Disclaimer: ToL does not belong to me, yadda yadda.

Author's Note: I've always wanted to do a story with Stella, but I was never good with flashbacks or the like. So why not try something new? The Stella here may not be the same person she was when she was alive...since technically, the real Stella is still dead.

Also, I was really hoping to finish the Heat Wave story first, but this one seems more vivid in my mind right now.

--

Chapter 1

Senel and Shirley stood in the front yard of Senel's house, both breathing heavily.

"Are you tired, Shirley?" Senel asked. "We can stop if you want."

"No...I'm fine," Shirley insisted. "Let's keep going, Senel. I don't want to give up until I get this right."

"All right, here goes. Are you ready?"

"Ready."

"Rahh!" Senel roared as he pounced on Shirley, attempting to strangle her. Shirley wrestled hard aginst his hold.

"C'mon, Shirley...just like I showed you..." Senel grunted. "Put your foot...on my knee...and then..."

In her struggles, Shirley lifted her right foot, planting it on Senel's knee. But as she lifted herself up, her foot flipped, and she collapsed to the ground, pulling Senel down with her. Shirley hit the ground on her back, while Senel fell across her body. They both remained there for a moment to catch their breath.

Moses and Norma walked down the street, catching Senel and Shirley in their awkward position.

"Eeuw, in the front yard!" Norma squealed. "Of all places!"

"Y'all got it goin' on, don'tcha?" Moses grinned.

"You idiots..." Senel growled as he and Shirley pulled themselves to their feet. "It's not like that."

"Then what is it?" Norma asked.

"I'm trying to teach Shirley this self-defense move, but she's having trouble with it."

"I'll get it right someday," Shirley added. "I swear I'll get it right."

"Moses, come here," Senel said.

Moses moved in front of him. "What's up, Senel?"

"I want you to strangle me."

Moses raised an eye. "What for?"

"Just do it."

Moses shrugged. "If ya say so. Ahh!"

The bandit rushed in and began to strangle Senel.

"Now...watch closely, Shirley!" Senel called out.

He planted his right foot on Moses' knee, then lifted himself up, kicking the bandit in the face with his left foot.

"Gahh!" Moses cried out as he fell to the ground, while Senel landed on his feet. "What in the hell was that for!?"

"I told you, I'm trying to teach Shirley this move," Senel told him.

"Okay, Senel, let's try it one more time," Shirley said.

"Okay, you ready? Ha!"

Senel lunged again, grabbing Shirley violently. Shirley once again struggled, attempting to perform the move.

"Go, Shirl, go!" Norma cheered. "Sock it to him, sock it to him!"

"Yeehaw!" Moses cheered as well.

This time, however, Shirley missed Senel's leg entirely, causing her to lose her balance, and they both fell to the ground again.

"Well, that's one way of doing it..." Norma remarked.

Senel and Shirley stood up with a sigh.

"Shirley...we'll have to practice again later," Senel said. "I'm wiped out."

"Me, too," Shirley admitted. "I'll see you later. Thanks for teaching me that move, Senel. I know I'll get it right someday."

They parted ways, walking down the road in opposite directions. Norma and Moses shrugged, and then parted ways as well.

Senel followed the path all the way to the western part of the city, where Stella's final resting place was located. Upon arriving there, all he noticed was the large gaping hole right in front of Stella's tombstone.

"Stella!?" Senel peeked into the hole, only to find it completely empty. He then hopped down into the grave, and began to dig into the dirt with his hands.

"This can't be happening!" he cried out. "STELLAAAAAA!!"

He continued to dig into the grave, hoping that Stella's coffin was still in there somewhere. But he was making very little progress.

"Senny!" Norma's voice called from above.

Senel turned around and looked up at her. Norma frowned as she looked down at the Alliance Marine standing in the pit.

"Senny, what are you doing in there?" she asked.

"I just came to visit Stella's grave," Senel said.

"Look, Senny, I know you miss her, but you didn't have to dig up her grave."

"I didn't do it! It was already dug up when I got here!"

"Really? Is she still in there?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out," Senel said as he dug through the dirt again.

Norma scratched her head. "That's a silly answer. Of course she's still in there. She's still dead, right?"

Senel stood up straight again. "Well...yeah, but...someone must have dug up her body. Who would do something like this!? And why!?"

