Author's Note: So, it's been some time since I actually updated really much of anything. For one thing, it's getting close to the end of the year, so I've got a load of big tests to do—AP tests next week and the week after, just my luck—and my big Government test is coming up, too (being the Constitution test) so I probably won't be able to update until the end of May, when I will have plenty of time to myself. Expect more updates then.

This chapter is the shortest of them all, being a mere twelve words past my set minimum limit; the reason for this is that I have recently lost one of my beloved dogs, a female German Shepherd I'd had for eight years, and so I was depressed when I finished this chapter, unable to think of anything more to add. Maybe later I'll add in more, but for now this is what you get. I hope it's not too horrible; enjoy, and if you could leave your thoughts on the chapter, I'd be grateful. Also, if there are any spelling/grammar mistakes, do tell me!


Star Dancer

Part Eleven: The Star of Stars

This…is not Kinmoku!

Kakyuu stared, half in awe and half in fear, of the burning white fire that had filled the space around her. No longer could she see the dark void that filled the Gate of Time, or the mists that seeped from that dimension that stood outside of time. She was alone in a vortex of flame, and she realized that must have been Pluto's plan—after all, Kakyuu had only said 'send me back', not 'send me back to Kinmoku'. She had assumed the Star Dancer would know her intent, but even so…she had an odd feeling she knew exactly where the Star Dancer of Time had sent her.

The limiter was a jarringly ice-cold against the blazing heat flowing around the princess of Kinmoku. The little Saffer Crystal burned blazing blue, and Kakyuu shut her eyes, fighting off the sudden wave of nausea at the idea:

Pluto sent me to the Star of Stars!

"The Star of Stars," she whispered aloud, her eyes opening again to the bright flames; she swallowed thickly, Pluto's words bouncing around in her head: I do not know the whims of the galaxy star, but I would offer you this advice—should you survive your next encounter with it, you would do well to remember this time… 'Should you survive'—Kakyuu dreaded the thought of the galaxy star's punishment.

Strands of her hair danced past her face in the thick heat waves rolling about the interior of the star; she blinked, momentarily disoriented by the short length of her hair before she remembered—this was why she was here. The burnt skin along her arms ached as she drifted along, unsure of where to go or where to begin looking.

Crackling fire burst past her in an explosion of heat; but the limiter's shield that kept Kakyuu from burning held in place, and the tendrils of flame that licked at her did not harm her. Her fingers clung to the bracelet in her grasp; as another dancing flame passed her by, she took a breath and yelled, "I had no intention of doing harm to your Star Dancer, O Star of Stars!"

She shut her eyes, fully expecting the limiter's shield to fail—it was formed from the Heart of the Galaxy, after all, just as Galaxia was—and for the Star of Stars to destroy her for her impudence. But when only another wave of heat rolled past her, she dared open her eyes again, finding the limiter's shield undamaged.

Had the Heart of the Galaxy already passed judgment on her? Had it really let her live? (Or did it see her as too far beneath its notice, even with her friendship to its Star Dancer?)

Whatever the case, she was still breathing, still fully alive. Kakyuu let out a long breath, trying to relax; the Star of Stars could surely destroy her at any time, but for now she had another goal—she had to find Galaxia!

And if she could manage to avoid drawing the galaxy star's ire, then she would consider that an accomplishment.

Carefully, she slipped the limiter onto her wrist, the icy gold settling onto her forearm with little difficulty. She wasn't sure if she'd need both hands, but better to be over-prepared than not, as her father liked to tell her. Of course, he probably didn't think Kakyuu would go diving into stars by that philosophy, but for now, what he didn't know wasn't about to hurt him. She just hoped her parents had yet to notice her absence.

