Head Trip - A Minako Story

Chapter Three: The Amnesiac Princess and her Memories of Doom

"So, where are we going now?"

It seemed like an obvious question to Minako. She'd formed a bizarre trio with her other two selves and now wandered the streets of 'Tokyo' in search of "Princess"; the physical embodiment of her Silver Millennium memories. Sailor V was up front, searching for clues to her location. Her third 'aspect' – Other Minako, though she'd never actually referred to herself as such – was starting to lag behind, whistling cheerfully as she ambled along.

Minako was finally getting used to walking around inside her own head, with one realisation helping more than any other at this point. Even I'm not the Minako I remember being; she's a combination of all three of us. Right now, she doesn't exist…and I'm starting to wonder if she ever will again. I mean, I'm even referring to myself as her now!

That wasn't their only problem. Even if they found Princess, they still had to work out how to recombine them all again. To make matters worse, Goddess was still roaming her subconscious unchecked, and Minako was a little less sure of herself there. Actually coming face-to-face – metaphorically – with her rogue personality had only raised further questions. Her fellow Minakos were adamant she was an evil villainess, scheming to take control of the body – her body – but Minako wasn't so sure. I was all set to abandon Other Me, but I see now what a terrible mistake that would have been. What if we're wrong about Goddess too?

"I'm not sure!" V replied, finally bothering to answer her.

"Well, you took the lead!" Minako called back. "I assumed you had a plan!"

"So, maybe I, uh..." The Senshi turned away, reaching up to fiddle with her mask. "I've never actually been there."

"I know the way," Other Minako chirped idly.

Sailor V ground to a halt; Minako very nearly crashed into her! "Are you saying you knew the way to Princess this whole time…and you didn't say anything?!"

Their relatively carefree double shrugged. "You didn't ask."

"It was implied when we said we were looking for her!"

Minako just shook her head. It was a strange role reversal after their earlier encounter – she, too, had lost her cool with Other Minako – but she understood her a little better now. "You can show us the way, Other Me?"

"Of course!" She bounded across the street to a random, nondescript door – an accounting firm, from the sign – and began knocking in a complex, rhythmic pattern.

V's lips dropped into a frown. "What are you doing now?"

"Whipping us up a little shortcut, silly."

The Senshi remained suspicious. "Just like that?"

"Just like that," Other Minako agreed, with a mischievous wink. "It's easy when you've explored this place like I have. You really should've taken a look around instead of brooding in boring old London!"

"It's not boring!" V protested, as she shuffled her feet uncomfortably. "And I wasn't brooding! I was just…reminiscing! Enjoying the sights!" Her gaze shifted to Minako. "I don't brood…do I?"

She shrugged apologetically. "I don't know, V, I could be a little broody on occasion."

With a final energetic flourish, Other Minako completed her knock and gingerly nudged the door. It opened to reveal a dazzling, golden light. "Done!"

Minako stepped forward, nearly blinded by its brilliance. She squinted as she neared it, peering into its depths. "What is it?"

"You wanted a way to Princess, and now you have one," Other Minako replied, waving her forward. "Come on! Magellan Castle awaits!"

It took all of Minako's will to resist slapping herself across the forehead. "Of course! Where else would we find my Silver Millennium self?"

V joined them, studying the apparent portal with her now-typical mistrust. "And you just happened to find a way there through some random door?"

Other Minako raised an eyebrow. "You're the one constantly reminding us this isn't really Tokyo. All I did was link Minako's memory of Tokyo to her memory of Magellan Castle; through this door. It's easy enough once you know how." A frown followed as she looked V up and down. "I don't remember us being this suspicious when we were you in the real world."

"That's true," Minako agreed, studying V thoughtfully. "First Usagi, now Other Me. Is it suspicion, or do you – I – just really hate following other people?"

The Senshi opened her mouth as if to respond, then thought better of it.

I finally got one up on V, Minako cheered silently. Sure, I technically just beat myself in an argument, but I'll take the win!

