"Hockey Night in Tokyo" By Lucas Bates Part 1 Copyright 1996 Based on the show by Naoko Takeuchi. This story may not be altered without permission. It may be distributed freely, provided it is not being charged for, and no changes are made. [Author's note: This takes place shortly after the episode "Last Resort".] -**- "Queen Beryl," Malachite said, approaching the Queen of the Negaverse, "after researching more on the times of the Silver Millenium, I have discovered that Sailor Venus was a great lover of the game known to humans today as hockey. I have reason to believe that if we advertise a game to be played, and offer a contest to win free seats, we might be able to attract the Sailor Scouts and trap them." Queen Beryl looked up at him. "Are you sure, Malachite? After so many failures from doing similar things, I'm not sure we can take the risk of letting you attempt another trap. Suppose the Scouts are not able to remember the times of the Silver Millenium." "It *will* work this time, my queen." He answered. "It had better, Malachite." She said. "Or else you might end up like one of your predecessors- Jadeite, Neflyte or Zoisite." Malachite visibly flinched at the mention of Zoisite's name. He saluted Beryl, and disappeared. -**- Malachite picked up the picture of him and Zoisite. "I will get those scouts for you, Zoisite. This time, I'll have a whole team of henchmen to get them!" Malachite heard a snickering behind him, and turned to find Prince Darian there. "Malachite, I can't believe you're trying this again. You've failed miserably each time you've attempted to get the Silver Crystal!" "Only from your interference, human!" Darian shook his head. "I don't agree with your methods, Bleach Head. Why not go yourself, and take it from them, instead of using humans? I think that's a sign of a weak man." Malachite scowled at Darian. Darian stood his ground, and resumed the taunting. "So if you fail this time, what next? Commandeer an army? A nation? And what about those figure skaters? This plan is too similar to that one. The Sailor Scouts will see right through it, I'm sure." "I don't recall you ever trying hard enough to get that crystal. You show up, interfere with my plans, and ruin any chance of retrieving it. Stay out of this." "I can't do that, Malachite. We're both under orders to retrieve that crystal- and I intend to carry out those orders. Now, if you'll excuse me..." Darian turned and vanished. Malachite scowled after him. -**- "Yes, yes, yes!! Go!!! Come on, go!! He shoots! He scores! Yes!" Mina was jumping up and down. Her team had just scored the goal which would win the game. Artemis looked at her from the couch where he was sleeping, and asked, "What are you watching, Mina?" He yawned, still tired. She looked back at him. "Hockey, of course. This is one of the championship games. The Maple Leafs are winning!" She said, grinning. Artemis considered something. He knew Sailor Venus had once tried to organize a hockey team back on the moon, but it was just before the Negaverse attack, so her plans didn't really go far. He was beginning to wonder if Mina was starting to remember a little about her past. Mina turned back to the hockey game, and cheered the Leafs on. Artemis figured he wasn't going to get much more sleep there, and left to go see Luna. -**- "How long has she had an interest in this, Artemis?" Luna asked him. "Well, her interest made itself more pronounced after we met up, and she discovered she was a Sailor Scout, but I think she's liked hockey all her life." Luna sat down. "Could it be that some of them are starting to remember life on the Moon? I mean, a few days ago, Serena really took an interest in figure skating..." Artemis made a shrug-like gesture. "Maybe. Let's go back over to her, and maybe bring Serena along too." Luna stepped into Serena's room. She was sitting on her bed, looking out the window. Luna heard the soft tune of Serena's star locket. "Serena?" Luna hated to interrupt her. She was probably thinking about Darian. Serena kept staring out the window. "Hmm?" "I was wondering if you'd like to go visit Mina. Artemis and I think she may be gaining some of her old memories back." Serena got up, and suddenly became her normal self, for she tripped over a shoe on the floor. Her head poked up over her bed and said, "Sure." -**- When Luna, Artemis, and Serena went over to Mina's house, she was pretty much where Artemis had left her. Still glued to the TV, but watching a different game. "Go, go, go!! Not *that* way! Turn around! Come on, do it for me! Breakaway! Yes! Score, please score!" "Uh, Mina?" Serena asked, trying to get her attention. Mina suddenly became aware that 3 other people were watching her. She blushed. "Um, yes?" "Are you feeling all right?" Serena asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm fine. I'm watching another game. The Canucks are beating the Kings to a pulp." She turned back to the game, and apparently forgot they were there. The game cut to commercials. "Aw, not more commercials!" Mina whined. Suddenly, something got her attention. "Whoa, way cool!" She gasped. The commercial was advertising an exhibition game between the Maple Leafs (Mina's favorite team, hands down), and the Wolves, a local hockey team. ~If you go to the mall, you can win tickets to go to this game, with as many of your friends as you want!~ The voice was saying. ~Hurry, for this contest won't be running long!~ Mina's eyes widened in shock. "I don't believe it! They're coming here, and I can get a chance to see them! Ooh! Come on, Serena, let's go now!" Mina grabbed Serena's arm and dragged her out the door. Halfway down the street, they met up with Lita, Amy, and Raye, who were coming to see Mina. Mina told them all about the contest in one breath, and started dragging them along too. -**- "Please? Come on, would each of you mind trying it? It means a lot to me..." Mina was asking, pulling a sweet, innocent look. "Hey Raye, why don't you use that little trick of yours? You know, the one you used to win the tickets for that cruise a couple of months ago?" Serena asked. Raye turned and glared at her. "Are you accusing me of cheating, Meatball Head?" Serena started waving her hands madly in front of her, hoping to keep Raye away, and shook her head at the same time. "Uhh, no! Of course not, umm... I was just thinking that you had good luck! Yeah, that's it!" "Come on, Amy, try it!" Mina said. "I don't see why I have to do it. I'm not that interested in hockey. It's too violent." Amy said, obviously trying to get out of it. "Oh, come on Amy, give it a go. It looks like fun. Here, I'll go first." Lita said, and stepped up to the booth. The man running the booth started explaining how to play. "Under one of these shells is a ball." He gestured to 10 shells in front of him. "I'm going to show you where the ball is. Then, I'm going to move them as fast as I can, and you have to guess which shell the ball's under. Got it?" Lita nodded. "Yep!" The man lifted one of the shells, showing Lita the ball. Then, his hands started flying blindly, moving shells this way and that, and stopping after about 15 seconds. He looked up at Lita and asked, "Well?" Lita scrutinized the shells. She pointed at a shell on the end of the row. "That one." The man lifted the shell, revealing nothing underneath. "Sorry. Better luck next time. Who's next?" Before she could react, Mina shoved Serena in front of the booth. "Come on, Serena, I know you can do it!" She said. Serena looked apprehensively at the shells. The man asked if she was ready. "I guess so..." Serena said. He lifted up one shell, revealing the ball. Again, his hands started moving faster than anyone could see. Serena tried to keep up, but lost track after the first second. She started crying. "Waaaahhh! His hands are moving too fast!!" The man stopped, and looked at Serena. "Well?" Serena kept crying. Raye came up behind her. "Oh, Serena, just pick one!" Serena stopped wailing, and looked at the shells. She pointed at one. The man lifted it up, and said, "Try again sometime." Mina decided she was going to try now. The man went through the procedure, and started. When he was done, Mina triumphantly pointed at the shell at her far right. "It's in that one!" The man moved his hand over the shell, picked it up, and... The ball was there. Mina started jumping up and down. "Yes! I won! We're going to the hockey game, guys!" -**- [Continued in Part 2]