanted to remember, but the revulsion that rose within her whenever she tried told her that remembering wasn't going to make things better. Remembering would only make things worse, and yet part of her just had to know.
"No…" Star collapsed, sliding down to the ground with her hands on her head and her knees drawn to her chest. She leaned her head against her knees and had her eyes tightly shut.
"Leave her alone!" Sailor Moon's voice broke through Star's growing turmoil.
She looked up, shocked to see the other Senshi all standing in front of her. Not only that, but she felt fur brush against the fabric of her gloves and she looked to see Spike there at her side, looking up at her with concerned green eyes. She reached out, gently stroking his head and looking to him for answers.
"What are they talking about, Spike?"
"What?"
"They say I know what happened. All I need to do is remember," Star told him. "What am I not remembering?"
Spike looked over at Michiko and Kin, who still stood in their civilian forms before the group of girls that he'd gathered together. It had surprisingly been quite easy to get them all up and together, even Serena. Perhaps they all sensed the same thing that his instinct was still telling him to run from.
His eyes studied the two teens standing opposite of the others, wondering himself what they were talking about.
"It's no use asking him, Star. He doesn't even know about it. He wasn't there," Michiko shook her head. "We made sure of that."
Spike couldn't even remember being kept away from any situation, but it certainly had his fur standing on end. He didn't like where this was heading.
"Come, Star," Michiko beckoned. "We can help you remember."
Star sat a moment, thinking and then she slowly forced herself to her feet as she felt that calling again.
"It could be a trap, Star," Spike said with unease, looking up at her.
"I have to know," she replied. "Even if it destroys me."
"Don't," Sailor Moon turned to her, her blue eyes pleading. "Don't do this. I have a bad feeling."
"Please, Serenity. I have to," Star pushed past the girls gently, knowing that they were watching her back as she approached her friends.
Kin and Michiko looked to each other and nodded in silent agreement. Kin was the first to make her move, her hand going to the band that was around her neck. With her left hand, she placed her index and thumb on the sides of her neck, and then drew them together. Dark, tainted-looking gold followed the movement of her digits.
"Space Power!"
The light spread over her body, before seeming to be drawn into the band itself and imploding. This implosion resulted in the revealing of the fuku, which glowed slightly before falling normally against her form. The dagger appeared as well, spinning in Space's hand before she grabbed hold of the hilt and it stopped.
Michiko, not having a band around her neck, had a different way of transforming. She pulled what looked like a black pearl on a chain from around her neck and tossed it into the air as she called out, "Universe Power!"
The small black orb exploded with a murky purple light, raining down around the girl in what looked like the shapes of planets before all hung in the air and seemed to orbit around her. Lasting only a second, the planet-looking light was quick to attach to the girl's form, creating the crisscrossed ribbons and all else that went with the fuku. When this was complete, the staff plummeted from the orb, which grew in size and placed itself atop the weapon as the claws grabbed and held it. Universe wrenched the weapon out of where it stuck in the ground, and then used it to lean on.
When Star reached them, it was Space and Universe that she faced and she was well aware that the other Senshi had drawn closer as well. Spike was at her feet, ready to tear into these two with his claws if they so much as hurt Star; he didn't know how much damage he would end up doing, but he would try.
"Are you ready, Star? You're not going to like what you see," Universe warned with a hint of a grin on her face. She saw the look in Star's eyes as the girl opened her mouth. "You have to know, got it." She looked over at the other Senshi before looking to Space. "Do it."
Wordlessly, Space drew her dagger back and before anyone could do anything to stop her, she brought it down in a slash across Star's body. Despite the collective gasp, the weapon didn't actually cut Star, but rather acted like cutting open whatever blocked her memories. Star stumbled back, gripping her shoulder as it throbbed with a brief, stabbing pain, but then straightened as the world around them all grew dark.
Star heard the screams from her dream now, this time much louder and sharper, but as she looked around, it seemed that she was the only one who could hear them. The other Senshi only looked perplexed, but from the darkness, not from any noise they were hearing.
"What's going on?" Jupiter demanded. "What have you done now?"
"There are no readings here at all," Mercury told her friends, swiftly shutting the device. "I can't tell where we are at all."
"Don't worry," Universe said, her voice cool and even. "What's important is that it's working to reawaken Star's memories."
They all turned to Star, whose eyes had become wide as she stood there motionless. Sailor Moon quickly went over to her, placing her hands on her shoulders.
"Star, can you hear me? Star!" she shook the girl slightly as she yelled, but her only response was being forcefully pushed aside by Star. Sailor Moon stumbled, tripping over her own feet and falling to the ground.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" Mars snapped, approaching Star as well, but she was blocked by Universe and Space.