Tired of waiting, Other Minako skipped through the portal without another word. A moment passed before V followed, then finally Minako. Tokyo vanished around her…

…replaced by a wide, gleaming corridor made of gold and other precious metals. I don't remember it looking like this, she thought, staring at it in wide-eyed wonder, but it's beautiful. Was this really my home?

"Welcome to Magellan Castle!" Other Minako cooed, spinning in a pirouette. "Isn't it gorgeous?"

"It's certainly something," V agreed, almost matching her for enthusiasm. "Wow…"

Every surface glimmered with reflected light. The floors were tiled with marble or something similar; gold sconces adorned the walls, casting the room in magical light of amber and amethyst. This must have cost a fortune to build, Minako thought idly. Of course, we were royalty. I guess we could afford it.

Other Minako guessed at her thought process. "Don't get too excited. This is like…twenty percent real. The rest is your mind using your imagination and expectations to fill in the blanks."

Minako blinked slowly, incredulous. "When did you suddenly get so smart?"

"Right," V added, actually removing her mask to signal her disbelief. "No offense."

"I'm not stupid," their double protested, glaring back at them. "Just lazy. There's a difference!" That led to an emphatic stomp of her foot as V and Minako continued their stares. "There is!"

Her gripes were lost on Minako. The corridor beckoned, seeming to stretch on forever. Her curiosity only grew as she wandered forward. "I've always wondered why I can't remember more about my life in the Silver Millennium. None of us can though, really. Rei, Ami, Mako; Usagi remembers more than the rest of us, but even she's missing big chunks of it all..."

"Well…" Other Minako traced her fingertips across the wall as she joined her. "I can't speak for them, but you have a massive wall around most of it."

Minako's eyes snapped wide open as she stopped in her tracks. "What?"

"Your Silver Millennium memories," her double explained patiently. "I tried exploring them last time I came here, but you've got this massive wall around them. I couldn't get by it. Or over it. Whatever I tried."

V shot Minako a look of unease. "A massive wall?"

"Yeah," Other Minako said, with a nod. "All I could get to was this little piece of Magellan Castle but, like I said, most of it's not the real deal."

A wall around the memories of my past life, Minako thought. But why? What could cause that? With no answers forthcoming, she shook her head and continued onwards, scanning the corridor for signs of life. A lone door stood out amongst the luster, its faded wooden surface plain by comparison. "Have you ever been in there?"

"Everything's changed since my last visit, and the only door I tried led to an empty room."

Minako nodded faintly and reached for the handle. The door swung open with a drawn out squeak…

The grass was cold and damp, several thicker blades scratching her exposed arms and legs. She tried to sit but failed, falling back to the ground with a hissed exclamation of pain. Both hands flew to her stomach reflexively; she raised them slowly and saw the familiar gloves of Sailor Venus…stained with crimson. Somehow, despite no idea how she'd been wounded, she knew she didn't have long left.

The proud, jutting spires of Moon Castle burned, sending plumes of thick, black smoke streaming into the sky. Only it wasn't just her home away from home; the entire Moon Kingdom was likely ablaze by now. Soon, she too would burn…and she would do so alone…

"Hey. You okay?"

Minako blinked, back in Magellan Castle. She stood in the same doorway, grasping the same handle as she stared into an empty room. "It was so real…"

V's brow furrowed at her response. "Did something happen? Did you see something?"

"I think…" She swallowed past a sudden lump in her throat. "I think I saw my death. My first death."

"This place can be a little creepy," Other Minako observed, glancing about nervously. "Strange sights and sounds, you know?" Her accompanying laugh was anything but genuine as she clapped Minako's shoulder gently. "Well, at least you're used to it, right? How many times have you died now?"

Minako turned wordlessly and continued onwards, completely missing V's withering glare.

"Nice one, airhead!"

"I was just trying to cheer her up!"

