Hey y'all. Before you read this story, there are a few vocabulary words you need to know when people start speaking in Kuron. Here they are!

Yamana (Yah-muh-na)=Starfire's real name known only to her and her family

Shiana= mother

Kamza= father

Kiora= daughter

Salis= hello, greetings

Kita= yes, okay

Kial= right

Shaka= what

Shila= darling

Chala= magic

Shimora Ka'la= coming of age

Kazama= fate

Wiccan= someone who has a magical ability with animals

Anthro-shifters= people who can change into anthropes (human/animal creatures) or a certain animal, or both

Shakoren jai'a= every cuss word ever invented all wrapped into one

Refer to this handy list any time you see a word in kuron because it's it's better than guessing. Try using them in your daily life. Next time your worst enemy calls you a name, yell Shakoren jai'a at them and see how they react. Unless they've read this story, in which case you are dead and better hope for some chala to turn him into a toad with.

Now, onto the story!!!

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Painful Memories, Wounded Hearts

Falco was sitting at one of the tables in the lounge of the rec. building cleaning his blaster after a long day of battles, glad for the quiet of the empty room. Just then Samus came into the room, dragging an unwilling Captain Falcon along behind her. "Falco, I'm so glad I found you," she exclaimed. "Look, I'm a little preoccupied right now, so why don't you go talk to one of the other competitors," Falco said, focusing on cleaning the power cell cavity. "It's about Pyrene," Samus said gravely. Falco jerked his head up, his eyes narrowing, knowing it must be serious if Samus was using Starfire's born name instead of her chosen name. "What about her?" Falco asked suspiciously. "Well, 'Star got into an argument with this idiot cowering behind me," she jerked her thumb at Captain Falcon, "about his cheap moves in the tournament this morning. Starfire told him that Kurons believe in fighting fair and with honor, and that people who fight dishonorably are like filth. So this idiot over here said-" "I said that the Kuron race is all but extinct," Captain Falcon said with a gleam of triumph in his eyes. "I told her that she was the only one left, and that as soon as she dies, so does the Kuron race. Then nobody will even remember the Kurons or their precious beliefs," he finished with an arrogant smirk. The blaster clattered to the floor as Falco shot up out of his chair, his fists clenched in rage. "You bastard!" he spat out, his voice and eyes aflame with fury and disgust. The previously triumphant Captain Falcon was now cowering behind Samus in a pitiful attempt to hide from Falco's rage. "You've just destroyed everything we've worked for over the past two years. I hope you're happy," Falco said coldly. Turning to Samus, he asked, "Where did Starfire go?" "After Captain Idiot finished his "attack", she just stood there like she'd been slapped. Then she ran out of the room crying. She locked herself in our room and won't open the door for anybody. I tried to find Fox, but he's in a meeting with Master Hand so I came to find you." Holstering his blaster, Falco stood up and headed towards the door without another word. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Kuron teen sat on the roof above her balcony, making no effort to restrain the tears that silently fell. She heard the knocking of the door in the room underneath her. "Starfire? C'mon, unlock the door!" Falco's voice came from beyond the threshold. Starfire responded with silence, holding her Yamana shi'eve and thinking of the memories it held. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Yamana? Yamana, my halfling angel. Could you come with me, please?" "Kita, shiana." "Yamana, you've been learning about how there are two different types of Kurons, kial?" "Kial, there's the Mortai; the humans, and the Archia; the angels, the elves, the Faye (fairys), wiccans, the anthro-shifters, and the people who are blessed with chala. Kial?" "Kita. That was very good, shila. And do you know what Shimora ka'la is?" "Kita is the coming of age when a Kuron learns what they are; a Mortai or an Archia, when their parents feel they are ready for the extra training and lessons that come with that knowledge." "Kial. And that's what I need to talk to you about." "What do you mean?" "Pyrene.Yamana, your father and I think that you are ready for Shimora ka'la." "SHAKA?!" "You are ready, Yamana." "Salis, Kamza." "Salis, Kiora. Now, are you ready to hear your kazama?" "I am ready." "Yamana, you are an Archia. An elf/faye Archia to be precise. Your mother is an Angel Faye, and I am of the Phoenix Clan of the elves. We are both anthro-shifters and we both have the gift of chala, so you most likely will too. We also have reason to believe that you are a Wiccan, considering your ability with animals. You will begin your shifter and chala training tomorrow. That is all." "I understand. Shiana, Kamza, thank you for sharing my kazama with me. "There is one more thing, shila." "Yes, shiana?" "There is another part of you r kazama I have yet to tell you. Could you please get the gold box from my room?" ."Here it is." "Thank you. Open it please." (Gasp) "It's the Yamana shi'eve!" "Yamana, it's yours now." "Shaka?!" "Yamana, do you know the meaning of your name? Yamana means Dark Angel, savior of her people. Yamana shi'eve means weapon of the Dark Angel. You are the Dark Angel. This is your weapon." "I don't understand." "Yamana, you are The