MoonDragon: We've had so many snow days this month, heh heh. Today is one too, but I'm sad they're always on gold days. I love gold days, there's never really anything I have to do. On black days I've got biology and gym, which sucks, heh heh. We're going to have to make up about five gold days by the end of the year, that won't be fun.

Unspoken Memories

Chapter 4

The youma stood slouching as its claw came barreling down into the grass slicing into the dirt engraving the Earth. A waterfall of drool cascaded from its upturned lips dribbling down its chest as it chuckled. It gurgled unable to form real speech as it swayed back and forth not sure of its next move. Coal black eyes darted across the area identifying only two figures and charged at them again. More specifically it targeted the female.

Minako gulped and felt the compelling urge to step out into the battlefield. It wasn't the feeling she was expecting seeing her first youma that wasn't in a newspaper or on the news. She always assumed to when this moment would come her first instinct would be to dash away the second it came into sight. It wasn't like that, she wanted to stay. She wanted to fight.

Minako wasn't like Makoto who loved to get into squabbles. In fact, she did what she could to avoid violence. Sure, she's slapped a couple of perverted guys and maybe threw some punches in her life, but it was never like she wanted to fight before like she did right now. There were people in trouble, in a position where they could be killed, and she wanted to prevent it. She had to take charge.

To her sides the girls were all looking onwards, nobody made a move to get up from their spot. They weren't running away, but Minako couldn't tell if they felt the same feeling she did. A feeling that tugged on her so violently she might find herself leaping at the youma in the next few seconds. Makoto was the first to move, gingerly picked up a stray rock lying on the ground and quietly got out of the bush which was unlike her brash personality. Usually she would just charge up, throw caution to the wind, and fire with reckless abandonment. The brunette was engaging in a sneak attack. Minako gave the others a look and saw the determined gleam in their eyes and knew their thoughts were the same as hers and Makoto's.

She had to admit she was surprised to see that Ami felt the same way. Kind, gentle, and intelligent Ami wanted to battle a monster that could very well slice through her without even thinking about it. Quickly forming a plan in her mind, Ami relayed her idea to her friends who eagerly accepted it and made preparation to put it into action. Minako smiled; they were all ready to fight. At least until Sailor Moon arrived, which she always did without fail. For now, they had to protect Usagi and that mystery man cradling her in his arms.

Minako winced clutching her head just before setting out. Seeing those two ahead of her like that seemed so familiar. Her vision blurred until it appeared that the man was wearing a tuxedo with a flowing cape holding the older version of Sailor Moon when she still sported her red, white, and blue uniform. The blond blinked trying to keep it together and Usagi and the man came back into place with no alterations. Something was clicking in the back of her mind, but she couldn't tell what it was. A sensation bubbled up and was beginning to resurface after being at the bottom of the sea of her mind for a long time.

Makoto dived into the field first and launched the projectile at the demon's head. Smacking in its eye the youma thrashed back its head holding the injured area gurgling and spouting saliva. Rei came into play and she and Ami distracted the youma by hurtling pebbles and twigs. Minako found an opening to get close enough to kick stray dirt temporarily blinding the beast. Minako swept a glance at Ami and saw her with a hint of a smile barely noticeable. Her plan went just like she expected it to. It was strange, like they had done this before, but with much better weapons.

"Girls, get back!" came a masculine voice and Makoto and Rei leaped out of the way as the guy Usagi was with came planting a fist into the youma's gut. Thankfully it wasn't gigantic or massive so the brute force he applied was enough to send it flying a few feet away. When he retracted his fist it was encased in saliva and he made a face which was utter disgust, yet satisfied with the blow. He turned to address them. "Get out of here; I'll hold it off while you all escape!"

Minako shook her head and wondered why she did that. He basically just gave them a free pass to safety and she rejected his offer. That feeling was there again and it demanded that they take care of this problem themselves.

"No way! We can fight!" Makoto declared getting into a fighting stance as the youma was back on its feet. It made no move to come at them since it was still blinded by the dirt and took a moment to regain its vision.

"Sailor Moon should be here soon anyways, we can hold it off until then!" Rei put in. To her side Ami bit the tip of her thumb careful not to chip the nail.

"Will she? We're in the middle of the park and Sailor Moon could be anywhere in the city. She might never find out there's even an attack unless it goes somewhere more public," she fretted thinking about the next move to make. Minako displayed a bright smile with a determined gleam in her irises.

