A/N: The Little Mermaid AU that everyone was waiting for! Or at least just me. Influenced by Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid. I'll also be referring to Starfire as Koriand'r but she'll eventually be called Starfire as the story goes on. I'm not sure if I'll ever have Blackfire be called anything other than Komand'r in this fic but we'll see.

WARNING: As in the original, there is going to be a death towards the end.

"A philosopher once asked, "Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?" Pointless, really…"Do the stars gaze back? Now that's a question."

-Stardust (2007)

Every night a star is born. As the universe expands, the stars multiply, filling up the many dark, empty spaces in the sky right at the edge of the universe. On one particular night, when the earth began to thaw and it's own star had grown quite a bit from warming it up from what the humans called the "Ice Age," a special star was born. Her name was Koriand'r.

Koriand'r, what roughly translates to the human language as "Starfire," was precocious, curious star. She was one of the first stars to wander about the universe by herself naturally, leaving pink streaks in the sky wherever she traveled. Most stars didn't begin wandering until decades after their formation. Koriand'r's own sister, Komand'r, didn't roam about until she was about half a century old and only then it was only the span of a few light years at a time. Though Komand'r was the eldest, it was expected that Koriand'r would rule the galaxy because of her never-ending desire to explore the galaxy. Koriand'r always assured her older sister that she had no wish to rule space, only roam it. Komand'r would only give her a glittery smile in response.

If there was any place that Koriand'r liked to explore, it was the planet Earth. The earth, though only a few thousand years old, was teeming with life. Koriand'r had never seen anything like it. Venus was too hot and the only living things around there were unfriendly reptilian-like creatures that used the heat to warm their cold-blooded hearts. The sea mermaids living in the lakes of Jupiter were not much for conversation and the poisonous air that filled their lungs seemed to seep into their personalities as well. Earth was so gentle and pleasant in comparison. The plants, the sea, the people were unlike Koriand'r had ever seen in her life.

She visited every couple of years with the help of earth's sky witch Raven, who would turn her into a harmless firefly, and allow herself to fly about and observe all of the humans go about their daily life. She was curious about their silly fashion trends, which changed so frequently. The people, she noticed, had such short life spans compared to the star people. She could visit one day and the next time she came there would be whole new generations of people that looked the same but were definitely different! How strange.

"Live there?" her sister repeated when Koriand'r first spoke of her desire out loud. "Why would you want to live there? This is your home. Your family, your brother and I, we are here. What is there for you?"

The star stared wistfully at the beautiful planet, its vast oceans and beautiful green plains. "There is so much there, sister. You should come visit with me sometime. It is very wonderful. The people, they are so amusing!"

Komand'r nodded but Koriand'r knew that her sister didn't understand. No one really understood. Everyone else laughed when she mentioned how pretty the human world was but at least her sister would listen politely. She didn't dare mention it to the rest of her family though. The one time she did her parents looked so shocked she was afraid they would burn out early. Aside from her sister, the one person she fully trusted with her earthly desires was the Sky Witch Raven, a magical being that lived in the clouds of earth and, Koriand'r believed, the kindest person in all of space and time.

…

"Does anyone know that you have such an…intimate relationship with earth and its beings?" Raven asked her one night when Koriand'r came down for another visit.

The star giggled, sparks springing from her hair. "No, I think it would be most appalling to them if I ever revealed it," she confessed. Though she should have felt guilty, the only thing the star felt was giddy.

The witch looked concerned. "It's dangerous for you to keep going out there even if you only visit every once in a while. The form I give you, Koriand'r, it is very delicate," Raven said seriously.

Koriand'r only laughed. "A firefly, they call it? But I love it so! It is so light and beautiful. It's like an earthly form of a star in miniature, is it not? Though if you're so displeased with the fragile form, why don't you just give me a human body?" She was joking, of course. At least part of her was.

Raven's eyes darkened and Koriand'r immediately regretted her words. "Because, Koriand'r, the process of being a human isn't just risky, it's painful. Even if I were able to give you the body you wanted, the price you'd have to pay would be too much."

The stars eyes glittered as she stared defiantly back at the witch. "How do you know that I am not willing to pay that price? Perhaps I love earth so much that I am willing to pay however much it takes to become a human."

The sorceress opened her mouth only to shut it once no words came out. Her eyes were shining brightly and Koriand'r could have sworn that Raven's eyes were glazing over with tears, but then again it could have been just Koriand'r's light shining brilliantly in the witch's eyes. "Are you going to visit then?" she asked the star. Her voice was cold, bitter. It was like she wanted to slice through Koriand'r.

Koriand'r was hesitant and frightened. Yes, she had waited desperately as she always did for another trip to earth, but her friend's face scared here. "No," she said slowly. Her flame burned a little less vibrantly now. "I think I shall stay here with you for now. Earth can wait."

Instead of looking pleased, however, Raven just looked angry. No, the star decided after a while. The expression on the sorceress' face was one of grief. Koriand'r debated about whether or not to ask her friend if she would like to share her feelings but thought better of it. She had done enough to upset her friend for today. She resolved to at least make the rest of her time with the Sky Witch enjoyable for the sake of her dear friend. It was the least she could do to thank Raven for even allowing her to visit earth in the first place. Still, she couldn't help but think about what the witch had said earlier. There was a way for Koriand'r to become a human and she was determined to find out what it was if it was the last thing she did.

A/N: Next up, meeting the Boy Wonder.