She raised her arm so she could see the miniature Saffer Crystal clearly, the roiling white flame making eerie dancing reflections on the blue jewel. The shield maintained by the limiter flickered lightly, pale golden glow nearly lost in the blaze. Kakyuu held her breath, waiting for something, anything

A heat wave blew past her, bright tendrils of fire crackling; once more, Kakyuu was left floating in its wake, wondering if that was the end of the Heart of the Galaxy's anger. Not wanting to overstay her 'welcome', she focused on the galaxy star's crystal. "Take me to Galaxia. Take me to your Star Dancer," she murmured to it; somewhere in the depths of the circular gemstone, a pale golden glow flashed briefly.

Then she was moving, floating in an unknown direction, the limiter's shield drawing her forwards. The landscape of white fire roiled past, the star's inner flames even wilder than the previous fires Kakyuu had moved through. As a concentrated burst of flame hurtled towards her, she found herself not paralyzed by fear—no, she was not afraid of the Heart of the Galaxy. The galaxy star had no need to taunt her like this—it could just as easily force the limiter to no longer contain the white fire; though, that line of thinking was a bit odd, considering if the limiter no longer worked, there would be no way to return Galaxia to normal—but then Kakyuu realized that if the Star of Stars had forged the bracelets in the first place, how hard could it be to create another?

She squinted into the white, for a moment wary of this sudden bravery—but it was her own. She had no need to fear the Star of Stars. The galaxy's star could kill her, yes, but…she did not fear the star anymore, for she had come to a realization: she feared Galaxia herself more than she feared the Star of Stars.

She did not want to lose what she'd worked so hard to build.

Kakyuu became aware that she was traveling faster, the Saffer Crystal insistently tugging her along, closer to the heart of the star. She was paying more attention to the white fire around her, and as such did not catch a glimpse of the flames with the slightest hint of feathers beneath them; she did not feel the bracelet grow lukewarm around her wrist, the warmest it had ever been when she was in contact with it.

She did not realize the limiter had led her straight to where she wished to go until she collided harshly with something solid amidst the inferno.

One blazing golden eye and one mostly red, partially golden eye met hers, and shock flitted across the golden Star Dancer's face. Galaxia did not speak—Kakyuu wasn't sure she could at the moment—but she mouthed Princess? and Kakyuu knew she recognized her.

"Pluto sent me here," she explained, and gripped the limiter tightly, seeing its twin on Galaxia's left wrist gleaming a bright blue. "I'm here to help you—to undo what I did." She stopped the other words from escaping—Do you hate me now, for what I've done? Are you still my friend, even after all this?

The galaxy's Star Dancer stared at her, as if in shock—perhaps she believed that Kakyuu could not have made it through the Star of Stars' raging heart, that this was some hallucination formed by the Heart of the Galaxy's dancing flames.

"I'm really here," Kakyuu said earnestly, hand plucking at the limiter around her wrist. It took her a moment to pull it off, but she managed, clutching the thick gold tightly in her grasp, the limiter's shield flaring up when she removed the bracelet.

Galaxia's mostly-red eye found the limiter and looked almost horrified; the Saffer Crystal blazed against the gold of her armor as she made an effort to control the fire around them. The Star Dancer's remaining limiter was flickering, faded in its attempts to hold back that powerful sea of burning white. Kakyuu froze involuntarily when the Star Dancer reached out to her, thankfully not with the hand closest to the Star of Stars' fire; but all Galaxia did—as she had done times before—was take Kakyuu's free hand and press it to the Saffer Crystal.

The princess of Kinmoku expected the blue jewel to be burning hot, like everything else in the star—but it was a relieving icy-cold, perhaps the crystal's last defense against the heart of the Star of Stars. She blinked and the white around them diminished into a raging sea near her feet; she was standing on a constantly-shifting island amidst that sea, an island of a familiar blue-and-gold color, and standing opposite her was Galaxia.

In this place within the Saffer Crystal, the Star Dancer appeared normal again, despite a distinct lack of her right limiter; both her eyes were red again, no longer filled with the Star of Stars' influence, and her right wing was no longer cloaked in flames.

Do you know what has happened? It was Galaxia's voice, though she seemed not to be speaking aloud, more so projecting those words into Kakyuu's mind through the crystal.

