Hello, me again! So, thank you guys so much for the sympathy on the homework; I knew it wasn't normal! The deal behind the 26 paragraphs is that we're supposed to write an ABC book using relevant words from our novel in Reading class. Yes, it is just as stupid as it sounds. Anyway, I am currently up to letter... P. Yup. 10 more paragraphs to go. I swear, this afternoon is going to be a living hell. But enough about me; I'll start the story already!

Lexiconian?

Princess?

Zatanna?

Theia?

"Then," Becky began slowly, her mind hopelessly scrambled. "You're my sister?"

"Well, with a sluggish brain like that, I'm pretty ashamed to say it, but yes, I am your sister," replied Victoria. "Fortunately, I'm also the crown princess, so our planet won't be at the mercy of a dolt like you."

Ignoring the well-played insult, Becky instead turned her attention to her mother. "We can address the whole explanation of how I'm not dead later," she said decidedly, too enraged by this turn of events to care about Islanzadi's feelings. "Right now, I want to know how Victoria Best is my sister and why you didn't tell me."

Trying to disguise the hurt in her eyes, Islanzadi collected herself together before speaking. "I didn't know she was alive. When you were kidnapped by the Sparx government, so was Zatanna, because they didn't know which child held the Light of Hope; all they knew was that the heiress to Lexicon's throne had the power. Two Sparx magicians were following your trajectory, so when Damien crash-landed on Earth, so did Zatanna. According to her accounts, her captors bound her powers as they waited for orders from Queen Mariam of Planet Sparx. The only Lexiconian power they couldn't suppress was her laser vision, which, throughout our planet's history, only a chosen few have been known to possess. Since you were found, but Zatanna wasn't, I presumed her to be dead. When you… when you d-died, Lexicon was desperate for an heir, lest the planet's sovereignty collapse after my death. Because Zatanna's body had never been found, a realm-wide search commenced to either pronounce her dead or bring her back to the place of her heritage. Since you were found on Earth, it seemed a logical place to start. There, we discovered Zatanna's whereabouts and killed her abductors, who, from the looks of it, were masquerading as her parents. After freeing Zatanna from their binding spell, she put out the word that she and her family were moving far away, to a place called England if I remember correctly, so as not to arouse suspicion."

When Becky's hardened, hostile gaze didn't waver, Islazandi continued, pleading with her daughter. "Please, Alexa, I never intended for this to her you. I know you must feel that Zatanna replaced you in my eyes, but that is far from the truth. You're my daughter and I love you, something that will never change. I know you must hate me, but I truly believed it was for the best. Lexicon needed an heir, so what would you have me do?"

Becky took in a cleansing breath. "I'm not blaming you, Mom. How could I possibly be angry with you when I turned my back on you? You don't know how many times I wish I could go back and do something different, say something to make you understand that I could never leave Earth, my home, my heart, behind. Still, I know the outcome would be the same. But it was just as hard to renounce Lexicon, my birthplace, a world where I don't have to hide who I am, a world where I have yet another mother who loves me. I want both Earth and Lexicon in my life, but I don't know if my heart can hold it all. But I'm willing to try if it means keeping you in my life, Mom."

Wiping away tears from her eyes, Islanzadi embraced her daughter, reassuring herself that she truly was alive. (Side note: For some reason, I hate writing hugs. I know; it's weird.)

Pulling away, Islanzadi said, "But now, I'm afraid this leaves us in quite a difficult situation."

"How?" asked Becky, confusion etched clearly on her face.

"The rules of Lexicon's royalty are quite complex, especially in the matters of heirs to the throne. While you did denounce your birthright, you did not undergo a formal ceremony where the power of Lexicon's hierarchy would have been drained from your veins, leaving you still in possession of the ability to unite Lexcion's people. Moreover, you have received more political training than Zatanna in addition to being her elder; however, this is irrelevant. On Lexicon, we do not settle this sort of matter with age; rather, a battle of strength will determine the title of crown princess."

"So basically, you're going to make them have a sword fight," said Scoops blandly.

"Yes, that is what I was implying."

The ex-reporter clapped his hands together excitedly. "Sweet! This will be hilarious!" Turning to the others, he declared. "Let's start the betting, my friends! Five dollars that Becky wins."

"Ha! No way," said Clarissa defiantly, flashing a blindingly luminous smile at Scoops, momentarily stunning him in awe. "That blonde-haried chick definitely has some fight in her. I bet 10 on her."

"Ah, but you forget that our little Starlight Girl can bind up enemies in cocoons of light with a snap of her fingers. I'll give her thirty."

"But there is Victoria's laser vision to take into account," reminded Violet humoredly, amused by her friends' antics. "Also, Becky's downright dreadful with a sword. Believe me, I've seen her practice with her tutors. Sorry, but Victoria has this duel won; 75 dollars."

"I'd bet, but I'm afraid I can't pay anyone with my head chopped off," muttered Becky in a disgruntled tone.