"Then we'll lead it into the city and start a party that she can't ignore," she grinned mischievously. Before they could move to put their new plan into action, as the youma was clawing at its eyes almost able to see again, everyone was halted by Usagi who ran into the middle of the battle field with the most worried and terrified look sewed into her features. She looked so panicked and it startled everyone because it wasn't even the demon that was causing it. She was panicked because of them which was evident by the way her stare fixed on them and not the one spewing spit on itself.

"What are you all doing here?! No, no, no! NONE of you should be anywhere NEAR a youma! Everyone, get out of here NOW!!" she shrieked taking the nearest person by the arms and shaking them violently. It was as if she was afraid of what would happen, not just physically, but something else. Minako's vision was starting to muddle as Usagi didn't release her and kept applying her actions. As she swayed from place to place her vision began to once again drift into a mirage. Instead of seeing Usagi as she was she pictured she saw those two reflectors in her buns and a golden tiara.

Then in the next split second she started to cry and ceased causing Minako head trauma. She then began to plead silently. "Please… please… don't get involved…"

No one knew how to act as she was barely able to hold herself up as her knees seemed to be undergoing an earthquake. Minako's eyes softened not knowing what to do since she was utterly confused. From the corner of her vision she kept tabs on the youma who was ready for another round, but the girls sure weren't. They all knew full well that they only blinded him in a surprise attack. Now that it knew they were there, their only hope was Sailor Moon. As Ami said though, she might not even be aware of the attack.

The youma slurred its speech and licked clean its filthy claws until all traces of dirt were gone. Its black eyes scanned the area until it stared straight ahead at Usagi and Minako targeting one in particular. With more speed than they thought it possessed it took off closing the distance in an instant. The teens and collage student ran to intercept it, but they weren't close enough and couldn't match its speed. Minako had enough time to react and dodge delivering her from safety, but if she did then Usagi would be caught in the crossfire. Protectiveness overcame her as she faced the demon spreading her arms ready to take impact. Nobody was going to hurt her; it was her duty as a soldier.

Nobody would harm her princess.

A sharp pang traveled through her brain mimicking a centipede crawling over every square inch of her knowledge. It's feelers touching everywhere awakening a part of her she had long forgotten. Memories flashed one after another even quicker that how fast the youma was advancing on her. A door unlocked in her mind and she gasped turning her neck to look at Usagi in discovery.

"Serenity…" she whispered as Usagi's eyes widened in disbelief. Seconds before saliva-coated claws came slicing into her skin the golden haired girl shoved Minako out of the way making the teen plummet on her back. She gasped in pain and could tell a bruise was quickly forming. She was quick enough to react by using her palms as support when she crashed keeping Usagi in her vision.

Except it wasn't Usagi that got hurt; it was the man who was with her, who Minako could now recall his name being Mamoru. He had been able to make it by sprinting with everything he had and took the hit for her. The youma made a clean sweep into his chest as the dark haired man countered with a kick which again had sent him back. Rei, Makoto, and Ami did everything they could to keep it away so Minako could check on the injured asking every few seconds 'where was Sailor Moon?' Minako knew where she was though; right in front of her balling her eyes out in despair.

Usagi grabbed hold of Mamoru as he swayed backwards clutching his new wound as his blood splattered on both of them. She shouted his name and embraced him to her as close as she could without causing him stress. Her tears mixed in with the crimson liquid and he managed the strength to smile up at her.

"I'm glad… you're all right," he whispered coughing violently enough to make her cringe from just the sound. Or maybe it was the sight; it could've been either one. "You're always… getting into trouble, Odango… Atama…" His words faded when his eyes closed concealing his midnight blue orbs. His breathing became harsh as his body twitched under her gentle touch and started to sweat. Usagi shrieked loud enough Minako was sure the entire park, if not the city, heard her. She kept chanting 'why does this keep happening?' over and over again before placing her hand over his chest levitating an inch above his gash.

"Moon Healing Escalation," she whispered and a glow appeared from her palm. A pale, silver light eclipsed his torso pulling upon his skin, creating new layers, and stitched them together enough to stop the bleeding and get him out of the terminal phase. If this had happened an hour ago Minako would've been amazed, but now she could recall seeing it countless times before.

