Deben Rises!

"I really don't think it’s a matter of ablitiy,Tafi" Miss Talena sighed. "You just need to try harder…"

Tafi shrugged her shoulders, "So what?" She picked up a pencil off the teacher's desk, spinning it in her hands. "What did you really want to talk to me about?"

"Uh..I have consulted with your parents - after that last grade. We have decided it would be best for you to be transferred - to somewhere with a more disiplined structure."

"Transfer?"

Miss Talena looked up at the girl standing before her,"On Monday you will spend your first day at the Bren Private Academy."

"WHAT! Are you out of your mind??!" Tafi shrieked. Her eyes flamed brillantly. "That school? It has UNIFORMS!"

"There would be more dislipine, something you need Tafi." Miss Talena retrieved her stachel from under the desk. "Actually, Tafi - there's nothing you can do. You have been enrolled already. If you're worried about friends - the children there are well behaved and nice."

"Great bunch of friends," Tafi groaned. "I don't need friends."

Miss Talena stood up, picking a folder off the desk and handing it to Tafi. "Read the papers in here, some information on the school cirriculum and campus." She saw Tafi's stoney glare. "I am really sorry, Tafi."

"Yeah right."

The young teacher walked quickly out of the room, escaping from Tafi's wrath. As the door shut behind Miss Talena, Tafi crumpled up the folder and threw it in the waste basket. It would just be a matter of time before she would be out of - ugh-the Bren Private Academy.

Tafi didn't take the usual route home, past the school and crossing a street- she passed through the commerical district. Several new shops had opened, and she wanted to check them out. Of course, this route would also get her out of facing her parents- something she really wanted to do right then.

She walked down the street, eying the windows of each of the stores. Mainly expensive clothing stores - nothing Tafi would buy. Then in one window - something caught her eye. The store, itself was new - and appeared to be some sort of crystal charm shop. But it was the sign that caught her eye - "Find Your True Self! Revealing Readings! Ask Atka Inside!" Maybe, she thought - giggling - the reading would help her find her true self in school work. "Well," Tafi mused,"if its not free - I'm not going to get the reading."

The door of the shop - titled Mystics by Atka - swung open easily under Tafi's hand - releasing the deep smell of incense and other air perfumes. As the door shut behind her, leaving Tafi in the middle of a large sparsly furnished room - a bell attached to the door rang. The store's furniture, what little of it there was, gave the stylist impression of a mystical shop. The tables littered with boxes of crystals were a dark ebony color and elaborately carved with symbols. Tafi santered over to the table nearest her, running her finger in the carvings of the symbols. They were beautiful - even if she didn't know what they meant.

"Hello? May I help you?" a voice rang from the counter. "I'm Atka." Tafi looked up quickly.

"Uh yes..the sign in the window?"

Atka smiled wryly, her dark hair falling across her face. "Yes, the reading. It's free…if that's what you were wondering."

"Why is it free? Most people charge for stuff like that." Tafi walked over to Atka at the counter. The woman's eyes followed Tafi carefully, eying ever movement. Atka heart began to beat quickly as her mind sensed a minute vibration.

"I've just moved into this district - and I want the people to give my readings a chance."

Tafi laughed, "The people here are pretty skeptical."

"I susposed so. Even you seemed to be..critical." Atka reached under the counter, retrieving a small white crystal.

"I'm not that critical…well.. what do you do?" Tafi asked. Atka held the crystal infront of her face, whispering some intelligible words. The crystal began to sparkle, almost as if a beam of light had hit it. Yet, the room was shadowy. "How'd you do that?"

Atka did not respond. She just stared at the crystal, her hands trembling slightly. Slowly - the trance passed and she looked back up to Tafi. "Uh..the crystal - in the back room..I'll show you."

Atka turned around and pushed a heavy curtain back - "Here this way." Tafi followed Atka into the backroom, looking around. There was nothing in the back room - save for a single shelf. This shelf Atka walked over to, picking up a pouch from a cushion. There were several cushions, each holding a small bag.

She handed the small pouch to Tafi. "Take this. Look inside." The bag was a soft red velvet, a small golden ring sewn onto the top. When Tafi emptied the contents into her hand, a single ruby like crystal spilled out. The crystal glowed softly, a pale red light. "I want you to hold the crystal and say, 'Deben Circle Make up!' You got that?"

