Star Beings

The House of Memories

Slowly, the rest of the Star beings emerge from their portals. And everyone's hair changes.
Maxine's braids go from brown streaked with pink to a deep magenta color, though still streaked with pink.
Karson's once ginger hair fades into a silvery blue.
Mateo's hair becomes streaked with teal.
Hades short fluff, which used to fade into teal, now fades into orange.
Damien's hair becomes white.
Caleb's braided undercut fades into red.
Gabriel's transformation isn't really noticeable. His hair is already blonde. Now it just looks saturated.
Lane is one of the last to step out. Her long pink hair bursts out of its thick braid and swirls around her head, a light purple climbing half way up to her head and stopping abruptly.
Her hair falls, cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall.
She smiles at me.
Goddammit I love that woman.
I look around and realize two things.
One) Hade's arm has somehow miraculously grown back. Though the longer I stare at it the more I realize that I'm an idiot and it's an illusion.
Two) Nat isn't here.
"Where the hell is Blue?" Hade asks. "Maybe she's still fighting her reflection?" Maxine offers. I shake my head. "Nat doesn't take this long. If anything, she would have been the first one done."

"She was." A voice rings out.
Say it with me kids:
F u c k.

Anai stands near a strange looking door, a knife at my best friend's throat. Her once brown hair is now a dark blue. "Let me go you-" Anai holds the knife closer, drawing blood. Both Natalie and I wince. "Keep talking and regret it." Anai growls. "When I say now, get as far away from me as possible." A voice rings out in my head.
The fuck? Why did that sound like...
I glance at Hade. I realize we all are. They wink.
Oh christ.
"Anai... it doesn't have to be like this y'know?" Hade says, stepping forward. Anai holds the knife even closer. Natalie yelps. "I'd stop moving. I wouldn't want to get rid of your arm... again." Anai says, smirking. "Oh this?" Hade holds up their arm. It disappears and then reappears. "Just an illusion. Of course if you don't believe me..."
their face hardens into a death glare.
"Why don't you come over here and see for yourself?" Hade stops about three feet away from Anai. "I'm giving you one last chance to let Natalie go. If you don't.... well..." they shrug. "You have no weapon. You don't scare me." Anai says. "Fine. You fucked around..."
An orange glow surrounds their head like a halo.
"Now, you find out."
We all scatter.
Natalie, seeing that shit is about to go down, sends her elbow into Anai's gut and scrambles away.

And then Hade, in their crazy, adrenaline loving glory, explodes like a firework on the Fourth of July.

Anai shields herself, but doesn't avoid getting her forearms burned.
Hade reforms like a puzzle, looking both hyped and in pain. "Creation didn't say that would hurt." They groan. Anai yells in rage and swings. Hade dodges it effortlessly. They reach for the door to support themself. "NO!" Anai yells, swinging at hade once more. This time, she lands it. It knocks Hade to the floor. "What's wrong? Something in here you don't want us to find?" Hade asks, sitting up and rubbing their face.
Then, I do something crazy.
I make a mad dash for the door, rushing inside while Anai is distracted. I lock the door before turning around. And what I see is...
Odd.
It's just more mirrors. But it's not me they're reflecting.
It's Anai.
I stare at the youngest one.
She's tiny, with her same bright red hair pulled back into a ponytail. She looks...
Sad. And confused. Like she's lost her parents at a grocery store.
The next is of a pre-teen Anai, looking tired and sweaty in workout clothes.
Then there's Anai as I met her. With that mid-length hair and mischievous smile.
The next reflection is of Anai in her suit from that party three years ago.
And then there's Anai now, with the black streak in her hair and the messed up eye. And that deadly stare. I realize this isn't just one room. There's a door next to the last mirror.
I reach for it.
And, right as I do, I hear the door fly off its hinges.

Anai stands in the doorway, panting. I grab the door handle, swing it open, and, preferring to live, bolt into the next room, not knowing what awaits me.

I hear Anai's footsteps echo as I run through the strange room. There's mirrors everywhere, each reflection being a different "version" of me. I glance at them as I run by, desperate to get away from Anaideia. I hear her labored breathing grow close. I'm not dying today. Not after Kit gave themselves up.
Not after everything.
Not after over four fucking years of fighting.
First as a child soldier.
Then as a pirate.
Then a vigilante.
And now general.
Not now.
I can't give up now.
I won't give up now.

I stop in my tracks, taking deep breaths. I hear Anai skid to a stop behind me. "You're giving up?" She asks. "No." I say, turning to face her. "I'm gonna kick your ass."

Anai raises an eyebrow. "Your death sentence. Too bad your little friend gave themself up for nothing." I yell in rage, swinging at Anai. She ducks. "Lame." She laughs, knocking me onto my back with a swift swipe at my legs. I grab her leg, dragging her down with me. I hear (and feel) the entire chamber rumble.
"The fuck was that?!" I hear someone yell from the way we came.
I watch a crack split the floor between Anai and I, nearly getting rid of my problem.
This entire place is collapsing.
I hear Anai laugh.
"Why the hell are you-" "this place isn't meant to hold mortals. It'll come down on all of us! But at least then, you'll all be gone!" She cackles.
She's lost it...
"No. I'm not dying here!" I shout, getting to my feet. Anai stands. "Then you'll have to get through me first."
I raise my fists. "So be it."

Anai jumps over the crack easily, tackling me. I throw her off and into a mirror, getting up and leaping over the growing split and tuning for the door.
Anai catches up.
She grabs me by the arm and nearly throws me into the bottomless raveen.
Nearly.
I catch myself, shoving her backwards.
I need to get to that door before the room comes down on me.
I push Anai to the side, no longer caring about fighting, and sprint for the door.
Anai pursues me, energized by rage and determination.
I reach the doorway, passing through and hurrying towards where the entrance once was.
"NO!" Anai screams, sinking her claws into my arm. I howl in pain. Anai throws me into a wall with a loud thud.
She steps towards me.
"Any last words?" She asks, her strange eyes resting on my throat.
I notice something in the mirror behind her, and my (probable) last words come to mind.
"Adira wouldn't want this, Mel."

Anai stops in her tracks, lowering her clawed hand.
She looks to the side, staring at the mirror reflecting little Anai.
Adira and Eligio stand behind her, her mother looking worried and her father looking expectant.
Then they just... float out of the mirror.
Like some spooky-ass ghosts.
"Well? What are you waiting for, Anaideia? Kill her. End this." Eligio growls.
"Shut up, dearest. We all know you're to blame for this whole predicament anyways." Adira huffs.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance." "Our daughter is about to willingly die just so ten people can as well. YOU DON'T SEE THE PROBLEM?!?!" Adira yells.
Anai just watches, looking more unsure than I've ever seen her.
"Kill her, Anaideia Timor. I command it." "Don't do this, mel. When has your father ever been truly in the right about... well... anything?" Anai looks back and forth between the ghostly figures of her parents.
She summons her daggers.
"There you go darling, get rid of our little problem. She has caused much suffering. She-"
Eligio grunts as Anai sends a dagger into his gut.
"No."

Some Hade for ya.