2298
Milky Way Galaxy
Planet Earth
Lincoln County Nevada
Neon Alien 24 Hour Diner
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Hara, Logan, Varian, Summer Dawn, and Chenoa sat at a booth inside a flying saucer-shaped diner. The neon lights both inside and outside made it stand out against the bland futurist style of the other buildings.
Logan sat back, patting his stomach a few times before covering his mouth and letting out a soft burp. "Ah ~ now that's what I call lunch. Nothin' like a classic cheeseburger and french fries." He mused with a lopsided smile.
Hara nudged his arm with her elbow and cracked a smile. "Too bad the milkshake machine was broken, I missed a chance to dip my fries in one." She sighed, letting the smile fade just as quickly as it appeared on her lips.
Varian's face twisted into a look of disgust, wrinkling his nose, curling his upper lip up, and cringing. "That is disgusting." He shuddered at the thought of the combination.
Hara shrugged her shoulders with a cheeky grin. "Is the Great Varian disgusted with my choice of combos?" She teased, her voice light and airy. "Yeah, I like acquired combinations, I could say pickles and chicken are gross, but I don't."
Varian rolled his eyes. "Chicken and pickles are a classic southern combo, not that you'd appreciate it." He commented condescendingly. "Are you ready to go? Or is there somewhere I should chauffeur you too?"
Logan rolled his eyes and gave a lopsided smile which disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. "Well, I'd like to stay out longer but I guess we don't have much of a choice, huh?" He glared over at Varian, who just kept a stoic face.
Varian inwardly rolled his eyes and scoffed under his breath. "Hey, I was nice enough to allow you to come along. I don't have all the time in the world to be your chauffeur, I have things to do too. Besides, I'd hate for you to get into trouble for leaving the academy." In the last part, he spoke condescendingly.
Logan threw his hands up in the air and huffed. "When did you start caring about us? Don't flatter yourself, Varian. We'd just get a warning, remember, we're model students, can't say the same, huh?" He countered, just as condescendingly as Varian did.
Varian locked eyes with Logan and slowly narrowed them, clenching his jaw. He was not going to let Logan of all people get the last word. "Two can play this game." He spat, placing his hands on the table and slowly rising from his seat.
"Okay boys, put away the guns, we don't need a standoff here." Chenoa commented, putting his hands out between the two boys she was seated in the middle of. "So, please, let's just keep it civil until we get to the academy. I don't want WWIV started,"
Logan huffed begrudgingly, standing up and crossing his arms. "Fine." He huffed, walking towards the door as Varian silently stood up and crawled out of the booth, Summer Dawn and Hara following quietly after exchanging looks.
Chenoa set the book on the table and proceeded to crawl out of the booth after her sister, Logan, and Varian as a flash of light caught the corner of her eye as she turned toward the book.
"What the -" She cut herself off as she watched the book open by itself and turn to a blank page. Her eyes went wide and she yelped, scurrying away from the book. "Ah-"
Hara turned around at her sister's exclamation. She rushed over with worry in her eyes. "Chenoa, what's wrong?" She asked hastily, Logan and Varian walking up beside her, quizzical looks on their faces.
Chenoa pointed to the book, now open with a map on the blank pages. "That-that book just opened! By itself! Started turning pages like it was haunted! Then-then a map appeared and-and now there's a glowing little light." She stammered, clutching onto her sister's arm.
Varian walked over to the book and pulled it from the table and into his hands. "Well, it is a map and it is pointing to a certain mountain range not too far away from here." He explained, skeptically looking at the book.
Hara stepped beside Varian, dragging her sister along. "Okay, that is weird, not gonna lie. But where does it lead? Is it like a treasure map or something?" She inquired, a mix of curiosity and being wary about the book.
Logan looked between his friends and Varian, none of them seemed as freaked out as he did. "Are we going to ignore what Chenoa said about the book opening on its own and turning pages by itself? No? Guys?"
Hara looked back at Logan. "Okay, that is a little freaky and I don't doubt that happened, but let's look at it logically and open-minded-ly." She said, knowing something realistic had to have caused the boon to do it.
Chenoa rolled her eyes. "How can we look at it logically? We don't have such technology! There is no way a book could just suddenly open, a map appears and a flashing light showing the destination!" She admitted, making hand gestures as she spoke.
Varian was torn. On one hand, Chenoa had a point, but also Hara did too. "She's got a point. The book seems mythical, like something you'd see from Lord of the Rings -" He paused as the others either snickered or hid a smile. "What? I'm a huge fan of Tolkien's work."