Guardian." "SHAKA?!" "Yes, just I was and my mother before me." "But.. You must have made a mistake. I can't be the Guardian!" "Yamana, listen to me. I know that you are worthy of this responsibility. I have spoken to your instructors. They tell me that you have a sense of honor and justice the likes of which they have never seen before, that you are an empath; able to sense people's feelings and honesty, that you excel at settling disputes, and that you are a superior weapons master and pilot. Besides that, you have 20/10 vision, infrasonic and ultra-sonic hearing, superior sense of taste and smell, alcoholic immunity, and an ability to fell vibrations in the air and ground from the slightest movement or sound from those around you, al of which are traits of The Guardian." "But." "Don't interrupt. If you are truly The Guardian, you will have felt the Call." "The Call?" "Dreams, visions, a feeling of incompleteness, a pain in your chest as if something is trying to break free." "I have all of those!" "Is the pain greater the closer you are to the Yamana shi'eve?" "Yes, and my chest feels hot." "Yamana, take the Yamana shi'eve. Place the two halves of your pendant into the slots on both of the blades." "But their pendant is the most important thing a Kuron has!" "Take the gems that are all ready in the slots and put them together. That is your new pendant, the pendant of a Guardian. Now do as I told you." .."Shiana, the stones are glowing!" "I know, now put on your new pendant. Then open the weapon by putting your hand between the two receptacles by both blades and pushing against them." "The pain. it's gone! And the Yamana shi'eve is glowing along with this pendant!" "You see, Yamana, you are meant to be the Guardian. Only a guardian can activate the Yamana shi'eve, for a Guardian has the purest of hearts, and only they can unleash the deadly power locked within this bladed staff. With it you can create life. or destroy it. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could be used for great evil. Guard it with your life, and with it become a beacon of hope for those who have none, as The Guardian of the Kuron race!" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End Flashback~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Starfire wiped at her eyes, her blurred vision a result of the tears that had accompanied that memory. "You gonna stay out here all night?" came a low voice, interrupting her thoughts. Starfire looked up, expecting to see a mocking face. Instead she was surprised by the kind look in Falco's eyes and the worried expression on his face. "How'd you get in here?" she demanded. "I picked the lock," Falco explained with a smirk, holding up a lockpick. "You didn't actually think that Peppy managed to confiscate all of them, did you?" he questioned with the innocent tone and wry expression that could lift her spirits on the bleakest of days. "Now come inside, it's freezing. The only thing you're going to accomplish out here is freezing your ass off," Falco said, holding out his arms so that she could jump down. Starfire looked from Falco to the roof she was perched on before reluctantly dropping into his waiting arms. Falco caught her in both arms before carrying her inside and depositing her on the couch. She sat there with an annoyed look on her face. "I can walk you know," She said reproachfully to the blue Avian. "I know," he said, dropping the fleece blanket from her bed around her shoulders before settling down next to her. "Now what's going on?" Falco asked. Starfire looked away. Falco turned her face back towards his and held it there, his eyes filled with concern. "What's going on, 'Star," he repeated. "You're holding something back from us, something that we need to know. Now what is it?" "Falco, I was supposed to be their Guardian. I was supposed to protect the Kuron race, to keep this from ever happening. If I hadn't been so careless, Koran would still be a thriving planet today." "Starfire that was two years ago. You can't keep blaming yourself for something that wasn't even your fault. You've got to move on with your life." Starfire trembled as the tears started anew. "I know, but how do I do that?" Falco put his arms around her, pulling her back against him. "Thank the people you knew for all the memories and good times that they gave you, and then let them go. Treasure your memories of them, but don't let the pain run your life anymore. And remember that I'll always be here for you to talk to." "And so will I," interrupted Fox from the doorway. Falco released his hold on her so that she could get up and hug Fox. "We'll always be here for you, 'Star," he said as he hugged her fiercely. "You don't have to be alone anymore," he said reassuringly. She smiled, feeling exhaustion finally catch up with her. As her friends guided her to bed and tucked her in, she felt at peace for the first time in two long years. "Night, Starfire," Falco said, turning off the light. "Get some rest," Fox said. "'Night guys," said Starfire before Fox closed the door. As the sound of their footsteps faded, Starfire knew that the road ahead would be long and hard, but she also knew that when the burden was too heavy, her friends would be there to help here along the way. In time, the wounds on her heart would fade, and she would be ready to move on, and live her life again.

Painful memories never fade, But wounded hearts do heal





Well, what do you think? Was it better or worse than my other ones? Hope you enjoyed it, and please review. See you later!!!

Stormfire