The Star Warriors

by C. S. Cooper

  * * *

  The skyline of Manhattan simmered with noise, and yet felt completely empty. Maka’s vacant green orbs scanned the area. A person might have walked down that street, or a cab might have driven by. She hardly cared. Her brain was too much of a frazzle, thanks to the hearings and testimonies she’d had to give over the last few weeks.

  It wasn’t just her. Her five cohorts lounged about the room, proverbial steam rising from their overworked heads.

  Soul and Nathan had quickly thrown off their ties, jackets, and shoes, which lay in a pile beside the door. Only Sakura had any presence of mind to pick-up after the boys. Even she couldn’t stay on her feet, and had propped her knees up on a coffee table and rested her head on Xiaolang’s shoulder.

  Nathan tried to relax, but his recurring flashbacks had held off sleep. Heavy bags weighed down his eyelids.

  Astrid chewed her nails in the corner, pondering her testimony over and over again. She knew there was nothing left to say, and yet her brain would not stop going over every single nanosecond of her life. She rose with a sigh and started to pace. When that did little to help, she walked toward Maka, and together they gazed out the window.

  “How many weeks’ve we been doing this?” she grumbled.

  “I feel like we were in Sydney only yesterday,” intoned Maka. “I never thought these secrets would come out. I couldn’t imagine it ever happening.”

  “I did,” chuckled Astrid. “But I imagined the whole world would blow up. I wasn’t expecting to have to testify before the United Nations.” The ladies chortled incredulously at the idea.

  Maka gazed at Sakura, dozing on the couch. With a smile, she said, “It was good of Sakura’s friend to hire all those lawyers for us.”

  “Yeah, not even the Regiment had anything like that,” said Astrid. “We never needed it. I should thank Missus Daidouji in person.”

  Maka gazed at Astrid pensively. She recalled the moment, in that abandoned sewer, in which the scarred woman had stopped her from using the Silver Key. Her curiosity overwhelmed her. She glanced around at the others, deciding a more private venue would be suitable.

  “I need to powder my nose,” she said, tugging at Astrid’s sleeve. Astrid caught Maka’s meaning and followed her to the adjoining bathroom. Then she faced the scarred woman. “Back in that hole, you stopped me from using the Silver Key. You said you knew what it was like to want to change the past. What did you mean?”

  Astrid tightened her jaw and shifted her gaze. She tried not to touch the scar on her nose, but the fight did not go her way. She glanced at the door, noting Maka had locked it. She beckoned the blonde closer, and started to whisper.

  “I was in kindergarten,” she said. “It was my first day, actually, and my Mum and Dad had come to see me off. The weather was bloody miserable. Absolutely raining cats and dogs. I remember I wore yellow galoshes. They squeaked like Hell while I stumbled through the wreck of my school. Mud and broken glass all through the halls, wrecked lockers, bodies everywhere. And … I thought I’d found one of my classmates in all the chaos. And …” Astrid started to pant, her skin blanched. “When I saw his face,” she stammered, wincing at the memory. “And he had my mother’s head in his hands … he’d eaten her.” She touched her scar. “That thing gave me this scar. It was then that I was born an Alchemic Warrior. And for so long, I rued that goddamn day … until I met Nathan. And I almost lost him so many times, most of them because of my own anger and regret.” She finally forced herself to look at Maka, whose eyes and mouth were wide. She sniffed back her tears and said, “More than once I thought I’d sell my soul to undo that day. And if that were enough, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But it isn’t, is it?”

  Maka thought about how many people had died, their souls sucked out of their bodies by Moonface’s minions. It was obvious that even a single soul sacrificed to change the past was too much. But hundreds would be an atrocity.

  Damn good way to end up an Asura Egg, she thought.

  “Thank you,” she said, looking right into Astrid’s red-rimmed eyes. “Thank you for stopping me.”

  Astrid beamed. “Soul seems a decent guy, and a wise one too. You should listen to him more.”

  Maka rolled her eyes. “He’s an idiot most of the time.”

  “So is Nathan,” retorted Astrid.

  Maka giggled in reply.