Eventually, they came across another door. Minako reached out but hesitated, her fingers hovering just above the simple brass handle.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" V asked, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Her fingers trembled in a moment of indecision, then grasped the handle to push the door open…

It was…a warehouse? No…it was the warehouse. She smiled as Katarina headed for the door, ready to call in another job well done. Now she could see Alan. She'd made up her mind to tell him tonight. Finally, they could-

There. The metallic rattle of something skittering across the concrete floor. She couldn't see it, didn't recognise the sound, but the look on Katarina's face said it all. Get out! Time slowed to a crawl as she dashed towards the door, but it was too late. An explosion erupted behind her, the sheer force of the blast sending her sailing through the air. Searing pain followed as she crashed through a window, but relief too. She was still alive. Alive…but hurt. She needed help. She needed him…and he was here! She dragged herself to the mouth of the alley…and the truth struck her like a slap across her face.

He was here…holding a sobbing Katarina in his arms. She could see it in the way he stroked her back, her hair; how deep into his chest she pressed. Her two closest friends had fallen for one another, and she hadn't even noticed. The naivety melted away in an instant as she realised the truth; he couldn't have been interested in her, not that way. She was just a kid to him. A stupid, little kid…

V pulled her hand back as if she'd been burned. "But you're over him, you have been for years now! Why…?"

Minako stepped away from the door, hugging her own elbows. "This place is really starting to creep me out." After two negative experiences, she was certainly done opening doors. Or so she thought.

"I think I've found her!" Other Minako stood before a large, wooden double door adorned with odd, spiralling glyphs and runes.

"This must be…Ancient Venusian?" Minako brushed her fingers over the wood almost unconsciously, tracing one of the runes around its circular pattern.

"Ha," V scoffed, rolling her eyes for good measure. "It's probably utter nonsense."

"What makes you so certain?" Minako asked, feeling a little defensive.

"Think about it." The Senshi gestured to the door again. "Do you speak Ancient Venusian?"

"No…"

"Do you have the faintest idea what it looks like?"

Minako opened her mouth to retort, but closed it again just as quickly. "No…"

Before V could proclaim herself the victor, Other Minako spoke up. "But Princess might…and if we're seeing what she remembers about Magellan Castle, then it really could be Ancient Venusian." She let that sink in a moment, then blew a raspberry. "Take that, Little Miss Smarty Pants!"

The Senshi's jaw dropped. "I liked you better when you were stupid…"

"Lazy! I keep telling you there's a difference!"

Minako ignored their bickering, pushing the doors open to reveal a circular chamber twenty to thirty feet across with a high, domed ceiling. The far wall was completely open – likely glass – showcasing a breath-taking view of the sparkling amber world below. "Venus…" It was magnificent up close, more beautiful than anything she'd ever seen. Then, she spotted the room's lone occupant; a woman.

She was in her early twenties by appearance, and wore a rippled, pale orange ball gown; the perfect complement for her blue eyes and long, ruffled blonde hair. A pair of long gloves in the same orange adorned her forearms, her only other accessories besides a simple pair of topaz earrings. A faint hint of blush and lipstick coloured her face, the same minimal approach Minako preferred in the present day. It was like looking into a mirror…if that mirror was peering five or six years into the future.

"Oh, wow," she whispered breathlessly. "I'm so beautiful…"

V was the first to join her, cautiously inspecting the room itself before addressing its occupant. "Uh, hello?"

The aspect known as 'Princess' stared back at them, clearly wary. "Who are you?"

Minako popped out around V with a nervous laugh. "Hi! Do you, uh…I hope you recognise us?" With nothing but a raised eyebrow in response, she was forced to improvise. "This is going to sound really strange, but...I'm you."

"Are you?" Princess' voice was far more formal, even regal, than Minako's own. "You certainly seem familiar in appearance, 'tis true…but how could such a thing be?" She gripped her elbows tightly, an immediately familiar gesture. "My, this is most perplexing."

"Uh…?" She's a little hard to understand, Minako thought, plastering a big smile on her face. I'm sure you can actually see the oversized anime-style sweat drop above my head. "You can say that again?"

Other Minako slipped into the room around them and waved. "Hi!"

Princess responded quickly with a warm smile. "Ah, hello! How wonderful to see you again!"

"I've been here before, remember?" Other Minako curtsied briefly to their gown-wearing double as she elaborated. "Princess and I have had a few chats."

Minako's head began spinning again. She turned to V and raised an accusatory finger. "I thought you said you all split off now, just before I got here?"