Norma shrugged. "Got me."

"Senel," a deep, familiar voice called.

Senel looked up to see the other party members gathering around Norma.

"What the hell!?" Moses exclaimed upon seeing the empty grave. "Senel, what're ya doin' in your girlfriend's grave?"

Shirley moved around, kneeling down beside the hole. "Stella's gone. Did someone take her?"

"They must have," Senel told her, as he began to dig with his fingers again. "She's not in here!"

"Senel, perhaps a shovel would be more effective," Jay said.

Senel turned to face him, narrowing his eyes. "Yeah, perhaps..."

Norma looked around at the group. "Hey Teach...why are you guys here?"

"I just received a letter from Maurits," Will said. "He wants to talk to us at the Ferines village."

Senel looked up at the sky, which was turning dark. "Now? It's kind of late."

"It's only a short meeting," Will told him. "It shouldn't take too long. By the way, why are you here, Norma?"

"Well, I came here because I heard Senny scream," Norma said.

"I didn't scream," Senel protested.

"Yeah, you did. You said, 'STELLAAAAAA!!"

"You sure love to scream that gal's name, don't cha?" Moses asked.

"But that was...I was just..." Senel stammered.

"Ha ha ha!" Moses let out his usual goofy laugh. "I love it when ya blush."

"Moses! Don't make me pound you!"

"Here." Jay reached out towards Senel. "Let me help you out of there, and you can pound him all you like."

"Hmph! Oh yeah!?" Moses gave Jay a rough shove, knocking him down into the grave. "That'll teach ya, ya punk!"

"That's enough," Will said. "Let's hurry to the Ferines village before it gets any later."

Jay pulled out his dagger and jammed it into the grave's walls, then used it to climb out. Senel followed, also using the dagger as a step. Once they were out, Jay pulled the dagger from the grave. Afterwards, the group left the graveyard.

--

The party took the duct to the Ferines village. They watched the sky as they entered; the moon illuminated the village with its brilliant glow.

Thyra came out of her house and approached the group. "Merines...what are you all doing here so late?"

"Well...Maurits called for us," Shirley said. "Don't you know?"

"No...no one told me."

"Oh, Shirley!" Maurits called as he emerged from his meeting room. "I truly appreciate you all coming out at this hour on such short notice."

"So, to what do we owe this honor?" Will asked.

"Come in and makes yourselves comfortable, and I'll explain."

The party exchanged nervous glances as they followed Maurits into the meeting room. They all sat around the table, while Maurits sat in the center. Thyra followed the party, moving to stand beside Maurits.

"So, what is it, Maurits?" Senel asked.

"We've received numerous reports today," Maurits explained, "that a mysterious spacecraft has landed at the Ruins of Frozen Light."

Everyone's eyes widened.

"A spacecraft?" Moses asked. "Ya mean like a flyin' saucer?"

"Something like that," Maurits said. "I don't know what it looks like, as I haven't seen it with my own eyes."

"A spacecraft..." Thyra muttered. "Is that dangerous?"

"We don't know that yet. We don't even know if there is any life on board."

"There has to be life on board," Jay said. "Someone...or something must have landed that spacecraft. It sure can't land on its own."

"And I assume you want us to investigate?" Will asked.

"That's correct," Maurits told him, "but you don't have to do it right now. You can wait until morning if you wish."

"Yes...we'll do that. Thank you."

"I wonder if that has anything to do with Stella's body missing?" Norma said out of nowhere.

Maurits gave her a look. "Stella's body is missing?"

"Yeah..." Senel lowered his head. "We found her grave dug up this evening, right before we got your message."

"Why would you think that the spacecraft has something to do with it?" Chloe asked.

"Oh, I don't know..." Norma said. "Maybe it's just like that time when Stella was in tune with the Legacy? Maybe she's in tune with that spacecraft now."

"That's ridiculous!" Senel snapped. "Stella was alive back then! There's no way she can be in tune with anything right now!"

"Well...maybe whatever's on that spacecraft wants to use Stella's body to take over the world?"

"Why the hell would they do that!?"

"I don't know! Chill out, Senny!"

"Yeah, Senel, take a chill pill," Moses added.

Will let out an exasperated sigh. "All right, everyone. We'll head for the Ruins of Frozen Light in the morning. Right now, let's go home and get some sleep."