  A knock on the door snapped them out of their laughter.

  “Astrid, Maka, are you alright in there?” asked Sakura through the door.

  “Yeah, we’re fine,” said Maka. “We’ll be right out.”

  * * *

  Another week passed.

  The six had spent their time couped up in a hotel room in downtown Manhattan, awaiting the United Nations’ decision. Of course, the Internet had already run rampant with viral videos and tweets regarding the existence of Death City in the middle of Nevada, as well as the revealed double lives of countless Demon Weapons, Alchemic Warriors, and magic users.

  Thankfully, the combined resources of the Lee Clan and Daidouji Industries, along with a generous donation from one Masaki Kinomoto, kept the focus on the Star Warriors. Each of them had their own Facebook page and brand, provided by Tomoyo Daidouji. Every time that girl showed up, she acted like a thousand fan-girls all rolled into the ultimate groupie. Sakura loved it; Maka was annoyed by it; it made Xiaolang and Astrid very uncomfortable; and Soul and Nathan couldn’t stop marvelling at their combined coolness factor.

  One day, Tomoyo burst through the door with Bravo, Eriol, and Spirit in tow. They each wore excited yet cautious expressions.

  “Turn on the TV,” said Eriol.

  Sakura struck the remote and tuned the TV to the station as instructed by Bravo. The news broadcast announced an imminent speech by the United Nations General-Secretary regarding the incident in Sydney. Each of them sat down and grew tense as the elderly man unfurled his speech on the podium.

  “The last few weeks have triggered a major shift in our world,” he announced. “Troubling, challenging, and even bizarre facts have come to light. New threats have appeared, as well as new possibilities. And no way forward is immediately apparent. Regarding the existence of the Alchemic Regiment, of this entity known as the Reaper and his organisation of shape-shifting individuals, and of those who wield supernatural abilities, the United Nations General Assembly cannot make a decision as of yet.

  “Therefore, a period of inquiry is to be established. The nature of these organisations and the abilities of their participants will be ascertained with utmost transparency. It will be determined how they may be a danger to the world at large, and how much of a benefit. At present, I believe they will be the latter.

  “The reason for this is the six individuals who, seven weeks ago, heroically and courageously defended thousands of innocent people in Sydney, Australia. These aptly-named Star Warriors are to be commended. They are the best evidence for what these newly discovered societies might offer our world. It is for that reason that I have recommended to the governments of Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and the United States of America, that these individuals be honoured, and all resources necessary be allocated for their continued defence of our world.”

  The man stepped away from the podium to raucous applause and furious clicking of cameras. With a relieved smile, Bravo switched off the TV and glanced at the others. Spirit gave his daughter a hug, while Eriol gave Sakura and Xiaolang an encouraging pat on the shoulder. Astrid glanced at Nathan, who still wrung his hands nervously.

  “You know what that means, Grant?” asked Bravo. “Not only do you have all the Regiment’s resources, but the world’s. We’ll figure out a way to reverse the Black Kakugane.”

  Nathan let out a relieved smile, while Astrid gripped his hand tightly and rubbed his shoulder soothingly.

  Soul rubbed his eyes and yawned. He wiped away the drool from the corner of his mouth and said, “So, that mean we get to go home now?”

  * * *

  The six stood b
eside the Cherry Hill Fountain in Central Park. A large area had been cordoned off for them to get some fresh air following weeks in confinement. Meanwhile, motorcades were being prepared to escort them out of the city and back to their own countries.

  Sakura glanced at the others despondently.

  “It’ll probably be a while before we see each other again,” she thought aloud.

  “I doubt that,” said Maka. “There’s gonna be tons of threats to the world. And they’ll call us to save the day.”

  “Now that is a cool idea,” said Soul.

  “Well, if it’s all the same to the world, I’d like a holiday,” said Nathan.

  “Second that,” said Xiaolang.

  Astrid harrumphed, “Since I’m babysitting Nathan, I likely won’t get a holiday ever again.”

  “I love you too, Astrid,” said Nathan facetiously.

