Orion Saga
Part 1
Quest for the Orbs
Chapter 24: Secret Memories
The blank screen of the television reflects the figure of the girl on the couch. Zentora stares at its black screen, her thoughts racing. Is it true? Her dreams have been coming in more often and more graphic. Yet this latest one was a mystery. Why would her guardians keep anything from her?
'Maybe there is something about myself that I don't know. Maybe Samaru is right. But why won't they tell me? Why can't I remember? And why does it hurt so much when I try?'
Zentora is startled by pressure on her shoulder. She turns to see Sirius climbing onto the couch. "Where…?"
"We were in Nyumi's room."
Pup looks at his charge. 'We thought it best to let you sleep. You seemed drained. I think this mission is getting to you.'
Zentora nods. "Maybe you're right. But I think that we should talk."
Sirius looks at her with concern growing in the bright green eyes. "Is anything wrong?"
"I don't know." Zentora admits this with frustration. She turns to both of her guardians pointedly. "Are you guys telling me everything?"
'What do you mean?'
"As a sailor scout, I'm starting to realize that there are some things that I don't know. Some of those things are about myself and that bothers me. I don't know if it's my mission or my character, but-"
Pup looks at her and his hazel eyes soften. 'But what?'
"How can Samaru claim to know more about me than I do about myself? What am I supposed to do when I have all the orbs? What are these dreams trying to tell me and why can't I remember any of it?"
The two guardians look at each other in silence. Pup nods and turns to Zentora. 'I don't know. But it is true that Sirius and I haven't told you everything.'
"Why?"
'You're going to have to trust us on this. There are a lot of things that you don't seem to remember. But some of them are dangerous things.'
Sirius nods. "Our intent is to protect you. But if you've already talked to Samaru, then maybe we should explain. He is here to find his lost fiancé. Our Queen, Queen Auria sent us to find the orbs and we found you. You are the only one who can use them aside from our enemy."
"And who is that?"
"Queen Andromeda. She and her minions are the ones who have been fighting you to obtain them. The dream you've been having about the orbs is a warning."
"But who is the girl in my dream?"
The two of them look at her. Pup focuses his thoughts to Sirius. 'The girl in her dream?'
'Yes, Pup. The one in the cage. She was the one with the orbs. The one who destroyed the stars. I think that it may have been Zentora. The Star Force…she hasn't been told yet.'
'Should we even dare to tell her now? It would only make her worry. With a power like that…'
'We've kept it from her long enough. It's time she knew everything.'
'It's too soon, Sirius. I won't tell her.'
"Then when?"
Pup glares at the cat. Having spoken aloud, she has drawn Zentora's attention. "What are you two keeping from me?"
'Nothing. Maybe you should go to your room while Sirius and I talk privately.'
Zentora stands and looks at them. "What's going on?"
Pup only shakes his head. 'It's something we need to discuss alone.'
Zentora looks at him once more before going to her room.
¨~¨~¨~¨
Sirius looks up when she hears Zentora at the hall closet. "Where are you going?"
"Out."
Pup watches his mistress as she bends to put on her shoes. Sirius runs over to her and begins pawing at the laces. "Zentora, wait."
'Let her go, Sirius.'
The girl looks up at the sound of the dog's voice. "Yeah. I think you maybe you two should go on with whatever it is you were planning to talk about."
Sirius watches her leave the apartment before turning to Pup. "Why? Why didn't you just tell her who she is? We can't keep it from her forever. Do you understand what's happening to her now? She's beginning to remember her past. I admit that I don't understand how she could forget us, but whatever is happening is happening for a reason. When she retrieves that final orb, she's going to need to know what to do with them all. You and I both know that the girl in her dreams is her."
Pup is silent as Sirius goes on. "What do you think is going to happen if we don't at least tell her that much? Are you willing to risk that?"
'We have to do whatever we can to keep her safe. You know that.'
Sirius places both of her dainty paws on one of his. "I know Pup. But if we don't tell her the truth, then she won't be safe. She'll be a danger to herself and everyone else. We have to tell her about that power."
Pup closes his eyes as he listens. "We don't have to tell her everything now, but we should at least tell her that. She's entrusting us with her well-being. We can't let her down."
'You're right. But even with her memories, maybe it would be safer if she didn't know right away. We don't know what it is that she doesn't remember.'
"No, we don't. But it's our job to makes sure that she does if it will help her to stay safe."
'Very well then, Sirius. We'll tell her of the Star Force when she gets back.'
"What about the Star Kingdom?"
Pup gives her a reluctant glance. 'I can't believe this has all escalated so quickly.'
"Neither can I."
¨~¨~¨~¨
'Maybe I am who they say. There's obviously something they don't want me to know. Why would my own memories be dangerous?' Zentora walks past the park, noting a sign for the summer festival. A young musician is to play within a couple of days. She stops in front of one of the posters. 'It'd be nice to think about something else for a change.'
¨~¨~¨~¨
"Arigatou." Zentora takes the smoothie and leaves the ice cream shoppe. Silently, she walks through the city with no destination in mind. All she can think of is the dream she'd had the night before. That was the last thing she had expected. 'So Auria is real. But I can barely…Does that mean that my family isn't mine?' Tired, she leans against a tree. 'I don't think I'm ready for any of this.'
"Hey, how are you?"
The girl glances up to see Haruka approaching. "Um…hi. I'm fine. I was just thinking."
"Oh." She stands there with her hands in her pockets. "Sounds like you need to talk about it."
Zentora tosses her cup into a nearby trashcan. Turning her eyes back to the tall racer, she tiptoes around the real subject. "Do you ever wonder if people are keeping anything from you?"
A silent gaze is her answer. "Why?"
The purple bangs fall over her eyes as she shakes her head. "It's just that lately… Well, since I've become a sailor senshi I've dealing with a lot of stuff. Strange dreams…"
Haruka nods.
"You've been in some."
"Me."
She nods silently as she remembers the visions. "We're somewhere far away. I keep dreaming of another life…one that I don't remember."
"Odds are, those dreams are memories."
"I think so too, at least now. But it would explain a lot."
"Like what?"
"About you and Michiru-san. Since I met you it's like-"
"Like we remind you of something. Like three of us have all been friends before."
Zentora nods.
"I've felt the same way about you."
"Is that why you kissed me?"
Haruka closes her eyes with a wry grin as she remembers. "Partly."
Zentora looks away blushing. "Samaru's been in them too. He knew about everything. But I never told him."
"Samaru?" She thinks of Zentora's boyfriend. "What does he have to do with any of this?"
"He's Star Chaser."
The blue gray eyes narrow. "Alright. Is he the one you're talking about? The one keeping something from you?"
"No. If anything he's the one forcing me to remember." She thinks to herself. 'Whenever he talks to me, I feel as though my head is being flooded. The things he wants me to see…they trigger the dreams.' She looks up to see Haruka looking at her.
"Then who?"
"My guardians."
