It was a rather, gloomy day, when Black Star found out.
He was sparing in the DWMA gardens, pounding into the large oak tree that sat in it's center.
He wasn't thinking about much at the time. Just about how he could improve his form, increase his speed
He heard it from Kid, who came rushing to him after he had found something within his father's secret vault.
"Black Star! Hah… hah- BLACK STAR!"
He whirled around, confusion on his face when Kid came running up to him, looking panicked, and out of breath.
"Yeah? Dude, what's wrong? You look like you ran a marathon," Black Star teased, patting Kid on the back when he stopped in front of him.
But the reaper shook his head, standing up and flashing something in front of his face.
Black Star reeled, Kid shoving a small, solid black, leather bound book with a dragon etched on it's surface into his face.
"...Umm… what is that?" he asked when Kid said nothing.
Kid brought it back towards him, clutching the book tightly and cradling it as if it were a baby.
"This… this is a book written for me. Written by… my mom…" Kid sighed, his eyes falling to the grass.
Black Star winced, knowing how sensitive the topic was. Why Kid had come to him about this, he didn't know. Kid looked a bit upset, rubbing the book's front lovingly, and yet softly all at the same time.
"Oh… well, where'd ya find it?" he asked, not wanting to ask anything too personal. Black Star knew he was a bit on the nosy side with his friends, he was willing to admit that. But he knew his boundaries, and Kid's mother was one of those.
He and the rest of their friends had only found out about Kid's mother, or really, just finding out that she existed, a few weeks ago. On April 1st, just yesterday, Kid had disappeared for the entire day, never even making it to the Gala, where everyone was expecting him. Hell, not even Death showed up.
At first, they were a bit peeved that Kid backed out on them, Liz even yelled at him. But when Kid told them the reason he didn't go, because he had found a piece of his deceased mother's legacy meant for him and only him, they all felt bad about being mad in the first place.
That's when they were taken to the small shrine in the fourth room on the third floor in Gallow's Manor, paying their respects to her, even if they never knew her.
But, Black Star was about to find out that he had in fact met her. And even owed her his life.
"I found it in Dad's vault. This was the thing that distracted me yesterday because I was reading it. It's my mother's story, the WHOLE story. Where she was from, how she became as powerful as she was, how she came to Death City, how she met Dad, everything! But there's something in her story that I think YOU should know," Kid explained, taking a few steps towards Black Star.
Black Star fought the urge to back away, Kid getting up in his bubble.
The reaper looked back and forth, front and behind as if making sure no one was around to hear what he was about to say.
"So… what should I know?" Black Star whispered, taking the hint that this wasn't something that was out in public.
Kid smiled, taking a glance down at the book before looking up to meet Black Star's emerald eyes with his own shining gold.
"Momma… she knew your mother! An ex-member of the Star Clan named Velvet Star!"
Black Star's world came screeching to a halt.
He felt, lightheaded as he replayed the words over and over again.
His mother? The one that was killed along with the rest of the Star Clan? That was… that was what happened, right? So why was Kid telling him not only that apparently, Elphaba knew her, but now, he knew her name!
"Wh-What? Hold on a minute, what do you mean by ex-member?!" he cried, stepping forward anxiously.
Kid backed up a bit, regaining his lost personal space before answering his question.
"I mean… an ex-member. She left the Star Clan after discovering the error of her Clan's ways and joined the DWMA, where she worked as Momma's assistant. She had to go back in the end though… because the Clan starting killing people in order to force her to come back. She was one of the best of the best in their Clan, that's why they wanted her so bad. She actually gave the DWMA it's information as to where and when to strike down the Star Clan. Apparently, she was the first and only Star Clan member, not including you, to realize the error of her ways and made up for it."
Black Star stared at Kid with wide, unbelieving eyes. There was no WAY that could've been true! Both his mother and father were proud members of the Star Clan who paid for their crimes, Sid had said so himself, and he was there!
"That… that's impossible! There's no way my mother… magically became a good person!" Black Star snapped, feeling rather, angry for some reason.