"According to Lexicon law, the first one who draws blood wins," replied Victoria sadly, clearly wishing she could do much more to Becky than a thin cut. "No head-chopping allowed."

"Unfortunately. To me, it seems to be the only course of action to shut you up," retorted Becky as a servant came bearing two identical swords for both sisters.

As Clarissa argued that Violet didn't have 75 dollars, Becky firmly grasped the golden-plated hilt of her sword in what she hoped was a confident manner, trying to stay calm, or at least appear so. A fierce determination flashed in Becky's eyes eradicating any trace of fear. She wanted to beat Victoria Best so badly that it hurt. Her blood was charged with battlelust, a passion she could see reflected in equal measure in Victoria's eyes. The ice in those glassy orbs pierced Becky, but she was unaffected, determined to triumph over this spoiled brat and take back her kingdom. After all, it belonged to her, right?

The moment her hand made contact with the metal, a searing light radiated from it with the brilliance of a star. When Becky pulled her hand away, she could plainly see a symbol of a star with two glided wings embedded on the hilt.

Victoria raised her eyes challengingly, turning her sword to Becky, revealing her emblem to be a sun superimposed upon a shield.

The two rival sisters took their stance on opposite ends of the throne room, both looking to kill. Islanzadi was standing off to the side, wearing a typical motherly expression of fear and anxiety, while Becky's friends were standing right next to her, squabbling over bets and rummaging through wallets for cash.

Ignoring the amazingly insensitive group, Islanzadi declared, "We shall now proceed with the Duel of the Stars, named in the belief that the celestial embassies alone shall guide the predestined heir or heiress to victory. Alexandria Lucindia and Zatanna Ezlanzada, marked with the seals of the stars and bound by the blood of Lexicon, prepare to claim what you believe is rightfully yours."

Becky and Victoria slowly proceeded forward until they were but a mere three feet apart. As she progressed, Becky noticed a cunning glint in her sister's eyes, as if Victoria were mocking her, daring to be challenged while basking in the knowledge of her destined victory. In rage, Becky gripped her sword with an intensive grip, so strong that any ordinary Earth metal would spontaneously shatter under the force. Her eyes following the razor-sharp blade, she adjusted the direction the piercing tip to the exact location of Victoria's heart.

Becky's sword seemed to respond in correlation to her feelings. She could feel the weapon begin to vibrate under her skin, each throb screaming a profound desire for blood. The once white star steadily began to change colors until it was red, as red as the blood that flowed in her veins. She wanted to move faster, but her legs did not permit it, falling in perfect rhythm with Victoria's, their footsteps the only sound in the now deadly silent room. They were in perfect synchronicity with their heartbeats and faint breaths until Becky could feel the rhythm of the universe pulsing in the air and in her veins. A heady, persistent energy shimmered in the air, sending her burning with an adrenaline like fire. Every molecule of her body was so tensed that she wanted to scream, but she knew she couldn't. Becky bit down hard upon her tongue until she could taste an iron bitterness flooding her mouth. The sword began burn, desperate for that selfsame blood to stain its pure, golden steel.

To be tainted with the crime of murder.

Once the two sisters finally stopped and prepared for the attack, the Light of Hope began to seep through the pores of Becky's skin like a lamp lit inside her heart, turning the 18-year-old into a resplendent goddess of vengeance. Becky couldn't help but smirk with satisfaction as Victoria's confident look of assurance slipped into one of dismay. Still, she soon recovered her composure, and with a commencing signal from Queen Islanzadi, the two began to trek in an arching circle, each waiting for a weakness in defense, an opening to attack.

It was Victoria who made the first move. With a flick of her sword, she slashed at Becky's arm, which would've been a well-placed blow if it weren't for Becky sidestepping the swipe at the last second. With a loud war cry, Becky retaliated, her attack missing by inches. Laughing, Victoria struck Becky's face with the flat side of her sword, sending her sister sprawling to the ground yet not slicing her skin. Within a fraction of a second, however, Becky was on her feet again, ready to paint the world red.

Becky was pretty sure the humans present were only seeing two out-of-focus blurs, one red and one blue, streaking like bullets through the air. Of course, Adelina and Islanzadi were viewing the battle with perfect clarity. Sparks of friction erupted each time the swords clashed, illuminating Becky and Victoria's faces with the intensity of battle. As the duel wore on, Becky's muscles began to burn from exertion, screaming in protest from the slightest movement, while Victoria was hardly breaking a sweat. It was clear Victoria had much more skill in the art of swordplay than Becky, her movements swift and subtle and fluid, as evasive as water. Meanwhile, Becky was being hopelessly blinded by anger, lashing out bitterly at Victoria as well as her own, messed-up life. Her movements were becoming brutal yet ineffective, her frustration mounting with every missed blow. The desperation to win was practically bleeding from her eyes, swirling in their very depths.

Finally, as the hours wore on, Becky couldn't take it anymore. Limbs shaking, she crumpled to the floor like a puppet whose strings were cut. Laughing devilishly, Victoria planted herself firmly over Becky's bruised and battered body. The wicked gleam in her eyes said it all: she was going for the kill.

