Star Dreams

Delphine shifted sleepily in her bed. Starlight streamed in the open window, shining upon the peaceful face. Within her dreamworld, the window shutter slammed. Delphine's eyes popped open, gazing at the starlit window before her. The star's magic surrounded her…and slowly she was within the star.

It had not taken her long to realize she was not on her warm bed anymore. She percieved a great peace and lightness around her, greater than she had ever felt. And it seemed so famialiar. The blinding light dispated - leaving a tired woman standing in the center of her vison world. The woman reached toward Delphine and brushed a piece of the curly orange hair away from her face. "Delphine.."

Delphine pulled away, startled. "Who are you - and how do you know my name?"

"I know all about you, daughter. Eversince the day you were born to the day you died."

The curly haired girl stood up, as much as she could manage. "I am not dead. Or am I? Did I just die - I don't want to die! I'm too young!"

The woman shook her silver hair, "No..I have just called you here. Listen to the stars Delphine. Let them give you their song." She turned from Delphine pointing up to heavens. A beautiful night sky enfolded above them. The stars twinkled, greeting Delphine in their grace. She called out to them, so instinctively - she was surprised.

And slowly..the words formed in her head.

As sands of time fall together

When wrong is right and wrong again

One will come without father or mother

And bring an end to the decay.

Trapped in ribbons of time and space

Known only to itself and time

This lonely soldier waits

For the end, the glorious future tide.

Burdens it hath taken,

From darkness beyond all known

And these sins it has carried

Until the true light is shown.

"What does it mean?" she asked, the words breaking the strange silence. "What?" Something in her soul struck a beat..chiming in the rhythm of this beautiful verse.

"Even I do not know..but don't worry..time always tells its secrets."

The woman smiled gently, turning from the heavens. "You must return now…and wait."

***************

Delphine sat up straight in her bed. The window shutters banged in the swift winds outside, but she did not pay any attention. The peace..the joy..it all had vanished with the dream. Was it truly a dream? It, whatever it was, had seemed so real.

***********

"Aira! You're back!" Delphine cried joyfully, flinging her arms around her friend's neck. Aira grinned, pushing her away. "Were you sick?"

"Of course..did anything happen when I was gone?" Aira looked to the school infront of them. The bell had just rung and she was anxious to get in. There would be a lot of work to make up from her absence.

Delphine nodded, "There's some transfer sitting in your seat. A real freak..spiky hair - the whole bit."

"A FREAK!" At those words, the two friends spun around. A red faced Tafi glared down at Delphine. "I am not a freak!"

"Really?" Delphine laughed. "I wasn't able to tell."

Aira shot an angry glance at Delphine. Delphine sighed, shrugging her shoulders and turning to go into the building. Then a thought crossed her mind. "Aira - I had a really weird dream last night."

Tafi stalked past them as Aira turned back to Delphine. "Really? What was it?"

"The lady in it had hair like yours. All silvery."

"We're going to be late, Delphine." Aira told her. "Maybe you should go to one of those mystic type shops and get a dream book. To interpret it."

"Uh huh.." The bell rung again, this time the last warning. Aira grabbed her books and hurried up the steps, leaving Delphine alone to ponder over the strange dream.

********

Delphine crossed the campus grounds during break, making a bee line for her favorite spot - the oak tree. She had planned all during chemistry to eat her lunch of fresh noodles in the branches, thinking about the dream. Now, she looked up into the boughs - utterly surprised.

"What do you think you're doing?" she shrieked, dropping her lunch on the ground - grabbing the skirt of the offender in the tree. "Get down from there right now!"

"Huh?" Tafi glanced over the branch, kicking Delphine away from her skirt. A sweet biscut was stuffed in her mouth, making it impossible for the girl to voice her true feelings. She bit a chunk of it off - placing the rest of it in her bag. "Make me!"

"I'll make you alright!" Delphine made a desparate grab for Tafi's legs. "That's my tree!" Tafi laughed mockingly, climbing to a higher branch.

"I didn't know you could own trees."

"You can!"

"Really - is there some law?"