"Yeah..I guess." Tafi held the crystal in her hand, wrapping her fingers around it. "Deben Circle Make up!" The crystal flew from her hand to her forehead - glowing as a silver band formed around it. Deep red flames rose around Tafi, wrapping themselves around her arms and legs. Where the flames touched, a uniform was left. She instinctively crossed her arms at the wrists.

"AH! What is this?" Tafi yelled at her new apparal. The uniform was a red shirt with a black sailor collar, a black pleated skirt, and black boots and gloves. Her crystal shone from a tiara on her forehead. "This is…"

"You are Sailor Deben."

"What? Who's that?"

Atka sighed, "It's a rather long story. Okay - thousands of years ago, the twenty brightest stars were not stars- but planets. Each of the planets had their respective star names, Deben, Vega,and so on. And these planets were inhabited by people, very peaceful people. Their peace existed until the releasion of the evil entity - Ginu.

Ginu blew up every planet - only the solar system of the Earth's sun was saved by the promise of alliance. The planets are still burning - this is what makes them appear to be stars. Before the destruction of the planets, the Universal Council decided to send the guardian of each planet into the future on earth - to save this from happening again. For by a unitation of powers, Ginu was trapped behind a door with a single key. The guardians were to make sure his followers did not find the key." Atka took a breath. "I was appointed by the council to find the Star Guardians in the future..and inform them of their tasks."

"So..I'm susposed to stop this keyie thing from being found?"

Atka nodded, "That's the idea."

Tafi shrugged her shoulders. "Doesn't seem too hard. Now, how do I get out of this?" She tugged at the skirt.

Atka laughed, "Say 'Deben Circle Grouding'."

Tafi repeated that phrase and the entire outfit disappeared - leaving her regular clothes and her crystal. "You said there were other Sailor Scouts.. the guardians. Are any..well..found?"

"You are the first."

"Does that make me some sort of leader?" Tafi's eyes sparkled mischieveously.

"The only true leader is Sailor Vega."

"Oh." Tafi pushed back the curtain looking for some symbol of the time. A single clock hung on the wall - reading 6:20."ACK! I was susposed to be home an hour ago!"

Atka lead her out the door, "You better be going. Bye!"

"Bye!"

Tafi ran down the street heading for her home. Halfway up a hill near her house, she tripped on the pavement - falling in view of a pair of dark black boots. "A little late getting home, human?"

Tafi looked up at the speaker. His face was shrouded in darkness, something she did not like AT ALL. "You will be punished…to say the least. Rise to the forces of evil, girl!"

"I don't rise to anyone..thank you very much." Tafi picked herself, and ran with all her might. She knew the being was following her - but she had to get to a place to transform. Tafi swung around a corner, waiting for the entity. When he did not come - she grabbed the crystal and cried, "Deben Circle Make up!"

Transformed, Sailor Deben jumped out into the street - right in front of the man. "Whoever you are, you are in major trouble! I'm Sailor Deben and I'm going to punish you!"

"For what?" the entity cackled - changing into a deformed monster. Slime dripped from his lips as he spoke.

"Uh…terrorizing a really nice girl!"

The monster laughed, raising his hand above his head. "Dark Force Power!" A stream of black light flew out of his hand. Sailor Deben tried to dodge - but the beam threw her against the wall. She groaned at the weight of the bricks against her back, the monster running right to her. "Why didn't you tell me what to do Atka?"

"Get up Sailor Deben or you're dust!" a voiced cried from a nearby roof. Another sailor stood there - in blue, green,and black. Two blue streaks highlighted her black hair.

"Cross your wrists, face the ugly, and say - 'Deben Crash!' - and watch what happens."

Sailor Deben nodded obediantly, getting up from the cold ground. The monster cackled harshly, "Trying again are you?"

"Yes! I try again as much as possible - but this is all I have to say to you -" Sailor Deben crossed her wrists, crying, "Deben Crash!" A red bolt of raw energy jumped from her wrists, flying toward the monster. The fire light hit the creature - with an strong impact even the stranger on the roof could feel. It screamed one dying cry…and melted into dust at Sailor Deben's feet.

"Good work,Sailor Deben, " the stranger called down to her. Sailor Deben looked up at the other sailor.

"Wait - I just want to know one thing- who are you?"

The stranger laughed, "It may be a long time before you know who I truly am - however, I will leave you with this. Call me Sailor Galaxy." A cloak seemed to envelope Sailor Galaxy,she faded out into the skyline.

Sailor Deben shrugged, "Well, it means I will know sometime…Deben Circle grounding!" A changed Tafi now stood on the pathway home - gazing at the horizon. Who knew what promises tomorrow would hold?