The Senshi brought a hand to the back of her head and managed an awkward, high-pitched laugh. "I did? I was really just taking an educated guess…"

"A GUESS?! You had me believing you were omnivorous! Er…wait, that's not it. Omnipresent?" With one look at V, Minako knew she'd gotten it wrong twice. "Give me a sec, I'll get there."

V frowned too, staring briefly at the ground before snapping her fingers. "Omniscient?"

"Yeah! That!"

"I never claimed to be," she retorted quickly. "You assumed I was because I knew more than you, but I was honest upfront when I said I still only know as much as you do…"

Princess exchanged a look of bewilderment with Other Minako. "You two are most peculiar. You are aware, I trust?"

V narrowed her eyes. "Did you just call me weird?"

Other Minako motioned for calm. "Like I said, Princess can be a little odd but she means well. She's just a little…flaky." Once again, she sighed sadly as they stared back at her in silence. "Even relative to me."

Princess didn't appear to be offended. "Now, then…what was your name?"

That'd be a good start, she thought, actually embarrassed by her lapse. "Minako."

"Minako." Princess smiled faintly at her name. "You say you are me and, upon initial examination, it must be said you certainly look the part..." Her eyes dipped to Minako's chest and narrowed. "If not a tad…underdeveloped."

She felt her cheeks heat up as she automatically glanced down at Princess' larger 'assets'. Darn it. Karma for making the same joke to V earlier, huh?

"What is it I can do for you?"

Minako cleared her throat, reminding herself to focus. "I, uh…I'm having some sort of breakdown. V says my psycho has fragmented-"

"Psyche," the Senshi muttered, rolling her eyes.

"-and I need to reunite the various pieces to save my mind. You're one of those pieces, representing the life I lived before this one." She glanced at V and received an encouraging V-sign. "We need your help."

"Hmmm…" Princess turned away, studying the swirling clouds of Venus below. "That is quite the tall tale, but it strikes a chord. I have never journeyed beyond the walls of my castle; I know this as fact, yet my mind is filled with sights and sounds, such hints of wonder. Places I have surely never glimpsed…I think…yet I feel I have."

"Well," Minako said, automatically reaching for her hand, "let us show you-" Her vision flashed white as she touched her double, and the castle vanished around her…

A man. A tall man…in armour. He cut as dashing a figure as ever, helmet tucked under his arm as his cape fluttered in the breeze behind him. Yet, his face was unclear. She was so close. If she could only see…

Orange sheets. A large, four poster bed. The scent of soap, and perfume, and…something she wasn't familiar with. A sudden swell of amorous feeling nearly overwhelmed her as she rolled into his arms...

"My goddess…"

Flames! Everything was on fire! The Moon Kingdom burned! Her home burned! And she was…yes. The garden. The same garden she'd seen before. The same grass, cold and damp beneath her…

Magellan Castle flashed back into view. Minako stood in the same position, fingers wrapped around Princess' wrist.

"Minako." Her gown-wearing self barely moved. "Your name is Minako…and you are me. Reborn, yet not. Me…yet, somehow…not."

Minako realised her heart was pounding in her chest. What the heck was that?! Who was…oh. Like a dream or perhaps even a nightmare, the images were already fading from her mind. There was a man. In armour…

"No!" Princess tore her hand free and span away from her. "You are selfish! Conceited! Materialistic and greedy, concerned with nothing but your own petty desires!"

Minako actually flinched like she'd been slapped in the face. "What? No, I-"

"Sailor Venus is a joke to you! You actually resent your duty, failing to see what an amazing gift and honour it truly is!" Princess turned to Other Minako. "And her! You would cast aside such a sweet and simple girl?"

"Yeah." Other Minako dropped her bottom lip in a deep pout. "That's really not the compliment you think it is..."

V stepped forward, making her own attempt to restore order. "Listen to me. Minako may not be-"

"Silence, pretender!" Princess shut her down immediately. "Fraud! Charlatan! You're little more than an uncouth barbarian, sullying the name of true Sailor Senshi everywhere!"

"Uncouth barbarian?!"

Other Minako twirled a finger idly through her hair. "What's a charlatan?"