"I hate you! I wish you never came to this school!"

"So do I!"

"HUMPH!" Delphine crossed her arms and trotted back across the campus to enjoy a peaceful lunch with Aira and Kali.

**********

The rest of the school day passed rather painlessly - a few spit balls from Tafi in her hair..that was really all. Delphine walked down the commerical district's main street, heading for the new mystic shop that had opened. She was determined to find out something about that dream.

***********

Inside the shop, Atka was bent over a crystal emblem - fiddling with a button on it. Tafi looked over her shoulder, eying the work. "Whats that?"

"I'm perfecting my Star Energy detecter. It will blink when near unfocused star energy."

"Why isn't it blinking now?"

"Because your energy is focused in your mission."

"It is? That's a first."

Atka smiled, justing the button. The door swung open, causing the bells to chime merrily. Delphine promenaded in, looking over all the artifacts the store offered. The small emblem began to blink a pale pink light. Atka turned to knob furiously - "What's wrong with this?"

"Oh hi Delphine!" Tafi greeted her mockingly.

Delphine sighed, "You? Here? I'm leaving NOW!"

"Leave!"

Atka stood up, "Wait dear - I have a free gift for all my first time customers."

"I didn't buy…"

"Just take it dear." Atka reached under the counter, retrieving a small velvet pink bag. She had wondered why she had brought it out of the back this morning, and now she knew. "Here you go."

Tafi's eyes widened as she saw Atka hand the bag to Delphine. She looked at Atka's grinning face, rather annoyed.

As soon as Delphine had left, Tafi spoke out. "Why did you give her that?"

"Follow her. You'll find out." Once the words came out of Atka's mouth, Tafi sped out the door.

*************

Delphine walked slowly down the street, heading home. Disappointment filled her. She had not completed her mission - she had not found out anything else about the dream.

************

The Shadower smiled wickedly, watching the scene through his looking glass. "So, they have found another Sailor of Harmony. I will get to her before that rapscallon Sailor Deben can!"

He looked toward his attendents. "Send a Shadow warrior to her! Quickly! Before she knows anything!"

*********

The sad girl hardly realized it when she bumped into the cloaked figure. "Oh sorry sir." She whispered, stepping around the person.

"Sorry? Look at me girl!" The Shadow Warrior grabbed her shoulder. "You will not remember anything else!"

Delphine screamed, running away from the creature. Half a block away, a woman in a blue,black,and green Sailor uniform stepped infront of her. "You are Sailor Sirrius! Defend yourself!"

"What? How?"

"Say 'Sirrius Circle Make up!' That will transform you - with the crystal the shop keeper gave you of course."

Delphine took the crystal from the bag, holding it infront of her face. "Sirrius Circle Make up!"

A glow of light rose from the crystal, becoming soft winds. The wind blew around Delphine, wrapping around her. The glow dulled, showing a pink and purple Sailor Uniform underneath. What remained of the light leapt into the crystal as it flew to Sailor Sirrius's forehead, becoming the tiara.

"This is like my dream! Just as weird!" Delphine laughed giddily. She looked for the woman behind her, "What now?"

"Hold your arms before you and pretend you are pushing the air before you away. Yell ' Sirrius Nova Smash!"

Sailor Sirrius placed her arms before her, stiff and strong - as if she held the air away from her. "Sirrius Nova Smash!" she yelled as the monster approached. A strong bolt of energy leapt from her hands in all the colors of the rainbow. The light surrounded the darkness - destroying it complety. The monster yelled for the last time, and then it was no more.

Sailor Sirrius blinked her eyes. "Neat!" She then remembered the woman behind her, "Who are you?" The strange sailor had disappeared!

"She's Sailor Galaxy!" An all to famiallar voice cried out from behind her. Sailor Sirrius groaned as she saw Tafi running to her. "How do you know that?"

"I'm Sailor Deben! Welcome to the group!"

"There are others?"

"Well, just you and me."

"Oh great." Sailor Sirrius collapsed down onto the ground, the excitement had tired her. "Now how do I get out of this?"