Logan couldn't believe that Varian liked high fantasy novels, but that wasn't what was important. "Anyways, should we - I don't know, go to where the light is at? It could be nothing but what if this is like a new TV show type thing? We could be famous!" He exclaimed, his eyes growing wide.
Summer Dawn snorted, looking back at Logan. "Do you want to be famous?" Since he had always stood in his sister's shadow this could be a chance to make his own mark. "Well, it's up to Varian since he's the one we hitched a ride with."
Varian shook his head, putting his hands in front of him. "No, not me." He pointed to the young girl with her arms crossed. "Chenoa, she's the one who got the book, since it's her's, she's the one who gets to say. Whatever happens, she will be taking the blame, not me."
Chenoa took the book from Varian and held it in her hands. "I know this might sound crazy, but I feel a pull in my psyche to go. It's like I'm supposed to go whether I want to do it or not." It was weird, but again, she was very open-minded when it came to these things.
Hara knew her sister had good intuition, something she also had, so there was no denying it. "I guess that settles it." She clapped her hands together with a smile. "Let's follow this map!"
Varian looked over at the girl holding the book. "Chenoa gets to sit up by me, I need her to direct me." He didn't like admitting he needed help, but again, she was the one who had the book and not him.
Chenoa was stunned. Her eyes went wide as she stood there. "Wait, you'd like me to give you directions? You? Varian Cohan? Mr. I-Don't-Need-Any-Help-I-Can-Do-It-On-My-Own?" She asked as a smile broke out on her lips followed by a devious giggle. "Ah, this is gold. Really, truly gold."
Varian rolled his eyes. "Don't get too excited. If it pans out to be nothing, none of you will say a word of what transpired here. You will take it to your grave, hear me?" He frowned, narrowing his eyes, the showing was not joking. "Or I'll get you kicked out of school, mark my words."
Summer Dawn exchanged looks with her friends and then back at Varian. "Crystal." She said firmly, Logan, Hara, and Chenoa echoing her words, all placing their fingers up to their lips. "Taken to our grave." She said as she walked towards the doors. "Now, come on, the suspense is killing me."
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Varian pulled over on the side of the road, for miles masa plateau could be seen. "I can't believe I'm following some mystical book." He mumbled under his breath. "Are you sure this is it?" He turned off his car and got out. He pulled out his glasses from his backpack and put them on his face, then slung his backpack over his shoulder.
Chenoa jumped out and adjusted her backpack. "This is where the book says." She triple-checked just to make sure she was right. Sure enough, she was. "Right on the dot." She looked up and squinted her eyes from the bright sun.
Logan walked over and clasped his hand on Varian's shoulder. "It's shocking to me too but here we are." He sarcastically commented, beginning to descend the narrow path down. "Is this the way we go, Noa?"
Chenoa glared daggers at the brown-haired boy. "First, do not call me Noa." She sharply chided. "Second, yes. There should be a cave somewhere down here with makings to lead us."
Hara grinned as she leaned over her sister's shoulder while she adjusted her backpack. "Is the book telling you that?" She sarcastically asked, knowing it was probably the truth, but she still was getting a kick out of this.
Chenoa gave a deadpanned look, pressed lips, and narrow eyes. "Yes, it's displayed in pictures now that we are at the destination." She just as sarcastically replied to her sister. She huffed and walked away from the car and Hara, following Logan.
Summer Dawn grinned, skipping after Logan and stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets. "Come on guys, this is the coolest thing to have ever happened to us! Just think, we could happen upon a mechanical lion that will take us off to a galaxy far beyond our own!"
Varian couldn't believe they were taking it so seriously. "You watch too much science fiction." He commented, watching where he stepped not to trio over any of the rocks in the path.
Summer Dawn rolled her eyes but kept a cheeky smile on her lips. "We're practically living in a sci-fi novel! A hundred years ago, no one would have thought we'd have gone as far into space as we had. We recovered from WWIII and come up with all these new technological advances!" She exclaimed, placing her hand on the wall of the rock.
Varian trudged after them, crossing his arms over his chest as his backpack hung off one shoulder. "Let's just find the spot the book says and then we can go. I don't wanna get lost, and if we do, it's y'all's fault." He said, not taking the blame for everything.
Logan looked back at the others now that Chenoa was in the front with Hara. "So, what exactly are we going to do if we find whatever the map is leading us to?" He asked, finding this whole thing exciting and weird.
Chenoa groaned. If she had to hear one more question she was going to strangle someone. "We'll figure that out when we get there. Now quiet, I need to concentrate and listen to the book." She snapped, looking back at the book.
As soon as the group stepped foot into the cave, beautiful silvery-blue swirl markings lit up on the walls and down the tunnel, illuminating the dark and damp cave. The colors stopped About ten feet away, dipping down and congregating in the middle of the floor in a circular design.
