Author's Note: Well, here's Chapter Two, in which Starfire learns more about the ring, her mother, and herself. Enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own the Sailor Moon universe or original characters. I do own Starfire and the other characters in my story. Thanks to http/home.planet.nl/mbedaff/romdict.htm for some name and word ideas.
New Moon Chapter Two: Discovery By Aura Shiarr
Star looked over her room with satisfaction. Her clothes were put away neatly, her brand new schoolbooks placed on the shelf above her desk, her burgundy bedspread neatly tucked in, and the matching curtain hung. It was time to get some lunch. The cafeteria would not be open until the next day when the other students started to arrive, so she grabbed her wallet and headed for the gates. She'd heard that the café down the street was fairly decent. She stopped by the door warden's office to sign herself out for the afternoon, and then exited by the inconspicuous door to the side of the main gate.
Now which way was that café? She looked around a bit before spotting the sign, down the road and to the right. She started walking.
The café turned out to be home to both a friendly proprietor and an excellent turkey sandwich. Treating herself to a take-out cappuccino, Star decided to explore the surrounding commercial area. As she walked, she pulled a small piece of paper from her pocket and toyed with it absent-mindedly as she lost herself in thought.
A sudden scream knocked her from her reverie. She located its source almost immediately; some…thing was attacking the people near a flower stand. It seemed to be as much plant as human. The cappuccino hit the pavement, ignored, as Star instinctively ran toward the…creature. She approached it from the rear, and when she came within range, she launched a powerful kick to the back of its neck, knocking it over.
"Leave then alone!" she yelled.
The creature picked itself up and turned to face the girl. It laughed. "I think not, little girl. I'll think I'll just take you too." As it lashed out at her, its arm extended to an impossible length, vine-like, and wrapped around her waist. It slammed her into the brick storefront; once, twice, then let her fall. "I'll deal with you later," it growled, and turned back to its original victims.
Star lay unmoving on the pavement as she regained consciousness. She opened her eyes with great difficulty, and focused on the bit of concrete in front of her nose. A small piece of paper fluttered down to rest before her. Her eyes scanned the now familiar words. "To…my daughter," she whispered. A slight breeze caught the paper and turned it over. She squinted to read the newly revealed words. "Stellar…Transformation…"
A feeling of warmth radiated from the ring on her left hand. She felt herself being lifted gently into the air. A scintillating silver light surrounded her, and as it disappeared she found herself standing with her head bowed and her arms crossed over her chest. She slowly raised her head and opened her eyes. And nearly fell over from shock.
Her t-shirt and jeans had been replaced by a close-fitting white ballet-neck shirt and white pants. Burgundy boots encased her feet, and a pair of burgundy belts crossed at her waist. Light reflected from the garnet pommel-stones of the black-hilted daggers sheathed on each belt and in the tops of the boots. She stumbled backward into something hard and turned around quickly, meeting her reflection in a shop window. She touched her face in disbelief. Her hair had become a brilliant silver, and her eyes metallic gold. Most shocking of all were the great feathered white wings sprouting from her shoulders and just barely brushing the ground. A scream from behind snapped her back into the present. She turned about rapidly, and promptly tripped on a wingtip.
Star picked herself up and lifted her wings carefully out of the way. She ran back toward the creature. She felt a sudden urge to speak. So she did. "You corrupt the beauty of these flowers. I am the Stellar Knight, and I will protect these innocents!"
The creature tossed aside its current victim, who seemed to have been completely drained of energy. "Ah. Somebody else wants to play. This day keeps getting better!" It lashed out with a vine-arm.
Star dropped and rolled towards it, unsheathing the daggers at her waist. She came up standing and slashed at its extended arm, which fell to the ground, sheared off by the keen blade. The creature shrieked and attacked with its other arm. Star blocked the strike with one blade and plunged the other into its heart. The dagger gave off a burst of brilliant light, and the creature cries out once more as it collapsed into a pile of dust.
She stood for a moment, frozen in shock. The creature's victims around her began to recover their energy. One man lifted his head, saw her, and asked dazedly, "Are you an angel?"
Star recovered, sheathing her blades. She turned and regarded him seriously. "I really don't know."
More of the people were waking up now, and some were attempting to stand. I had better get out of here. But how? Star thought. Hello! Wings. I guess it's time to see if these things really work… She climbed up onto the floral stand, closed her eyes, and jumped.
Cracking one eye open, Star realized that she was gliding. She opened both her eyes and beat her wings experimentally, gaining altitude. She smiled, feeling the wind increase as she flew higher. She flew up until she judged that she couldn't be seen, then flew the short distance back to the Academy, making a slightly rough landing on the roof of her dormitory. Making sure there was no one in the kitchen garden, she lowered herself onto her own window ledge. Thankful for the fact that no one had ever bothered to install latches on the fifth floor windows, she pushed the window open and slipped inside. After closing the window behind herself, she just stood for several moments as the recent events sank in.
She sat down heavily on her desk chair, careful to avoid hitting her wings. Her wings…Flying and helping people are wonderful, she thought, leaning her head against one hand. But how the heck do I change back? Oh, mother, if it really was you who sent me this ring, I wish you could tell me what to do now. She reached out to her left and ran her hand across the top of her wooden box, the sole link she had to her mother. To her extreme shock, the box slowly came open. Inside was a letter.
"My Dearest Child,
If you are reading this, then you have just discovered your powers and I am not there to help you. I am sorry. And I want you to know that I am very proud of you for finding your destiny on your own.
Inside this box are five gifts for five very unique people, the Lunar Sailor Scouts. These gifts will awaken their own special powers. It is your job as the Stellar Knight to locate, guide, and protect the Lunar Scouts.
Start with the leftmost compartment. You will know the right person for each gift when the time comes. You can do this. I believe in you.
Love,
Arianna Trenée, Your Mother
PS: You're probably wondering how to get back to normal. Just close your eyes, concentrate, and wish to change back."
Starfire looked up from the letter with tears in her eyes. Mother… She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she was back in her street clothes with her coloring returned to normal. She reached over her shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief when she did not encounter wings. That accomplished, she sat up straighter and peered into the box. There were five separate compartments inside. Following her mother's advice, she lifted the lid of the leftmost and removed the object within.
It was a round silver pendant, edged and quartered with gold. In the center a garnet crescent was set in a raised silver circle. In each quarter of the pendant was a differently colored and shaped gem; a dark citrine flame, a pale aquamarine water drop, a stylized puff of air in smoky quartz, and an oak leaf in dark peridot. The pendant itself was suspended on two fine chains; one gold, one silver.
Star gazed at the pendant for a long moment before pocketing it. She returned her mother's letter to the box and closed it. She looked down at her ring and her hand unconsciously formed a fist. "I'll find them," she vowed. "I promise you, Mother."