  While Astrid grabbed Nathan in a headlock and punched his head vengefully, Maka, Soul, and Xiaolang chortled. Only Sakura had any empathy for Nathan and calmly urged Astrid to release him. Nathan rubbed his head, and graciously bowed to Sakura for her help.

  “You know what, I don’t think we’ve had a group photo yet,” said Sakura.

  A few minutes later, Tomoyo had set up her DSLR camera. The six stood in front of the fountain and waited for the paparazza to configure the camera to just the right settings. Then she issued demands in Japanese, which Sakura translated.

  “Nathan, she says you’re too tall,” she said, prompting Nathan to move right to the back and crouch down. “Maka, you’re too tense. Loosen up,” translated Sakura, and Maka took a breath. “Soul and Astrid, come in a little bit more and don’t scowl,” said Sakura. They obeyed reluctantly. Only Xiaolang, who had taken a position next to Sakura and Maka, didn’t feel entirely out of place. Of course, he’d had to deal with Tomoyo’s hobby for much longer than the others.

  Tomoyo was finally ready to take the photo.

  “Smile,” she said with a poor English pronunciation.

  Nathan glanced at the people in front of him, and his grin widened evilly.

  Tomoyo proclaimed, “And cheese!”

  At the last second, Nathan threw his arms around everyone and yawped.

  * * *

  The eyes of the Reaper’s mask slanted with disappointment. Soul and Maka stood on the dais before him. The former had his hands in his pockets, and wore an aloof expression, while the latter was erect and tense.

  “Daw, why couldn’t you have brought me some of those Anzac cookies,” moaned the Reaper.

  Soul laughed, “They were really good!”

  Maka sighed, “What about this whole mess, Lord Reaper? Are you really fine with civilian organisations auditing us? What if they decide to shut us down? What about all the parents of our students, who thought their kids were at a school for the gifted?”

  “Meh, I was bored of all the top-secret mumbo jumbo anyway,” replied the Reaper. “For the first time in a long while, I can just be honest. It’s kinda refreshing, really.” Maka rolled her eyes with dismay. “Maka, dear, don’t worry. You did an amazing job! You and your new friends saved so many people. You both should feel good.”

  “I know I do,” said Soul. He wiped away his drool. “Star Warriors … Don’t ya just love that?”

  “Of course, you would,” muttered Maka. “You think every idea of yours is cool.”

  The Reaper chuckled and dismissed them.

  “Go and take some time off,” he said. “Party with Black-Star and Tsubaki. Kiddo might even have you over for mojitos.”

  Maka smiled reluctantly, and bowed as she left. The Reaper watched the pair leave. Kiddo, who had been standing beside the mirror, glanced up at his father.

  “Father, please be honest,” he pleaded. “Are you sure this is alright?”

  “Kiddo, m’boy,” chirped the Reaper. He turned and addressed his son. “Of all the worlds in the cosmos, this one is unique.”

  “How so?” asked Kiddo.

  “If ever we get into a pinch, our stars aren’t that far away,” the Reaper said, his cuboid finger outstretched. “As dear Sakura would say, ‘We’ll definitely be alright.’”

  Kiddo shook his head incredulously. Knowing his father was in far too good a mood to debate, he turned and left the room. The door closed with a thud. The Reaper then turned to the mirror, and an image of Eriol appeared in its frame.

  “Is this good, Lamperouge?” he droned.

  Eriol pursed his lips and said, “For now.”

  * * *

  Tsubaki donned an oven mitt and pulled the baking tray out of the oven. The aromas of tomato, pasta, and browned melted cheese filled the kitchen. Maka watched from the dining table and wrung her hands fretfully.

  “I feel bad about you doing all the cooking, Tsubaki,” she said.

  “C’mon, Maka, it’s a woman’s job to cook the food,” said Soul. Of course, it was only to provoke a reaction from the blonde, and it was quite successful in the end. Tsubaki only chuckled at the mayhem as she set the lasagne on the dining table.

  “Oooh, this smells delish!” exclaimed Patty as she neared her hands to the steaming dish. Liz quickly swatted her hand away.