"Leave her alone," Space ordered.
"This is our last chance to bring her back to us," Universe said, almost inaudibly.
xxxxxxx
The scene around her had turned into a park near where she used to live. It was night, so there was no one around, but Star, in her Dark form, sat on the rail that separated the walkway from the water so that children wouldn't fall in. It was a strange sensation, watching herself sit there and she knew that she had a purpose in being there. It wasn't just that the Dark Senshi had decided to take a rest there; there was a reason.
The cool air of autumn blew around them and suddenly a glint entered the Senshi's grey eyes and a grin appeared on her face. It wasn't a happy grin, but a twisted grin. The one she was waiting for had arrived.
Star followed her memory-self's line of vision and she jumped in surprise when she saw her brother walking towards her Dark form. The young teen stood there, his dark, brown eyes looking to the girl who sat on the rail with surprise, as if he hadn't expected to see her at all.
"Where's my sister?" he asked, his voice on the brink of being a demand. It was like he knew not to be too sharp with this girl.
"I am your sister," the girl on the rail replied, unmoving. "You don't recognize me?"
"It can't be…" he trailed off, taking a few steps closer to get a better look. When he got closer, he seemed convinced, but kept his distance. "What happened to you? Why did you run away?"
"Come on, Raye," memory-Star scoffed, and didn't bother to explain the obvious. "You know. And besides, I couldn't come home looking like this, could I? I have other things to do now, Raye."
"Essa, please. Just stop this and come home. They're looking for you everywhere!" the boy pleaded.
"I know, but I can't. I can't go back to that and I can't go back like I am now," memory-Star told him darkly.
"No one will be mad. Why won't you-" Raye began, the breeze of the night stirring his short, light hair. It wasn't quite as light as his sister's white locks, but pretty close.
"I said no!" she snapped angrily, cutting him off.
"Then why did you call me out here?!" he snapped back, clearly angry.
"To help you forget. I'm starting with you, and then mom and dad are next."
Memory-Star now moved off the rail, approaching her brother with even steps. He took a few steps backwards, but then full out turned to run, suddenly not liking the look in his sibling's eyes, nor the way that her hand was glowing. Star didn't panic though, the whip flying forward and wrapping around his throat and he came to a jerked halt, his hands flying to his neck to try and pull the whip away.
"I don't want to hurt you, Raye, I just want you to forget I ever existed," memory-Star explained.
"N-n-no…" Raye struggled, tears flooding his eyes. "S-st-stop-p, please…"
"Shh. This will only take a moment," memory-Star hushed him, placing one of her hands on his as she now stood before him. She saw the fear in his eyes and recoiled slightly, but then felt the push to continue anyway. "Star Imitation," her voice said softly, and she used this attack to borrow the powers that Universe was able to use. If Universe were to call out the attack, it would be called 'Universal Oblivion'.
Memory-Star seemed shocked, though, when the attack didn't act as she thought it should. Instead of creating a darkness that surrounded her brother, which would make him forget, she heard lightning crackle along the whip and then she saw with wide eyes as her brother's form became lifeless. Sharply, she yanked the whip away and it vanished and she held her brother's form as it sunk to the ground, the unshed tears still in his eyes.
"Very good, Star," the voice came from behind her.
Memory-Star turned to see Universe and Space standing there. Universe was the one who had spoken.
"What happened?" memory-Star demanded, her eyes horrified.
"You didn't actually think that we could let him live, did you? Oh no. Even a suppressed memory is still there. One day he might remember, and then everything we worked for would be for nothing," Universe explained, crouching beside her friend and taking her arm. "Come on, now. We have to get going." She pried Star's arms away, and was displeased to find that she'd been affected so much by this. "Here," Universe offered, turning Star's face towards her own. Looking Star in the eyes, she ran her finger along the band and as the glow ceased, Star's horror turned to indifference. "Let's go."
Star watched her memory in utter terror, tears streaking silently down her face and she could feel the knot of a sob in her chest as she stood there. She wanted to cry out, but knew that it would make no difference. She wanted to change the memory, but knew that she couldn't. As the memory of Universe helping her up and away from her brother passed before her, Star took a step forward, but even as she did, the memory changed.
"No…" she choked, knowing suddenly that it wasn't over yet.
Now she stood, in her memory, in a house and she could hear the air conditioning around her. She looked around at the openness of the place and could see out the many large windows a beach just outside. She was about to go look outside when screams erupted from upstairs and cold washed over her as she knew these were the screams from her dream.
She ran up the stairs, coming to a hallway where she saw the young couple backed against the wall. Star saw herself standing before them, and this time her eyes looked angered, unlike when she'd seen herself looking at her brother. She got the sense that Universe and Space had done something to her by this point. She was no longer in control of herself here.
