A/N- I'd just like to say before I start that I know next to nothing about the birth of fireflies, and any inaccuracies here are for the sake of plot enhancement. If you would like to get a lesson on firefly biology, I suggest you look elsewhere. That being said, enjoy!

Manot waited with bated breath as he caught sight of a slight movement in his only surviving egg. He had previously been the proud father of eighteen, but after a horrible accident involving a low-flying egret, they had all tumbled into the waters of the bayou. His own dear wife, Madeleine, had dived into the water to retrieve them, and was able to toss one ashore, but after going straight back into the water after the others, Madeleine had drowned with her children.

Now, three weeks later, that egg was ready to hatch, and Manot could only hope that its plunge hadn't caused the child within it any harm. This child was, after all, all that Manot had left. He anxiously bit his lip as the egg began to crack. Then, all at once, Manot's daughter burst out of the egg.

"My girl," he said, looking down at the tiny firefly with tears in his eyes, "you look just like your mother."

And he was absolutely correct. The girl was a nearly perfect portrait of Madeleine, with her long, spindly legs and her enormous light green eyes. However, despite the memories of his poor, beloved deceased wife, Manot could hardly have been happier. His daughter was alive, beautiful, and as far as he could tell, perfectly healthy. There was only one final thing to be seen: her light.

Gently, Manot turned his child around so that he'd be able to see it clearly. Normally, a newborn firefly's light appeared within a minute after its birth. About an hour had passed, and again, the new father was getting nervous.

"I'm sorry, Manot," his mother said from behind him, making him jump, "but if she hasn't lit up yet, she never will."

Manot breathed a sigh of disappointment. Without a light, was she even a firefly? His daughter was headed for a difficult life.

"Ah, well…" he said, avoiding his mother's gaze, "What should I name her?"

"You could name it after Madeleine," she replied softly, unsure of whether or not the name would strike another chord with her son.

"No," he answered in a near whisper, "she never wanted to name her children after herself. She said it would make them less…individual."

He grimaced. Surely this was not what Madeleine had meant when she had said that her children would be different. She never would have wanted her daughter to go through the rejection and humiliation that now faced her. There was a long, anguished silence.

"Manot," his mother exclaimed suddenly, "do you remember the story I used to tell you when you were a boy?"

"The one about the hungry alligator?" Manot replied, wondering where on earth she was going with this.

"Don't be stupid, Manot!" his mother cried, "the old story."

Manot instantly realized what his mother was talking about, and sent a small smile in her direction.

"Why don't you tell me again, Mama," he said, "my memory's a bit fuzzy."

"Once upon a time," the story began, as most children's stories do, "there was a young firefly who lived in this very bayou. She had everything a little girl could want; she had brains, beauty, the voice of an angel, but-"

"But she was missing one thing," Manot finished for her, "her light."

"That's right! And so the little firefly was very unhappy. And when the heavens saw how unhappy she was, they took her into the sky, and made her into-"

"A star. Thank you, Mama."

"I think you should name your little firefly after that one, Manot."

"So do I," Manot replied in a choked whisper, and he bent down to whisper in his daughter's ear.

"Always remember that you are a brilliant star, Evangeline."

A/N- I know it's a very short chapter, and I apologize, but I believe in being concise when it's necessary. I just wanted to get a bit of a prologue up here. The next chapters will be far longer. Thoughts? Leave them in a review!