  “It’s hot, you silly girl,” snapped the elder sister.

  Kiddo blushed at the sight of the figure of eight Tsubaki had left in the cheese topping. In his eyes, it completely made up for the odd number of pasta layers.

  Black-Star started cutting out slices for everyone, while Tsubaki served a simple salad. Then they sat down and started eating.

  “You know, I really can’t wait until we can do this with your new friends,” said Tsubaki.

  “I think that’d be real cool,” said Soul. He nudged Maka, who beamed.

  She thought about Astrid and Sakura. They both seemed so nice, and yet so powerful, and yet so inseparable from the men in their lives. She glanced at Soul and thought of her relationship with him. Until she met them, she hadn’t realised just how much she depended on him, and how happy that made her. Thanks to Sakura, she knew how valuable he was. And thanks to Astrid, she knew that all her pain had been worth it.

  “We’ll definitely meet up again soon,” she thought aloud.

  * * *

  Nathan woke just as the jet hit the tarmac at Canberra airport. Astrid had to pull him along, even though she completely understood his reluctance. It was back to a treatment cell with him, until they could remove the Black Kakugane. He was not looking forward to the white walls of a padded room again.

  “Look alive, Grant,” said Bravo as they walked through the secured corridors of the airport terminal. Nathan glanced at him, and then looked in the direction of his outstretched finger.

  At the end of the corridor stood six people. Klein, Jessie, and Paul wore grins of pride and excitement. His parents, Henry and Blythe, wore inscrutable expressions. Overflowing eyes crowned Ariadne’s smile.

  Nathan and Astrid glanced at Bravo, completely dumbstruck. The man chuckled and motioned for them to go. Nathan burst forth and threw his arms around his little sister. His friends stepped forward and group hugged him, completely red-faced with amazement at his achievement. While they gang-hugged Astrid, Nathan turned to his parents. He couldn’t tell if they were horrified, joyous, irritated, or all three. Then Blythe walked forward and embraced him tightly. He cautiously returned the gesture. Then his father walked forward and shook his hand, before gauchely hugging him.

  Bravo looked on from a distance. His heart ached but he managed to keep his own tears at bay.

  Please God, let them be wrong about him, he thought with dismay.

  * * *

  Xiaolang approached the vault, in the lower basement of his family compound. The damage incurred by Moonface had long since been repaired, and the very floor beneath his feet thrummed with protection spells. His stomach churned with discomfort.

  “Mother? Father? Are you sure this level of security is necessary?” he asked nervously.

  “Given what has been un
leashed, yes,” said Yelan stoically.

  Xiaolang shuffled uncomfortably.

  “I hope you don’t blame me for it,” he said softly.

  “Not at all,” said Feiwang. “It was inevitable, quite frankly, that this kind of revelation would come. But we need to be ready, my son.”

  Xiaolang eyed the vault, containing the Lee Clan’s half of the Silver Key, as well as many other magical treasures. They were beyond dangerous. And now that so many more people knew about them, it was clear they needed to be kept out of the wrong hands.

  There was especially one artefact, hidden within, that preoccupied Xiaolang.

  “Did you ever determine who made that counterfeit Sealing Staff?” he asked.

  Feiwang fell silent, while Yelan shuddered. Their alarm wafted from them like a shockwave from a volcanic eruption. Xiaolang wondered if he really wanted to know. The staff of Alice Axilotl made his skin crawl, so he could only imagine how it made them feel.

  His father turned to face him, a worried look in his eyes.

  “Before I tell you, you must swear something,” he said sternly.

  “Yes, Father?” said Xiaolang.

  “Swear that you will do anything for Kinomoto,” he proclaimed. He jabbed his finger at his son. “Swear that you will go to Hell for her.”

  Xiaolang’s eyes widened. His father had never asked him something such as this before. Of course, he couldn’t imagine why. The answer was obvious.

  “I will go to,” said Xiaolang, his shoulders back and chin held high. “I swear to God, I will go to Hell for Sakura.”

  Feiwang pursed his lips, satisfied with the response. He then leaned down, and whispered into his son’s ear.