The balance of power has shifted, Kakyuu replied, finding it odd to hear her voice echoing around when there seemed no visible walls, never mind that she wasn't actually talking out loud. I came to bring you the limiter, so that the Star of Stars' energy will be balanced out again. Wouldn't it have been obvious, she wondered to herself?

But you came here, Galaxia emphasized. You came here, to the Heart of the Galaxy. Why would Pluto send you here, when she knows well what will happen?

What are you talking about? Kakyuu frowned; distantly, she tightened her grip on the limiter, as it seemed to be trying to slip away from her. The bracelet was becoming colder, as if it was working harder to ward off the Star of Stars' energy.

Returning the limiter would restore the balance, Galaxia admitted, but that bracelet is your only protection against the heart of the Star of Stars! Without it, you will burn into nothingness! I may be the vessel of the Heart of the Galaxy, but even I cannot hope to fight it should it pass judgment upon you!

Kakyuu's eyes grew wide; she hadn't considered that. But— She glanced around rapidly, to the white fire around them, worried. Couldn't you send me back to Kinmoku, once I've finished, before the Star of Stars has a chance to destroy me?

Galaxia frowned; the golden Star Dancer was silent a long moment as she contemplated this. The ground beneath Kakyuu's feet shifted and she flailed a few seconds before regaining her balance. Galaxia, on the other hand, seemed immune to the island's moving, and stared off into the sea of white fire, Kakyuu wondering if she was trying to come to a decision.

At last the galaxy's Star Dancer turned back to her, looking mightily unconvinced. I am uncertain that I would be able to return you to your home planet.

But it is possible? Kakyuu asked, staring at her with pleading eyes. She didn't want to die here in the galaxy's center, her parents and the rest of Kinmoku oblivious to how she had come to be here.

…Yes, Galaxia admitted, looking down to the island they stood on. …If you ask this of me, Princess, I cannot guarantee your safety. The Star of Stars… She trailed off helplessly.

Kakyuu offered her a strained smile. I'm not so sure the Star of Stars will kill me just yet, she said encouragingly. And I believe you can find it in yourself to send me home. You're the most powerful Star Dancer in all of the galaxy!

The Star of Stars is stronger than I am, Galaxia reminded her. I am merely a vessel for its energy.

You're the most powerful Star Dancer in the galaxy, Kakyuu repeated. I trust you'll be able to send me to Kinmoku.

She blinked, and the sea of white fire rose up, filling her vision; and then she was back in the heart of the galaxy star, staring into Galaxia's eyes, the Saffer Crystal's cool touch fading.

The limiter was like chiseled ice; the princess of Kinmoku had to look to see if her fingers had frozen to the golden bracelet, but to her relief the cold seemed only a mental construct, not a truly physical ice. She did not dare let go of the galaxy's gemstone, because she had had the sudden thought that perhaps the Saffer Crystal might aid her once the limiter's shield was returned to its rightful owner.

She loosened her grip on the bracelet, feeling the shield flicker alarmingly—but it held for the moment she needed, reaching out to Galaxia, sliding the limiter back into its place on the Star Dancer's wrist; not before Kakyuu saw the dark markings now hidden by the limiter's presence flash disturbingly. She had no idea what the markings did, though Galaxia had named them a curse; but Kakyuu had no more time to wonder about the strange markings, as a great wave of heat and dying flames washed over her and she stumbled back, away from the Star Dancer, losing sight of her in the onslaught of white.

Her feet stumbled against refreshingly solid ground; Kakyuu floundered for balance, having to do a somewhat circular number of half-steps to keep herself on her feet. She blinked the white spots away from her vision, and felt a smile spread across her face as the familiar contours and colors of her bedroom on Kinmoku came into focus.

She was alive…and she was home.

"Thank you, Galaxia," she whispered to the brisk air, unsure of where the golden Star Dancer was, but certain she'd appear eventually. The chill in the air notified her both of the fact that her window was open, and had likely been all day; and the sky was dark, the distant stars stretching across it as if some distant watcher had thrown up a blanket studded with holes. Night had fallen in her absence; she realized belatedly that the time was not the only thing that had changed.