But Kid took that as an offense, holding the book to his chest and glaring at the bluenette.
"Are you trying to say my mother was a liar!?" Kid shouted, tears building in his eyes.
Black Star bit his lip, noticing the tears in his friend's eye and backing down immediately.
He loved messing with friends, getting a good laugh, playing a harmless prank or two, but nothing damaging. One of Black Star's biggest no-no's? Making his friends cry. He's never actually done it, at least intentionally, but he always felt like shit when someone cried because of something he said.
Trying to take Maka's advice into account, he took a deep breath and shook his head.
"N-No, I'm not. I'm sorry if it seemed that way but… but it kind of crushes my whole reality. How was my mother, whom I've never met, much else even HEARD of, was a member of the DWMA and no one told me? Not even Spirit, who kinda found me in the rubble of the Star Clan on accident?" he asked, trying to spell out how he was feeling.
Luckily, Kid understood. He wiped his eyes clean of his tears, but he shook his head.
"Spirit didn't find you. You were given to him. Velvet knew you wouldn't survive in the Star Clan, so when the DWMA showed up the day you were born to destroy the Star Clan, my mother found out that she had been conspiring with a young DWMA student to get you under it's protection. Sid was the one she conspired with, but he was too young to raise you, so you were given to Spirit."
Black Star felt the color drain from his face.
"Your mother set up the exchange for months before the siege. In fact, my mother protected you in order to get you to him safely in the middle of the battle."
Kid gave Black Star a small smile, trying to reassure him.
But Black Star only stood rooted to the ground. His mother… knew Spirit too? And was in secret contact to get him here?
"What… what else do you know about her?" he asked tentatively, feeling himself beginning to shake.
Kid looked down, opening the book and flipping through it's pages. He stopped a little bit before the halfway point, turning the book around.
"This was the chapter where Momma met her. Velvet was friends with someone she was meant to kill, her name is Astoria, another close friend of Mom's and Soul's mother-"
"MY MOTHER TRIED TO KILL SOUL'S MOM!?"
Kid winced when Black Star shouted, staring at the page. Kid shook his head, giving him a reassuring smile.
"D-Don't worry Black Star, it was her that made Velvet realize her errors. But back to what I was saying, Velvet found out she had traveled to Death City with a powerful woman, terrifying even. She went to assassinate her, but Mother quickly subdued her. After Mother brought her into custody, she told her that if she agreed to be her assistant in running the PMUD, she's let her go free. And that's where Velvet told Mom what she was…"
Kid pointed to a single sentence in the pages.
"My name is Velvet Star, Shapeshifter and former member of the Star Clan
Wait… Shapeshifter?
"Sha… a shapeshifter? My mother was a shapeshifter!?" Black Star shouted, re-reading the passage over and over again.
Kid nodded.
"Yes, a Canis shapeshifter. Someone who can turn into dogs, jackals, hyenas, wolves, and other canines like that. That was a big part of who she was, and why she was chosen to be White Star's wife… I think…" Kid pursed his lips in thought, looking down.
Black Star rose his brow, looking up at Kid's confused face.
"What do you mean by, you think?" he asked, watching Kid place the book to his side.
"Well, there's only so much I know about her, which is what my mother wrote about her. The only reason she returned to the Star Clan was because she was forced to. But, that's the extent of what I know… I'm not sure who to ask to know more. My dad only knows as much as my mother knew, so he's no good. I just wanted to tell you, figured you had the right to know that your mother was friend's with mine."
Black Star felt his heart begin to race, his limbs shaking and sweat began to dribble down his face.
His mother was a shapeshifter? A member of the Star Clan who… who just quit? And a member of the DWMA!?
What else about her did he not know?!
"Do you know… anything else? Anything at all?" Black Star asked, feeling desperate for more information.
Kid sighed, shaking his head.
"No, I don't. Like I said, all I know is the things put in here… I'm sorry…" he answered, looking down at his feet.