Chenoa's eyes widened and brightened up at the display before her. "Okay, wow, that is seriously the coolest." She exclaimed and held the book against her chest. "I think it wants us to go towards the circle." She explained, feeling it inside her body.
Varian couldn't believe it. He inwardly groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, of course, it does. Then the ground around us will crumble, sending us down a slide and before whatever is down there. Then that becomes our only way out and we get thrown into a world beyond our own dealing with others' problems." He ranted all in one breath.
Logan jogged down the tunnel, turning around halfway and walking backward. "Chop! Chop! Come on guys, the anticipation is killing me." He called, turning back around and walking up to the circle on the floor.
Summer Dawn followed behind Logan, running her hand over the markings. "This is super freaky." She admitted, standing beside the brown-haired boy. She crouched down and ran her fingers over the pattern, examining it.
Hara walked behind her sister, guiding her down the tunnel as Chenoa's eyes focused on the book. "Is it telling us to all stand in the circle?" She asked, noticing how the writings on the pages began to fade with every step they took.
Chenoa looked up at Hara and nodded her head. "Yeah," She said as the book suddenly snapped closed. "And whatever happens from here on out we are on our own. Fun." She deadpanned, standing between Logan, Summer Dawn, and now her sister.
Varian watched as everyone gathered in the circle but him. "Whatever happens it's y'all's fault." He sighed heavily, hearing the others ask why he wasn't coming, and instead of replying he shuffled over to the circle.
Logan pursed his lips as they all stood there for a few minutes. "Is something supposed to happ-EEEEEEEEN," His scream mixed with his friends as the floor caved in, sending them all screaming and tumbling down a smooth slide-like surface.
Splash.
Varian was the first to land in a small puddle of water while landing around him. He groaned, pushing himself off the ground. "Oh, gross." He cringed, getting to his feet and shaking his hands off in the air.
Chenoa sat up, getting to her feet. Her eyes looked up and met a glowing dark blue, human-sized gem suspended in the air with someone inside. "Whoa - what is that?" She asked, walking closer to it. "I've never seen anything like it."
Summer Dawn shuffled after Chenoa as her eyes never left the gem. "That is seriously some freaky stuff - how is it doing that?" She gawked, blinking a few times and rubbing her eyes to make sure she was seeing things correctly.
Varian scaled up the side of the wall to gain a better view. He hoisted himself up on the narrow ledge and sat down. "What's even freaky-er is that someone is inside." He called down to them, digging his nails into the rock he held onto leaning closer.
Logan squinted his eyes and tried to focus so he could try and get a better look. "Someone inside? But how is that even possible? Are you sure there aren't any wires holding it up?" He called up, only getting a groan from Varian in reply. "Forget I asked such a dumb question."
Hara walked up closer and put her hands on her hips. "How do we get it -" She cut herself off as the gem slowly began to descend. "What -" She looked to Chenoa, seeing her slack jaw, the book in her hand, the crystal glowing, said it all.
Varian jumped down and landed on the back side of the gem. "Color me surprised," He mumbled, his eyes wide as he glanced at Logan who had come to stand beside him. He opened his mouth to have a witty remark but couldn't find the words, so he closed it back.
The gem touched the ground and then dematerialized right before their eyes. Inside was Princess Luna, who's eyes were closed and looked peacefully asleep. Her body fell backward since she was no longer floating inside the gem.
Varian quickly caught her to prevent her from falling to the ground. The first thing he noticed was her oddly colored hair, and then her pointed ears. Her clothes, that was another story. "Something out of The Lord of the Rings." He mumbled, looking at the intricate pattern on her dress.
Summer Dawn knelt beside Varian as the others followed. "Is she okay?" She asked, reaching her finger over and giving Luna a few pokes to which the strange girl stirred. "Ah~" She yelped, jumping backward, a bit startled. "Who is she? What is she?"
Hara took a moment to inspect the foreign girl before her. "I don't know but it's like she's cosplaying as someone - but what was she doing in the crystal suspended in the air?" She asked, looking towards the others.
Luna groaned softly as she fluttered her eyes open. The first thing she noticed was the sliver of light coming from a hole off to the side. "What - what happened?" She mumbled in a daze, putting her hand to her head.
Her eyes wandered up to the teens standing before her. "Who-who are you? What are you? Where am I?" She asked, many questions swirling about her head making her dizzy.