Her hair was still shorter than it had been, singed from the fire, and her clothes were badly burned, but the wounds she had collected upon her arms had vanished. She prodded at the skin of one forearm, but it seemed as good as new. Kakyuu frowned; was this the Star of Stars' thanks to her, for righting the wrong she had dealt it? Had it been Galaxia, in the act of transporting her back to her planet? Had it simply happened as a result of the Star Dancer magic performed on her?

Whatever the case, she now had an easier time of playing the fool, as her parents were likely to ask her where she'd been; she could dispose of the clothes without much fuss, and if she cut off the burnt ends of her hair, she could say she was trying out a new style. Her mother would be displeased that she had gone ahead and changed her hair without permission, but there wasn't much Kakyuu could do about it, as it was already done. Star Dancer magic could do many things, but somehow she doubted its ability to recreate hair.

She shut the window, drawing the curtains over it before hunting down a better set of clothes, discreetly getting rid of the damaged ones. It took her the better part of an hour sitting in front of her mirror, but she managed to get her hair to look as if it had been cut rather than burned away.

She sighed and studied her reflection in the mirror. She looked tired—which she was—and she reached out a hand, lightly resting her fingers against the glass. Letting out a long breath, she looked over her face. If Galaxia hadn't been able to bring her back from the Star of Stars—

Once she had given up the limiter's protection, no doubt the Heart of the Galaxy could have, and would have, easily done away with her, in the like of not even batting an eye at an occurrence.

She could have died today, and her parents would have never known, not unless Galaxia had taken it upon herself to tell them—or Pluto, perhaps, but Kakyuu was still uncertain if either of her parents knew the Star Dancer of Time—they would not have known.

She could have perished, and though her planet would mourn her—only Galaxia would have known how and why the Star of Stars had destroyed her.

Kakyuu swallowed thickly; without the limiter bracelet, she would have never have survived the heart of the greatest star. Her meager Star Dancer's magic was barely a drop compared to the reserves of the galaxy star; it would have overwhelmed her without even the slightest resistance.

Her hands trembled; she drew back, stepping hesitantly to the center of the room, peering downwards as if she could see through the layers of wood and stone to that sanctuary where the Kinmoku Crystal still waited for its Star Dancer. "How can I be worthy of you," she murmured to the dormant planetary crystal, "How can I be worthy if the Star of Stars can so easily crush me?"

The Star of Stars was a great power—but she had been through its heart before, in the Saffer Crystal, and she had retained her sense of self! She had been given magic from that very star! Surely, she should have been able to do something more!

Yet when confronted with the true galaxy star—she had been helpless.

"Who am I kidding?" she laughed brokenly to herself. "What am I doing?"

Before she could do anything more, a sound came from the hallway, a clattering kind of noise as if someone had dropped a great number of swords. Frowning, Kakyuu crept to the door and peered out into the darkened hallway, the stars the only source of light. She could see no sign of anything on the floor—so what was it that had made the noise?

"Hello?" she called cautiously into the shadows; she left behind the safety of her doorway and edged along the wall, trying to see better through the gloom. A flash of dark eyes near one of the large windows caught her attention—definitely too low to be a wandering guard's.

Then who would…?

"Hello?" she murmured again, careful yet still suspicious, and a shape darted across the faintly starlit window. Indeed, it was a child, with curling hair bound back into a tail behind herself, a pair of false Star Dancer's wings bouncing at her shoulders. Kakyuu's eyes narrowed; some of the servants did bring their children to the palace while they worked, but none ever stayed the night, more content to remain in the privacy and familiar settings of their own homes.

"Wait!" she whispered urgently, and in the space of another starlit window the child paused, glancing back at her. Kakyuu could not see what emotions flashed through those dark eyes, only that the girl gave her a long look before fleeing into the night, the starlight catching a shadow across her forehead; the Star Dancer's wings were the last to fade into the shadows, bright white as they were.

