Chapter 1: The Beginning
The full moon had risen as I finished putting on my make-up for the next show.
"Mirai, final call, are you ready?" Lynn said, peering into my dressing room.
"Almost." I replied as I glanced in my mirror one last time.
I took a deep breath and stared at the moon. I bowed my head and prayed that someone would come to take me away from here, as I did before every show. Then, I walked to the main ring.
I didn't look the audience directly in the eye. I knew better than that, having been in the circus act for 10 years now. I waited until the ringmaster announced for me to change and then it happened: My moon amulet I'd had since I was born started glowing and thrumming inside my pocket. I saw it and looked to see if anyone else saw it too. There, just outside of the room, were four punkish teens, their eyes glowed phosphorescent. They were focused on me. The ringmaster cleared his throat and repeated his instructions. This time, I listened.
I have the ability to morph into animals, and, for this ability, I am an outcast. I am forced to be in places like circuses to keep from being a science experiment. My parents died when I was little, and since then, the circus has been my family so I did as I was told. I crouched down and morphed into a tigress. I roared and the crowd cheered. I saw the teens with the strange glowing eyes nod to each other and then retreat into the shadows.
When the show was over, I rushed back to my dressing room. I stopped when I got there for my door was opened and someone was standing before me. She had dark hair and two teardrop tattoos under her eye. She also wore the same moon amulet as I did. I supposed that she could have bought hers in the same place as I got mine but I'd never seen anyone with the same amulet as me before.
"You're not allowed back here." I said.
She took a step forward and I took a step back.
"Don't be afraid Mirai. I've been looking for you." She said.
"Who are you and how do you know my name?" I questioned.
It was a stupid question really. My name was famous to circus lovers. Mirai: the great mutant human who could change into animals. That's who I was.
"You aren't a mutant." She said.
I blinked.
"What did you say?" I asked.
"You are a goddess, a daughter of the moon." She replied.
I laughed.
"I think it's time for you to go, crazy lady." I stated and pressed the security button on the wall.
"You are in grave danger. You have to leave this place. They already know you're here." She said.
"Who are they?" I asked.
"The followers of the Atrox." She replied.
She grabbed my hand.
"Please, you must come with me before it's too late." She pulled me out of my dressing room.
I shrugged free from her grip. "No! Get away from me!" I yelled.
Security arrived at that moment and dragged her away. She kept yelling as she was being dragged.
"The followers are strongest during the new moon! Beware the new moons! It's your destiny to fight them!" She yelled.
My best friend, Cherish, came up to me then.
"Any ideas about what she was yelling? I didn't understand a word of it." She said.
"It was something about the followers of the new moon are strong as destiny or something right? I didn't really understand what she meant either." I replied.
"I didn't know you spoke Latin." Cherish's boyfriend, Kekoa, said walking to her side.
"Latin? I thought she was speaking English. I don't know Latin." I replied.
"I only know a few words but that was definitely Latin." He stated.
"But then how do you know what she said?" Cherish asked me.
I shrugged.
"I don't know!" I said with a little too much anger than necessary.
"Geez, don't get all angry with us." Cherish stated.
I sighed.
"I'm sorry. I guess I'm just tired. The shows are over for the night so I'm going home." I said.
I hugged my friends, gathered my things, and headed home. I lived in an apartment by myself in a lower income part of Los Angeles. As I walked down the dark streets, I kept my eyes on the shadows. They seemed to move unnaturally. I heard footsteps behind me. I didn't look though for fear was quickly becoming my dominant emotion. I quickened my pace. The footsteps did also. This time, I did look and there was nothing there.
"Hello?" I called.
No one answered so I turned back and kept walking. When I turned the corner, I heard the footsteps again. I turned instantly and saw a dark shadowy figure dash behind a large tree. I took a step towards the tree, despite my fear.
"Okay, the game is over! Show yourself!" I ordered, though I thought my fear was clear in my voice.
No one came out. I thought I was hallucinating so I turned back around. I bumped into someone then: a tall dark figure in the low light. The moon was hidden behind clouds and trees now so I couldn't see much. The one thing I noticed about the figure was its phosphorescent glowing eyes. The figure grabbed me and I screamed.
Suddenly, the strange woman from earlier came out of no where with another female who looked about my age, holding her hand. She let go and the teenage girl snapped her fingers. Then, I was somewhere different than before. It was like I was teleported because I was suddenly next to the crazy lady. I looked around and saw the teenage girl and the figure- which I'd now found out was one of those punkish kids from before- were fighting a few feet away.
The girl wore the same moon amulet as me and hers was glowing, as mine did, during the show. I looked at mine and the crazy lady's amulets. They were glowing too.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"My name is Jimena. Her name is Mitsuki." She replied.
I looked back at Mitsuki and the kid fighting her. He threw black lightening at her and she blinked. Then, the lightening hit a tree behind her.
"How is she doing that? Dodging every attack?" I asked.
"Mitsuki, like you has a special gift. She can teleport herself and other objects where ever she wishes." Jimena explained.
Suddenly, three more of the kids with glowing eyes emerged from the shadows.
"Um, a little help here please?" Mitsuki said, backing away slowly.
"You want me to fight them?" I asked.
"It is our destiny." She replied.
I sighed.
"Stupid destiny…." I mumbled.
But I gave in to "destiny" for the moment and crouched down, turning into a bobcat. I growled and bared my sharp teeth. I snarled and circled them. Then, I pounced on one and knocked him over. I fought the urge to bite and let my animal instinct take over. The danger to my allies was just one of the reasons. It was also a danger to me. The longer my animal instincts take over, the harder it is for me to come back.
I put all my weight on one paw and stood on his throat, choking him until he passed out. Then I lay down and morphed into a large boa constrictor. I wrapped around another follower tightly and until he passed out too. I could have killed them, but, for some reason, I knew not to. The other two grabbed their friends and dragged them to the shadows, disappearing.
I looked back at Jimena and Mitsuki. I thought I was dreaming. "There's no way this is real." I thought.