"Shut up!" this memory-Star shouted. "How dare you scream! How dare you move away!"
"Please! Just don't hurt us! Have whatever you want!" her father shouted, pulling out his wallet even and throwing it at her.
Memory-Star caught it and without even looking at it, threw it aside. "I don't want any of your money! Did you think moving away would make you forget me?"
"Please, I don't even know who you are!" her mother wailed, clinging to her husband's air desperately.
Memory-Star's eyes flashed with fury. "You don't even know your own daughter? You sicken me! Here, I'll help you forget. Save you the trouble!"
Star watched as in her memory, her whip took hold of her parents' throats much in the same way that it had her brother's. She recoiled, turning away from the scene and somehow leaning against the wall, even though it was only of memory. She was having trouble breathing, but her attention returned to the scene as Space and Universe emerged yet again.
"That was the last link, Star," the Universe of her memory said. "You are now free."
Memory-Star wasn't paying attention to her comrades, though. Instead, her eyes were locked on the man and woman who were crumpled on the floor before her. The look in her eyes was still enraged, as if they hadn't done what she commanded. Memory-Star reached out her hand towards Space, and the dagger appeared, which she grabbed.
"I said shut up!" the memory snapped, quickly drawing the blade across their throats. The screams were still echoing around her in her mind, but they began to fade after she did this. She turned away from the pair, heading down the hallway with Universe and Space and the trio simply vanished.
"Star…" the voice faded away.
xxxxxxx
Star found herself leaning against Universe as the memories faded around her. Universe was holding her much like a child that needed consoling, and for a moment in her tear-ridden state, she thought about just staying there and letting Universe block the memories away again.
"You see, Star," Universe wiped the tears away from her friend's eyes and off her cheeks. "You remember now, don't you? It had to be done."
Star held back a sob, and hearing Universe's words brought distraught fury to her. She pushed violently away from Universe, almost running into Space, but avoiding her. She saw Spike circling around her feet again and could hear the low growl in his throat and she caught the Senshi's confusion out of her peripheral vision. The darkness had lifted around them, returning only to the regular darkness of the night.
"You made me do it!" Star snapped, her voice seething. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"What, Star?" Spike demanded, seeing her body shaking.
"It had to be done, Star," Universe explained as if it was no big deal. "If they had been allowed to live, you never would have stayed. You would have just gone back to them and you never would have been truly one with the darkness."
"It did not have to be done!" Star snapped. "They didn't have to die! They just had to forget!"
"But you needed it, too. Without it-" Universe began.
"No! You're wrong! I didn't need to kill them!"
There was a collective gasp of horror from the Senshi. Sailor Moon even screamed her shock, but the scream was brief. No one spoke for a very, very long moment and Star only stared hard at Universe.
"You did, Star," Universe finally said. "There was no other way."
"You're sick!" Jupiter shouted her disgust. "How could you do that?!"
Star wasn't sure who Jupiter was talking to, but it didn't matter.
"You tricked me into believing that what I was going to do to Raye would make him forget. I didn't know it would kill him!" Star growled.
"You wouldn't have killed him if you did, right? See, that's exactly why you needed to do it. Remember, as Dark Senshi, we're out to kill Serenity. Without the taste of death, you never would have even gotten as far as you did. We just didn't expect that Serenity's powers would have an effect on you," Universe continued, her own eyes darkening in anger and irritation.
"Moon Princess Halation!"
Universe and Space jumped out of the way, just in time before the attack hit. When the smoke cleared, they all looked at Sailor Moon, who was shaking with anger and sorrow. She was looking at the ground, her scepter hanging at her side now as she did.
"That's the most horrible thing I've ever heard…" she said, her voice quiet. "How could you do that to your friend?" When neither Space nor Universe answered, she looked at them with a dangerous expression. "Answer me!"
"I don't have to answer the likes of you, Moon Princess," Space retorted before charging forward. "Space Black-"
Space didn't get a change to finish calling out her attack as she was forcefully knocked aside. The Dark Senshi tumbled and rolled along the ground before coming to a halt, and Star now stood where Space had been. A shadow seemed to be hanging over her face. All eyes were on her.
"Star?" Spike questioned carefully, watching as Space shook her head and began to rise to her feet.
He jumped in surprise when Star suddenly whipped around, punching Universe in the face before the girl had the chance to attack her. Universe had been trying to sneak up behind her, but obviously failed. The Dark Senshi fell to the ground with a sound 'oomph' and remained motionless for a moment.
Star looked at the pair of them darkly. "That's enough! I'm putting a stop to this!"