Kakyuu frowned, staring after the child. Who was she, and why was she here? Was she possibly connected to Galaxia—or perhaps even Blood Eyes?

She took a few steps into the darkness, but the child wearing Star Dancer's wings was well and truly gone; retreating back to her doorway, the princess of Kinmoku glanced around into the shadows, but she could see no other moving things, no dim eyes catching the light—it appeared she was alone.

She returned to her room, shutting and locking the door behind her as a precaution—not that locks would hinder one like Blood Eyes; she did feel slightly safer though, because she doubted Blood Eyes would attack during the night. The red-eyed stranger wanted to be Kakyuu's downfall, or so she said, and what better way to do it than with an audience?

Kakyuu stifled a yawn, the day's events finally catching up to her. She hurriedly prepared for bed, telling herself she was going to get as much sleep as she could, having already wasted some of the night.

Before she shut her eyes, she thought of the child once more—was the girl a sign? A sign of things to come?

If so, what did it mean? What was she supposed to see?

And how did it fit into what she already knew?

Pushing thoughts of the future away, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.


The morning dawned bright and early, Yoake's crossing of the sun too early, in Kakyuu's opinion. She blinked rapidly, shading her eyes and squinting into the sunlight falling into her room despite the curtains. With a muttered huff, she crawled from bed and poked her head through the curtains; the sky stretched endlessly across from horizon to horizon with nary a cloud in between. The sun shone brightly against the blue sky, Yoake's descending glow smaller and more intense, hovering close to the far mountains.

Kakyuu muttered under her breath; she hadn't got quite as much sleep as she'd wanted, with all the thoughts and questions bouncing around in her head. She withdrew from the window, grateful her eyes were now adjusted to the light, and dressed herself for the day, mindful of her shorter hair.

She crept from her room quietly; she could see the shadows of guards crossing the hallway occasionally, but none moved to confront her, and so she carried on in silence. It was only after a few more turns that she realized she had regained her living shadow.

The golden Star Dancer appeared much the same as always; her wings were neatly folded at her shoulders, the Saffer Crystal glittered against her armor, and the right limiter showed to be no worse for wear from its time in Kakyuu's possession, at least insofar as the princess of Kinmoku could tell.

It was Kakyuu who broke the silence first, much like many of their conversations—"You made it back, then."

Galaxia nodded once. "The Heart of the Galaxy's power has been contained once more; you need not worry for its rage."

Kakyuu's eyebrows rose. "It—it's not mad at me anymore, then?"

Galaxia waved a hand dismissively. "Its punishment is complete. The Star of Stars is satisfied; though you did—did an unpredictable thing. It did not expect you to follow me."

"Well…" Kakyuu shrugged. "What else could I do? I had to give you back the limiter…"

"Most would find it…daunting, faced with the idea of delving into the heart of the Star of Stars," Galaxia tilted her head slightly. "But not you."

"I thought I was afraid, at first," Kakyuu admitted, wringing her hands nervously. "But…I realized the Heart of the Galaxy could have killed me so easily that—that I didn't have to fear it, because I wasn't a threat to it."

"Oh?" Galaxia looked faintly amused, like perhaps Kakyuu was considered a threat—she couldn't imagine why, but perhaps it was so. Kakyuu nodded assent, eyeing the Saffer Crystal, so benign and yet it held the full power of the Star of Stars…

The jewel twinkled in the light, a flash of pale gold so like the star within it briefly slipping across its surface; and she remembered the white fire, how it had been everywhere, how her magic wouldn't have been able to protect her from that furious star-energy for even the length of a second. She turned away from the Star Dancer, the idea of such power suddenly looming over her head.

Kakyuu set a brisk pace down the hallway, the golden Star Dancer diligently following behind—but Galaxia did not know what Kakyuu had come to realize:

If she couldn't face the Heart of the Galaxy…

…then Pluto was wrong. Kakyuu was no important piece, had no great destiny; if she couldn't face the Star of Stars and survive by her own magic—then how could she possibly contend with the coming danger?

How could she possibly contend with the End of Stars?