For her part, Minako was horrified. What's happening? What did she see to make her so mad? Am I that upsetting!? "Just wait! We're all the same person! All of you are pieces of me…which, in a way, means we're all you!"

"Impossible," Princess spat, her vitriol contrasting starkly with her attire. "You walk like a commoner, with no trace of regal bearing or dignity. She-" Her finger pointed accusingly at V, "-slings insults and taunts like some low-born soldier, and she is…" Sympathy flashed across her face as she looked over Other Minako. "…not especially stable."

"Well," she grumbled, "at least you were sort of polite about it…"

"I refuse to entertain this nonsense any longer!" Princess turned her back with a dramatic sniff. "You may look like me, you may sound like me, but you are nothing like me!"

V glared at the back of her head. "Wait just a minute, you puffed up, marshmallow-brained-"

Minako waved her off frantically as an idea began to form. We exchanged memories once already. If I can make it happen again, focus on the positives… "I'll prove I'm telling the truth. I'll prove I'm you, and my dedication as a Sailor Senshi!" She thrust out her hand. "Take it."

Princess huffed snootily. "I see no need for that."

"Fine…" Minako made as if to turn, then lunged forward and seized her arm. "Take a good look! See what Sailor Venus is really like in my time!"

She turned almost fearfully, her stomach churning as the rickety bridge swayed beneath her. Paredri surrounded Pluto, and she could do nothing but watch, horrified, as her friend was beaten again and again. Normally so stoic, so aloof, Pluto's pained cries tore at Venus' heart…and she made her choice. Her heels slammed into the wood as she broke into a run, closing the gap in seconds. Being a leader meant understanding sacrifice, true…but it almost meant watching over those in your charge.

"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" Her attack tore through the enemy ranks, obliterating several of the mirror creatures outright and creating an opening for Pluto. "Come on!"

"What are you doing?" the Guardian of Time demanded. "Why did you come back?"

"You know why," Venus retorted, winking to mask her distress. "Do I seem like the type of person to leave a friend behind?"

Princess struggled in Minako's grasp, trying in vain to pull away. "Let me go!"

"Not until you see!" she snapped. "Not until you understand!"

"Gigaros!"

The Cardian strode towards the school bus, wings unfurling as she smirked. Venus backed up before her, staring down at her right hand in disbelief. Crescent Beam wasn't working. It just wasn't strong enough! What else did she have?!

The children cried out her name, Mie leading the call. Yes…they needed her. With their support, she didn't feel so helpless. Perhaps Crescent Beam wasn't working…but when had that stopped her? All she needed to do was create a new attack, the same way she had in her solo days as Sailor V. Calm, Venus stepped forward and exhaled. She thrust her hands down by her sides, feeling the power of her guardian planet flowing through her. Her hair fluttered in a sudden breeze, lifting into the air…and it came to her at once.

"Crescent Beam…SHOWER!"

Minako grit her teeth, pulling Princess even closer. Her final memory was painful…but she had little choice. "One…more!"

A dull, red glow began spreading out across the ice below Sailor Moon. Venus' eyes snapped open in realisation; her friend didn't see it. None of them did! Without a moment's hesitation, she lunged for Moon and shoved her aside. The vines burst forth a split second later, propelling her into the sky. She struggled in their grasp, fighting to free herself as Sailor Moon bargained…before they dragged her back into the hole.

Terrible pain wracked her body as the youma shocked her again and again. A scream burst from her throat as it overwhelmed her, prompting a throaty chuckle from her tormentor. It brought her right in close, bearing razor-sharp teeth as it prepared to deliver the killing blow…and Venus laughed. She raised her hand, placing her index finger on the gem in its forehead…

"Crescent…BEAM!"

Minako staggered as she withdrew from Princess, landing unceremoniously on her behind. Breathing was difficult after reliving the first death of her present-day life.

Her Silver Millennium counterpart seemed similarly affected, hand clutched to her chest as she tried to straighten up. "Serenity…lives?" She stared down at Minako in wide-eyed wonder. "And you...you saved her!"

V offered Minako a hand, helping her stand. "It's our duty."

"More than that," Other Minako added, "she's our friend."