Hara looked at her friends, sister, and Varian before replying. "I'm Hara, this is my sister Chenoa, that's Logan, Summer Dawn, and the one behind you is Varian." She introduced, pointing to each person she named. "We're humans? And you're in Nevada, just on the outskirts of Tonopah." She paused when Luna looked confused. "Planet Earth."
Luna furrowed her brows as she pondered those names. 'Nevada? Tonopah? Planet Earth?' She couldn't pinpoint ever hearing those names before. "Deepest apologies, I don't know what you mean."
She then chose to introduce herself since they already had. "I am Princess Luna Veianiseiané, second princess of Planet Celestine of the Gortok Galaxy. Thank you for finding me - how did you find me?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
By this time no one was really surprised anymore, including Chenoa. She stepped forward and held out the book. "Uh, well, this book showed us." She replied and explained how she had gotten her hands on the book and what transpired up until this very point. "Yeah, it's weird and unbelievable."
Luna smiled softly as she took the book from Chenoa. It felt familiar to her, but her brain wasn't working properly to connect the dots just yet. "It is not weird or unbelievable. It is normal where I come from." She said as everyone's eyes drift up toward the glowing crystal in Luna's circle.
Exchanging looks with each other, Summer Dawn spoke up. "Excuse me, Luna, uh, yeah, not to freak you out or anything, but uh," She asked, getting her attention and pointing to her forehead. "Your crown is glowing."
Luna furrowed her brows. She reached her hand up and touched the crystal, which went a low grumble throughout the cave they were in. "What -" She asked, the others echoing the same as a mechanical obsidian dragon burst through one of the walls and landed before them.
Logan's eyes were wider than saucers at the dragon. His inner kid was bubbling and overflowing with starry wonder. "It's . . . so . . . beautiful!" He managed to say, his eyes not blinking once while he spoke, keeping them focused on the machine before him.
Hara turned to Luna, who seemed like an awestruck child. "What is it?" She asked, knowing that was what everyone else was thinking. It did seem that the alien princess knew what it was, considering she was slowly approaching it.
Luna turned to Hara with a soft smile. "It is a Celestial Dragon, one of ten. It is the universe's ultimate defense against evils, they are the most powerful thing to ever be crafted. It is a legend back home, told to children to cheer them up or just a nice story as my sister calls it." She explained as it struck her.
Varian rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Back up, you said it's a Celestial Dragon and the universe's ultimate defense and it's one of ten? What happened to the rest?" He asked, a little curious but yet a little annoyed.
Luna understood what he meant. It was reasonable. "Well, from what Father said, they were created by the world's powerful ancient races, including the Lunari - myself and my father and the Sunari - my sister and Mother."
"Each one held powers that could be unlocked through trial by fire, it played on the strengths of its pilots and aided their weaknesses. Together, they helped keep the universe safe, but one day they all just vanished. Father said the dragons were his first and then the artifacts were hit far away. Only when the artifacts come together can it reveal the other dragons."
"I always thought it was a story until seeing it first hand. If the obsidian dragon is real, then the others are just as real." She excitedly explained, determination sparkling in her eyes. 'That means I can take back the universe and end the tyrannical reign of Emperor Oucxian and the Cerkoik!' She thought, feeling a bit better. "This was what Mother meant,"
Logan looked at his companions who all were still buffering from the information Luna had told them. "That's a lot to take in," He spoke for everyone and then added. "What is your story, Princess Luna? How did you end up here on earth?"
Luna looked down at the book in her hands. "My story?" The words felt foreign to her. "Hmm, if you truly wish to hear it, why not come inside the dragon? It would be more comfortable," She asked softly, her eyes sweeping over the teens. "And less drafty and uh, wet."
Summer Dawn didn't hesitate to dash over to Luna. "I'd thought you'd never ask!" She squealed, walking up the ramp of its open mouth. "Does this thing connect with the others and turn into a giant robot?" She asked with wide eyes.
Luna furrowed her brows. As far as she could recall her father had never spoken of such things happening. "I don't think so, yet there is much unknown about them, so, possibly." She replied, walking through the open doors of the dragon's throat.
Logan jogged up beside Summer Dawn, gazing around as awestruck as ever. "So, there is a possibility that it could! Oh, oh, I wanna be the leg. I think it's cool to be a leg!" He exclaimed, giggling like a giddy schoolgirl.
Summer Dawn knew what he was getting out. Being a leg would be cool. "I'd rather be an arm so I can throw some awesome punches and even hold a shoulder cannon and go pow pow pow!" She mimicked the sound effects and fired a cannon.
Luna led everyone to the head of the dragon which was the cockpit. She sat down in the only captain's chair and looked at the consul before her. She took a deep breath, steadying herself so she could remain calm as she told her story.