Mamoru's harsh breathing ceased as his head lied in Usagi's lap contently. She gave him a fond look with final tears slipping down her chin. From behind her Minako spotted Artemis and Luna sneaking up on her. She had been wondering what they had been doing up until now. She hadn't caught sight of them ever since the youma attack, and now she knew why.

With their tails they each touched Usagi and were bathed in silver light. As it washed over their bodies the golden patches covering their foreheads peeled away and fell weightlessly down to the ground forgotten. In its place on both of them were two crescent moon spots. Luna ran around to face Usagi with a stern look over her face.

"Usagi, you couldn't possibly know how worried Artemis and I have been over you for the last two years. TWO whole years!" she seethed glaring with her a touch of relief in her eyes. Usagi smiled and laughed replying that she had her reasons which started in a fight between the two. Not just Luna, Minako wanted to know why she never called for help too. Artemis jumped in between them.

"Can't you two argue after the youma is taken care of?!" he inquired nodding his head in its direction. Currently Rei had just been slammed into the ground passing out along with the other two leaving the monster to target Usagi again. The blond-silver haired girl gently placed Mamoru on the ground and stroked his bangs lovingly before standing up. Sighing, without any more hesitation, she placed her hand over her heart with a focused look.

"There's nothing to hide anymore. Minako-chan remembers everything, and now Luna and Artemis can talk again." Clutching where her heart should be she said, "Celestial Moon Crystal Power!"

Minako gazed on as Usagi's clothes were encased in red ribbons stripping her of her garments but concealing her body at the same time. As they flowed in the air the ribbons dispersed making way for the new form of Sailor Moon's apparel. It was different since she had last seen it.

The tiara was gone and on her forehead for display shone her crescent moon mark; the proof of her royalty. Her hair and eyes took on more silver than before, but the golden sheen and the blue flecks in her eyes still shone through. Everything that used to be white and red, which was most of her outfit along with her gloves, boots, and the ribbon tied around her neck, was now a sparkling silver color. The blue parts had been switched to an equally dazzling gold. Minako's mouth dropped an inch in amazement and wonder.

The youma charged at Sailor Moon but crashed into some unseen force. If the blond squinted she could see the light from the sun reflecting off a golden barrier that surrounded her princess. She wondered when she picked up that little trick, and it was then that she realized something.

For two years… two whole years… Sailor Moon, one of her best friends, Tsukino Usagi, had been alone. Fighting alone. She had to do everything by herself without the help of anyone. Who knew what could've happened during all that time. After the fight with Queen Beryl everything about Usagi and her adventures as Sailor Venus just pointed to a blank spot. 'What happened? Why did I… why did we all forget? And if Usagi was the only one with her memory, why didn't she tell us anything and avoid us like she was doing?'

Luna and Artemis stepped back as Usagi placed her hand in front of herself with her pointer finger extended and the others curled into her palm. Facing the monster her arm was parallel to the ground. She threw a glance at Makoto, Ami, and Rei and glared at the youma trying to fight its way through the barrier. Light particles in white and gold arrays gathered to the tip of her finger and she whispered the name of the attack into the sky.

"Star Slayer!" Quick as a shooting star it blasted off like a gunshot straight into the youma's heart. The white-gold light extended from her finger and sniped into its chest connecting the two. It gurgled and spewed an unbelievable amount of saliva as she raised her arm taking the monster up with it. As it was thrashing and trying to escape from the light Usagi retracted her arm so now nothing was holding it up anymore. Just as it was about to fall she used the spear-like light and slashed through him again and again and again until it was in an unrecognizable mess shredded into pieces.

Minako looked on in wonder. This kind of power was nothing like the original Sailor Moon had. The amount of energy she had in that small beam of starlight was probably more than hers and the other girl's power all combined when they transformed. She wasn't even sweating from that stunt she pulled off.

"Sailor Moon!" Minako called out grabbing her attention. The smoking remains of the youma were rapidly turning into dust as it flew away with the wind and disappeared. She saw the silver and gold warrior turn her way with her hand scratching the back of her head embarrassedly. Luna and Artemis called out her name too clearly wanting answers as well. Usagi remained in her sailor form and didn't revert back looking at her former comrades. She hesitated, then began to laugh nervously and offered a sheepish smile. Despite the event that just took place Minako found herself smiling back. It had been so long since she had seen her friend smile. She just wished the others were awake to see it as well.

"Looks like you all remember…" Usagi said still laughing at her misfortune. Minako and the two felines hoped she was ready to be hammered down with tons of questions