Becky didn't even have the chance to scream as Victoria's sword slashed downward, directly in line with Becky's exposed neck.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Becky braced herself for the impact, for the blade to effortlessly slice through her flesh and blood like paper, but there was no attack.

Snapping her eyes open in surprise at her on survival, Becky glanced around wildly to see Victoria brutally hacking at her sister's body, her frustrated screams resounding through the throne room as an invisible force deflected her supposedly fatal blows. With every slash, the white aura of the Light of Hope surrounding Becky slightly rippled, and Becky understood. Miraculously, the Light of Hope was protecting her from Victoria.

Victoria seemed to deduce this too. As her sister struggled to get up, she stalked around in a circle menacingly, trying to find a fault in the Light of Hope. Then, slowly the idea dawned on her.

With a blink, Victoria's eyes began to glow a pulsating crimson. Using her laser vision, she amazingly drilled through the Light of Hope, leaving the tiniest, unprotected opening on the crook of Becky's left arm. The opening was less than a centimeter, but over the course of the past three months, Victoria had aimed at even smaller targets. Becky's eyes were just beginning to widen with shock as Victoria stabbed down with all her Lexiconian strength, her sword streaking through the air with the radiance of a shooting star.

Becky thought she would cry when she felt a rivulet of warm blood trickle down her hand.

Victoria's grin was as wide as the Cheshire Cat's as she withdrew her weapon, pleased that she had lived up to her name, which translated from Latin meant 'victory.'

Becky's friends were horribly crestfallen by the outcome, with Clarissa the only one cheery as she totaled up her money.

Islanzadi's face was as expressionless as glass, not revealing whether she was pleased or appalled by Victoria's victory. She brought forward the gleaming diamond diadem that had once found its resting place on Becky's luscious mocha locks, and placed it upon her head, the glittering headpiece almost as bright as the triumphant glint in its new owner's eyes. Turning to Becky, the new crown princess said nothing, the smirk painted on her rosy lips speaking volumes.

The sword clattering to the floor, Becky's cheeks burned with shame. After being hailed as the heroine of the War of Salvation and the Battle of Angel's Sacrifice, how had she been able to lose to the snotty, bratty Victoria Best? Wasn't she the best suited to be Lexicon's queen?

Ah, but Victoria has something you don't, chided the sly voice inside her head. She grabbed at the opportunity to up spur you because she had determination. You wouldn't be in this situation if you hadn't let it slip from your grasp. Despite all her horrid qualities, she has confidence, motivation, passion for Lexicon, and today proved she has exceptional battle skills. That's all she needs to be a commanding warrior queen. Maybe you just need to own up to the fact that you, Becky Botsford, were wrong. Maybe you need to accept the fact that you're not a goddess, that you're not perfect, that sometimes you simply cannot win.

Oh, how she hated that voice, and yet she knew it was the truth. This duel was presumably configured by the stars, providing yet another example of how she couldn't win against destiny. A prophecy could never be changed. Becky remembered Alyssa's premonition: The Angel must fall to the ashes to let Asteria's light bring salvation upon Planet Lexicon.

Prophecy fulfilled.

No sooner had this thought left Becky's mind then the ground began to quake horribly, sending everyone toppling to the floor. Panicked, they dashed to grab hold to anything in the room as the ground's turbulence increased. Within a matter of seconds, each and every Lexiconian, both in the throne room and across the planet, fell unconscious, their vitals suddenly flat-lining.

After a few minutes of shock for the humans still awake, Queen Islanzadi, Victoria, Adelina, and Becky slowly regained consciousness, the latter two alarmed while both Lexiconian royals' expressions were grave yet unsurprised, as if they had predicted it.

"Oh my gosh, what happened?" asked Adelina and Becky in unison.

Islanzadi's eyes began to fill with tears. "Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry you had to find out about it like this, but now there's no other option."

"What's happening?" demanded Becky confused and worriedly, for this had now been the fourth time she had experienced such an episode, yet she still had not reaped any answers. But judging by her mother's grave expression, that was about to change.

"Planet Lexicon explodes in 24 hours."

Yes, I present to you the most cliche idea in the history of cliched ideas. Sorry folks, but then again, there is the fact that WordGirl is a Superman parody.

Amazingly, Becky lost that duel with Victoria. I made her lose because it really irritates me when she wins every single freaking battle. I know she's the hero, and heroes always win, but that's what annoys me about heroes in general because in reality, the DON'T always win. I felt like the Light of Hope made Becky too indestructible, so I toned it down with a bitter loss. Even in the show, Becky has this insanely swollen ego by season 3; therefore, I think she's perfectly entitled to a few doses of humility.

Next chapter you finally learn why Becky and Tobey's love is so freaking apocalyptic.

Save me from being buried in homework! 10 eight-sentence paragraphs in one day... *shudders*

Love to all,

Bella