She tapped a few things on the desk as she recounted her story. She couldn't bring herself to look them in the eyes, plus she needed to find out how much time had passed. She glanced back at them after she finished. "I know, it's a lot to take in."
Logan's jaw slacked and his eyes were wide as he listened to Luna. "So you're saying there is an evil alien race called the Cerkoik, led by Emperor Oucxian that is conquering the universe and they destroyed your whole galaxy, including your planet?" He asked, wanting to make sure he heard it right.
Chenoa listened to what Logan had listed but wanted to add a few things. "And they plan on overtaking the whole universe and being the sole ruler over everyone and everything while also looking for a new planet to call home?" She couldn't believe it. "Wow,"
Luna nodded, confirming that summed it up. "Yes. That was what was happening while I was being sent away with my sister. Father was protecting the kingdom and mother was going to join them." She said, turning back the screen.
Her eyes went wide, her breathing hitched, dread filling her stomach as the information popped up on the screen. "No, it can't be - this-this is wrong -" She paused, pressing the buttons to reload the page.
Hara could tell that whatever the scene said was troubling for Luna. She couldn't read the characters on the screen. They certainly weren't in English but it seemed Luna knew. "What does it say?" She asked hesitantly.
Luna turned to the others, despair in her eyes. "10,000 uinarians . . . I've been asleep here for 10,000 uinarians," She repeated, burying her face in her hands. "Everything is gone! My home, my family, and everything I knew are no longer. So much of the universe is conquered." She sobbed, the overwhelming feeling taking over.
Hara's gaze softened as she watched Luna break down. She walked over and wrapped her arms around the Lunari princess. "I'm so sorry," She figured her words wouldn't make up for the news nor would they make her feel better, but she still offered them to her.
"I'm sorry too, is there anything we can do to help?"Summer Dawn asked as she joined in on the hug, along with Logan while Varian and Chenoa just stood there awkwardly taking it all in.
Varian wasn't a touchy-feely guy so he didn't know how to comfort anything, including a crying girl. "Uh, that is awful - sorry it has taken someone so long to find you, I can't imagine how that'd feel." He said, trying to put himself in her shoes.
Luna sniffled, wiping her eyes with her hands. She took a shaky breath turning her chair around once Hara and Logan had pulled away. "Thank you." She smiled looking up at Hara. "That is a kind offer, but I can not trouble you. There is nothing anyone can do without the other nine celestial dragons."
Chenoa stepped forward to the consul and tapped on the dashboard. Suddenly the dragon whirled to life and let out an airy roar as the cockpit lit up in dark blue lights. "Uh. . ." She stammered, stepping back with her hands in front of her as everyone but Luna shouted her name. "Sorry?"
Luna tapped at the screen and her eyes went wide as the dragon jerked and took off into the sky. "Whoa, hold on!" She exclaimed as everyone clamored to hold onto each other and her chair as gravity pulled on their bodies like going down a rollercoaster.
Varian gritted his teeth, digging his nails into the headrest. "What did you do?" He snapped, glaring at the youngest member of their group. Whatever was happening now was her fault and was not going to let it go.
Chenoa opened her mouth to speak and stammering came out. "I-I d-don't know! I-I-I was just p-pushing buttons and it c-came to-to life!" She exclaimed defensively, feeling everyone's eyes on her. "I-I swear I didn't do anything!"
Luna's eyes scanned the screen before her as she gripped the armrest of her chair as they broke through the earth's atmosphere. "She didn't do anything. It is pre-programmed to return to Planet Celestine, its original home . . ."
The moment those words left her mouth there was an uncomfortable silence from everyone.
Not even their wildest dreams could prepare them for what lay ahead.
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A/N:
So, this chapter had gone through a whole lotta rewrite. I wasn't quite happy with the OG and some ideas I thought about while in bed have escaped me. So, I did try my best to keep things realistic and not rush things. But, I'm actually pretty happy with how I turned out.
If you didn't notice, I referenced Voltron, since that was one of the inspirations for this story. I myself would love to be an arm, that'd be fun, but let's be honest, I'd probably be a leg like Logan XD.
Chapter Talk:
So, the gang finally meets Luna, and we get to see the celestial dragon, Obsidian! You will also get to see the other artifacts and dragons throughout this book, along with the group figuring out how all this works.
It's gonna be a wild ride and I'm really excited to start writing their journey to be Celestial Guardians, yeek, and meet other characters and see some familiar faces lol.
And lastly, anything else I forgot to ask my pals. I am happy to answer anything!
In closing, all rude, impolite and mean comments will be replied to in a diplomatic way, reported or deleted if I feel like it is attacking me personally.
Thanks for reading!