"And if I had to do it all over again," Minako agreed, with a smile, "I would. Every time."

Princess studied them silently a moment, before finally managing a faint smile of her own. "It would seem, much like you with the sweet and simple one-"

"Oh, now you're just being hurtful, Flakeface!"

"-I may have been hasty in my dismissal of you." She cocked her head to one side, looking over the three Minakos with genuine curiosity. "What was it you said is happening?"

Minako gestured to her fellow aspects and the room around them. "This is all my head. All of it. Yes, I am you, but so are V and Other Minako. We're all pieces of a greater whole." She flashed a smile at Other Minako. "It took me a little while to understand that, but I need you. All of you. Even Princess, er…me?" That was actually a very interesting question. "What was my name when I was you, anyway?"

Princess brightened up considerably. "Oh, well that's…" She trailed off, tapping a finger against her cheek in a very familiar manner. "How odd. I can't quite seem to recall. But I feel like it was a good name. In fact, I'm certain I liked it very much. Probably?"

"I told you she was a flake," Other Minako grumbled, clearly holding a grudge over her earlier 'sweet and simple' comments.

"Regardless," Princess continued, with a polite curtsy, "I am at your service, er…I'm sorry, what is my name in this time again?"

That's some bad memory, alright. "Minako."

"Minako," she echoed, smiling again. "A most agreeable name. Very well, Minako. What shall our first course of action be?"

That was a loaded question for several reasons; Minako fought the urge to rub her aching temples. If V was correct, this was all her doing. Her unconscious mind providing a physical form for the memory of her Silver Millennium self. I'm having a little trouble understanding her, though. Can't she just talk like a normal person?

V folded her arms across her chest, still a little wary of Princess herself. "Yes. What is our first course of action?"

"Well," Minako mused, scratching at her head, "we need to figure out a way to get all of us back into one body. Not literally, but…kind of?" She studied Princess in silence a moment before glancing back to Other Minako. "Hmmm. We sort of merged a little when we hugged…"

Princess recoiled, wide-eyed. "That would be most improper!"

Before Minako could even try to calm her, a familiar, disembodied voice drifted through the room. "I see you found the amnesiac…"

V dropped into a defensive stance, hands raised before her. "Goddess!"

"She won't save you." It was still Minako's voice, but it lacked any hint of friendliness or compassion. "I've seen the void, Minako, and I won't go back. Not again."

"The void?" she asked, confused. "What do you mean? What's-"

The floor cracked under their feet, crumbling away to reveal a deep, impenetrable darkness. Princess tumbled into it with a terrified shriek, followed quickly by Other Minako. V dodged hole after hole in an impressive display of agility, but even she fell at last, plummeting out of sight with a panicked cry. Minako found herself clinging desperately to a small outcropping near the wall, heart pounding with fear not just for herself, but her fellow aspects.

"You actually seem genuinely confused," Goddess noted, fading into existence in the air above her. It was incredibly frustrating to watch her float effortlessly in place. "Perhaps you really don't understand. But you will…"

She snapped her fingers, causing Minako's handhold to break away from the wall. Her fingernails scraped at it in desperation but it was futile; she slipped into the darkness and fell…

AN: There you have it. Another chapter of Head Trip done, and it's even weirder than before! I hope it was clear from the dialogue that Princess isn't actually Princess Mina from Last Guardian Knight. She probably looks much the same, but this is Minako's interpretation of what little memory she has of her. The bloated, olde-timey speech patterns were something I stayed away from when writing my Silver Millennium scenes and it's more about the comedy this time. Her bad memory is also a reference to LGK events; let's see how many of you were paying attention! :P

I'm a little unsure on the final few paragraphs - it seems a little abrupt, perhaps - but I struggled for a way to transition from here to the start of Chapter Four and this seemed like the easiest, least confusing way. Goddess' sudden ability to control the "dream world" will be explained next time out, I promise, and I really hope the banter between our intrepid heroines isn't getting stale. Multiple Minakos just couldn't exist without making fun of each other CONSTANTLY...at least, not in my head, lol. Thanks as always for your continued support and readership! Back with more soon!

Lisseas