Black Star grabbed fistfuls of his hair, pulling at the blue locks in anger, confusion, and even to feelings of betrayal.
Everyone, almost everyone knew about his mother and never told him?! Even Spirit, the man who said he "found him" in the rubble. He was handed off to Spirit, by Elphaba no less.
Spirit.
That's who he was going to ask.
"Hey, thanks for telling me Kid. I really appreciate it," Black Star smiled, walking forward to pull the small reaper into a hug.
Kid let out a squeak of confusion at the surprise hug, but he wrapped his arms around Black Star anyway.
"No problem. Tell me what you find out, I'd like to know more about Momma's friend," he asked, giving Black Star a small smile.
The bluenette nodded, patting his shoulder before stomping off out of the clearing and into the gardens.
He was off to find his adoptive father. To get to the bottom of this whole secret, this… this conspiracy!
His own heritage, kept from him.
Why? He didn't understand.
It made him furious.
When he exited the gardens, he pushed his way through the crowds around the academy and made his way to the door. He heard some voices call out "watch it!" or "look where you're going!", but he didn't acknowledge them.
He ripped the door open, entering the building during the class changes.
He himself was supposed to be going to class, his break now over. But he was planning on skipping today anyway, so he focused solely on finding Spirit.
First thing he was gonna do was punch him in the-
"OOF!"
Black Star was so lost in his thoughts that he smacked right into somebody. The person was knocked off their feet, landing on the ground with a thud. Black Star stumbled, but regained his balance quick enough to stay on his feet.
"Oi, can you watch where you're-" Black Star started, glaring down angrily at the stranger. But he stopped when he saw it to be Mifune, slowly working his way back up to his feet.
"Ow… even when you just bump into someone you add power to it…" he mumbled, dusting off his jacket.
Black Star couldn't help but smile, chuckling at the statement.
"Well obviously. A big man like me always makes a statement!" he cheered, putting on his best fake smile.
Mifune stared at him blankly, immediately noticing something was wrong.
Black Star laughed, trying to play it off before Mifune said anything. He made a motion to walk around him and continue to Spirit.
But Mifune seized him by his shoulder, stopping him dead in his tracks.
"...What's wrong?"
Black Star silently swore, biting his lip in anger. He didn't get away quick enough.
"I'm fine," he lied, jerking his shoulder out of Mifune's grasp.
"Nice try, but your smile and boasting don't have as much energy in it. And you put everything into making sure everyone knows you're better than them," he argued, turning around to face him.
Black Star turned around as well, staring up at Mifune angrily, "So what? It's none of your business anyway!"
He and Mifune stared at each other silently, trying to get the other to either backoff, or walk away.
"You have questions, about something very personal to you-"
"Goddammit, can you not read my mind please!" Black Star shouted, mifune suddenly voicing what he was thinking. Mifune had a habit of figuring out what was bothering you before you had a chance to say anything. Black Star found this super annoying.
"So I'm right?" Mifune grinned, crossing his arms. Black Star sneered, "What, so you were just guessing?"
Mifune chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.
"A bit. What's bothering you, it's disconcerting to see you… less boisterous then you usually are," he said, taking a bit of pleasure in watching Black Star groan.
"Are we just gonna talk about my ego or are you going to actually ask me!?" Black Star snapped, crossing his arms angrily.
He needed to just walk away and go find Spirit. But he knew Mifune wouldn't let him just walk away from him. While Black Star had beat him in a fight twice, Mifune was still strong enough to try and take him out, and have a good chance at doing so.
Mifune laughed, walking over to flank his side.
"Walk with me, and tell me what ails you."
Black Star rolled his eyes, "You could try and act less like an old-timer…"
The two silently began to walk down the halls, the silence welcoming. With everyone moving on to class, they didn't have to shove their way through.
"Shouldn't you be teaching classes? Aren't you a teacher?" Black Star asked suddenly, looking up at Mifune with an expectant stare.
Mifune shrugged, fixing his sword on his belt.
"Spirit's covering for me. My last class took a bit out of me, so I had to go to the dispensary to get fixed up. A kid sliced my side open," he explained, pointing at the unseeable bandage underneath his shirt.
Black Star's eyes widened, "Spirit? That's who I'm looking for!"
Mifune rose a brow, "Spirit? Why him?"
Black Star's gaze shot back down to the ground, staring at the floor intensely.
"There's stuff about my mom he's kept from me. And I wanna find out. Kid told me early that his mother knew mine, so I'm, going tooo… Mifune?"
During Black Star's explanations, Mifune had stopped walking. When Black Star turned to see what was wrong, he was surprised to see Mifune standing rigidly, his eyes wide and jaw dropped.
"...Mifune?" Black Star approached him, "Did you die standing up?"
Mifune shook his head, his eyes snapping shut. He shook his head for a few seconds, before reopening his eyes to stare down at Black Star.
"I… I uh… I just… y-your mother, you said?" He almost whimpered, staring down blankly at Black Star.
The assassin rose his brow, feeling a bit nervous at Mifune's sudden silence.
"Yes? I think her name was… god damn, I've forgotten already… it starts with a V…"
"Velvet Star?"
Black Star's head snapped up, staring at Mifune with wide eyes. How did he know? He knows as well? How many people knew about his mother!?
"Wait a minute, you know about her too? How many people know about her and I don't!? This is ridiculous!" He snapped, throwing his arms around angrily.
Mifune rose a brow in confusion, "Wait, you don't know about her? No one told you?" Mifune was confused, thinking the DWMA would tell him about her.
"No, no one told me! That's why I'm going to my so-called 'father' to get some answers!" Black Star snapped, turning around to stalk off.
"Wait! He won't know much!" Mifune cried, grabbing Black Star's shoulder. The bluenette let out a gasp of confusion, whirling around to face the samurai.
"What? How do you know that? How well do you know her?" He snapped, staring up at him with frustration.
Mifune sighed, looking down at the floor with what seemed like… guilt.
"Spirit was only the back up plan. Velvet had originally planned on giving you to someone she knew she could trust, someone who she believed would raise to be better than the Star Clan was. Even better than herself, a reformed member."
Black Star rose his brow, watching Mifune turn away with appeared to be shame.
"Who was… the original person then?"
Mifune sighed deeply.
"...Me."
Black Star felt his heart stop for a split second.
Mifune?
MIFUNE!?
Mifune was the original person to take him in?!
"Wh… What? Y-You!? You were supposed to be my adoptive parent!?" Black Star shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the samurai.
Mifune nodded, slowly turning back to him.
"Yes. When I was younger, I became a sort of… half member of the Star Clan when I was desperate for work and a way to increase my skills. When I found the Star Clan, I met your mother, Velvet Star. Unlike the rest of her clan, she was calm, serene, and supportive of me. She reassured me when I'd fail, and defended me from the other members. That's when I learned that she was secretly a member of the DWMA, and of the Nebula."
"The Nebula?" Black Star interrupted, the name unfamiliar to him, yet sounding like it had some association with the Star Clan.
Mifune nodded, "Yes, the Nebula. They're actually the organization that the Star Clan comes from, way back in the day."
Black Star cocked a brow. An organization on par with the Star Clan? If his mother joined it, doesn't that sort of, contradict her leaving the Star Clan? Just to join a clan bigger, and probably worse than the Star Clan.
"Come. We shouldn't talk here. Let's go to my home, I have some of her belongings, and I can get into more detail about her there."
Black Stat snapped out of his thoughts, watching Mifune turn around and walk away.
"H-Hey!"
Black Star rushed after him, flanking his heel when Mifune made his way down the hallway.
"So… what was the point of leaving the Star Clan when she just joined another one, and apparently the one where mine came from?" Black Star asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Mifune remained silent for a few moments. He seemed like he was debating on how to answer, before he spoke quietly.
"Let's wait until we get to my house. I don't anyone to hear her history. It's not for anyone else's ears."
Black Star huffed, rolling his eyes, "Real dramatic…"
They didn't speak again until they made it to Mifune's home.
When they arrived at Mifune and Angela's home, Mifune took him into a studied sort of room. It had a desk in it's center and a few bookshelves, but that was it.
Mifune pulled up a large sitting chair, moving it in front of the desk. He gestured for Black Star to sit down while he moved to the wall.
Black Star sat down, crossing his arms and leaning back into the cushion.
"Alright, I'm here. So what do you have for me?" He asked impatiently, watching Mifune pop open a small door in the wall. Black Star leaned forward, narrowing his eyes as we watched Mifune unlock a small safe tucked into the wall.
"That secret?" He asked, watching Mifune pop the safe door open.
He pulled out a small shoebox, beat up and torn. It looked like he had had it for many years, the year imprinted on the side being 2001.
Mifune silently walked back over to the desk, sitting down in the rolling chair at the opposite side.
He placed it down on the desk, opening the lid and putting it off to the side. Black Star watched as Mifune pulled out only four objects.
A rusted knife, a necklace, a beat up picture, and a wax-sealed letter.
Black Star rose his brow.
"So… a bunch of junk?"
Mifune glared, "Not junk, but your mother's most prized possessions."
He picked up each object and explained their significance.
"This knife was her first one, given to her at birth. It was her most trusted weapon, and she never went anywhere without it, even after she left the Star Clan."
He handed it to Black Star, the assassin taking the knife gingerly. He turned it round and round in his hand, feeling the blade. It had lost it's sharpness over the years, but it looked pretty well made.
"This necklace is the insignia of the Nebula. She received it after she joined the Nebula as proof of her worth. Some say these necklaces were carved by the very Spirit the Nebula protects."
The necklace was an eight-pointed star surrounded by stardust and a rich purple in color. The chain was a shining gold with a glittered finish. Black Star held the end in his hand, his thumb caressing the finely detailed pendant.
"This picture was the one taken at the first Eve Gala your mother went too. It's of her, Elphaba Screeting, Lord Death, Astoria Eater, and her boyfriend Sound."
Black Star's eyes widened. He took the picture quickly, wanting to see what she looked like.
His heart stopped.
There she was. Trapped in the embrace of Elphaba and Astoria, she looked rather unhappy to be in the photo. She had deep, rich blue hair, frizzy and untamed. She was in a dress shirt and pants. She had glowing emerald eyes, which were staring off to the side with boredom.
She was almost opposite to him in what he believed was personality with her expression, but he looked almost just like her in every way.
He tightened his grip on the picture, unfazed by seeing Soul and Kid's mothers beside her, the tall, elf-looking man above Astoria, and even maskless Lord Death.
"And this… is a letter addressed to you."
Black Star looked up, his focus on the picture broken. Mifune was holding out the closed letter to him, the wax seal shimmering in the light.
Black Star dropped the picture, taking the letter gently, with the care he didn't know he had.
He brought it closer to him, staring at the mark on the wax.
It was the letter V, with a star behind it.
Her signature.
Black Star turned the letter over, reading the calm, messy writing on the back.
"To my son Black Star."
He swallowed thickly, turning back around. He gently pulled on the seal, popping it open.
Mifune was waiting on the other side of the table, looking down at the letter eagerly. He had been wanting to know what was in that letter ever since he found it in the rubble of the Star Clan base, but he locked it away so that he wouldn't intrude on it's secrets.
Black Star carefully took out the folded paper, putting the envelope down. He unfolded the paper and turned it to see the writing. The handwriting wasn't perfect, it was kind of like his. Messy, but certainly neater then his would ever be.
He read it silently.
"To my only son Black Star,
My name is Velvet Star. Wife of White Star XXIV, and Ex-member of the Star Clan. I'm sorry that this seems so… formal. I'm not very good at expressing emotions, so bear with me.
I'm writing this to you because you won't meet me. The chances of me surviving the Siege tomorrow is slim, so I'm giving this to Mifune for him to hold onto until he thinks you're ready. And Mifune will be one to care for you in my absence. At least, I hope."
Black Star snorted, smiling slightly.
"But other than that, I want to tell you something that I probably won't be able to tell you in the future. I'm writing tell you… I'm sorry."
Black Star rose his brow. An apology? What for? He kept reading.
"I'm sorry that you have to born into the Star Clan lineage. Because of my bloodline, you will be inheriting my Clan's past sins. I can only fathom how the world will treat you because of the awful things my family has done. And for this, I am truly sorry. If there was anything I could wish for, it would be to change our bloodline."
Black Star's grip on the paper tightened. He bit his lip, feeling a lump swell up in his throat.
"But know that… despite everything, one thing remains true. That I love you. Even if I will only be able to hold you in my arms for a few minutes, my love will only grow as I take my dying breath. I may not get to watch you grow up, but I know in my heart that when you do, you will be the strongest, kindest, and most amazing boy this world has seen yet."
Tears began to build in eyes, despite his best efforts to prevent it.
"If you wish to know my story, please ask Mifune. He knows it all, from start to finish. He may even know how the Siege ended, should he survive it, but I have no doubt that he won't. But… I have nothing else to say. I'm so sorry you must inherit my sins, but I hope that one day, when you read this, you'll have it in your heart to forgive me. I love you, my shining star, and I hope that life treats you well, despite everything.
With love,
Mom"
The tears fell, dotting the page.
Black Star stared down at the page harshly, staring at the love-filled words, and the tear stains already on it, the tears from his mother. He looked up at Mifune, biting his lip while trying to suppress his urge to cry.
"Y-You know… you know her story…"
Mifune's eyes widened slightly. He nodded, "Yes, I do. Do I need to tell you?"
Black Star nodded.
Mifune smiled, "Then I shall. It'll be… nice to talk about her…"
He leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling solemnly.
Your mother's tale begins April 1st, 1978.
In Wakkanai, the northernmost city of Japan.
And it begins with one thing…
...Blood...
Guess who's back... back again!
HEYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! And WELCOME to A Star's Revelation! The story of Velvet Star!
This is a direct squeal of The Dragon Witch, and will be including many moments from TDW, but from a different perspective.
So that was a lovely end to this prologue huh? Blooooooodd...
Not that the first chapter will be any better...
A Star's Revelation is the second part of The Deities of Being Trilogy. Set in the Anime Verse, this is a story that takes unanswered elements and events in the anime and expands on them. There will be manga references, but please keep in mind this is in the Animeverse only!
But, let's a chat about the prologue!
A bit longer then TDW, Kid goes and reveals to Black Star that his mother was once, not only friend's with Elphaba, but a member of the DWMA! Or more really the PMUD but whatever.
Of course, Black Star is kinda shook by this and even doesn't believe him at first. But as Kid's journal is undeniable proof, Black Star goes to find Spirit, the man he was given to.
But it turns out, Mifune knows the whole shabang...
So while the story will be told in first person, from Velvet's point of view, it is directly referencing how she told her story to Mifune. Speaking of which...
I WILL PUT THE WARNING HERE NOW! AS YOU PROBABLY SAW WITH THIS CHAPTER'S RATING, THIS STORY HAS MANY SCENES WITH BLOOD, GORE, ABUSE, SLAVERY, AND HEAVY HINTS OF NON-CON/RAPE! IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO READING THIS, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TURNING AWAY NOW!
And with that, we shall begin!
Like last time, A Star's Revelation will be updated every Saturday at 5 pm Tokyo time (9)
NEXT TIME:
Velvet's story beging with the first thing she can remember... blood. Velvet is the most skilled and aggressive of the young Star Clan members, and she's only four. She has a chance at becoming The Shadow of her clan, but her parents are plotting to stop it. What is The Shadow, and what do her parents want to do?
Find Out Next Time: Febuary 12th!
~HUGS ALL AROUND~