Star Darlings; The Starlight Mirror

VI. Cassie's Predicament

"Scorpio Star Supernova!" Darling Scorpio exclaimed, un-transforming back to Scarlet. The other four Star Darlings did the same thing. "Now we're all back together!" Sage exclaimed. "Not quite, Sage, we still have to look for Cassie, Piper, Astra, Tessa, Adora, Clover, and Gemma," Vega said. "In that case, let's get going!" Hoshi said, teleporting the five Star Darlings out of the cave. The next location they arrived at was a lot different than the cave - It was more youthful and cheery, much like Cassie. The sky was a peachy-pink shade of pink, there were balloons of various colours floating through the air, there was a huge castle like the ones in Wishworld fairy tales, cute assortments of little houses, all surrounded by forests and mountains - "I can really appreciate The Zodiac Realm better." Sage said, brightly. "Eh, I've seen better." Scarlet said, quietly. Vega star-snapped her fingers behind Scarlet's ear. "Don't be so negative, Scarlet!" She snarled. They traveled down a red-brick path to a thriving little community of tiny people with stubby arms and legs. "Look! That one looks like Little Pulsarpurple Star-riding Hood!" Sage said brightly as she pointed at a girl wearing a hood and carrying a basket of goods. "Don't point, you." Scarlet groaned. "Oh my, those girls are huge!" A small lady exclaimed. "They must have come down a beanstalk!" Her husband chimed in. "They're so tall!" A nearby child exclaimed. "Excuse you." Scarlet snarled and Hoshi gave her an angry look. "We warned you, Scarlet!"

The townspeople didn't mind that there were five huge girls and a fluff ball invading their community and continued to go about their days. "We'll have to tiptoe around these people." Libby decided. The tiny people moved out of the Star Darlings' way as they tiptoed past the small houses that were the size of a Wishling's fist. The brick path lead to a large forest with very tall, peach-coloured trees. "Great!" Sage sighed. "Another forest!" Libby chimed in. "Cannot believe it." Leona said as well. "It probably won't be that bad." Hoshi said to the three complaining Star Darlings. The brick path led down an unknown path, which got obscured by the mild darkness, and the trees. "Sheesh, can this trip get any more exhausting?" Scarlet whispered, rather loudly. While they walked down the path, they could distinctly hear a low growling. Hoshi and the Star Darlings looked over and spotted a gray animal sitting in the distance, it had a look of real hunger on its face, but it didn't make any attempt to attack them. "Maybe it's just curious." Libby said, reassuringly. "Libby, that's a wolf, it's a dangerous, predatorial animal!" Hoshi whispered loudly. "It might hurt us!" Libby shrugged it off and just continued walking down the path. The others were very alarmed. The winding path led to a burst of small multicoloured lights. "Oh look! Fairies!" Hoshi exclaimed. "What's a... fairy?" Sage asked, confused. "A fairy is a magical nature spirit, Sage, they're a lot like your kind!" Hoshi explained in a way that Sage could understand without being condescending. The Star Darlings bent down beneath the fairies to not hurt them. That brick road led to the castle, it was huge and peach-coloured. The Star Darlings almost went in but got stopped by very grumpy-looking guards. "Turn Back!" One said, firmly. "Go Away!" The other one said in just as harsh a tone. "Quick! Someone do something!" Hoshi whispered. Sage walked towards the angry guards, a happy look on her face. The guards each raised one eyebrow, and Sage cleared her throat. She began to tell a long boring story, which was about when she and the other Star Darlings experienced the Negative Energy Situation. When the guards fell asleep, the Star Darlings and Hoshi went in. In the throne room was an evil version of Cassie, and the real Cassie was locked in a cage. "Cassie!" Sage exclaimed. "Sage!" Cassie replied. "Get away from her!" The evil Cassie growled. "I, Eissac, will not allow you to take my captive!" Sage scowled at her. "And we, The Star Darlings, will not allow you to do anything to Cassie!" Sage retorted. All five Star Darlings performed their first group transformation, much to Cassie's amazement. "I am the Star Darling, who represents the sign of The Archer! I am Darling Sagittarius!" Darling Sagittarius announced. "I am the Star Darling, who represents the sign of The Scales! I am Darling Libra!" Darling Libra chimed in. "I am the Star Darling, who represents the sign of The Lion! I am Darling Leo!" Darling Leo announced. "I am the Star Darling, who represents the sign of The Maiden! I am Darling Virgo!" Darling Virgo exclaimed. "And I am the Star Darling, who represents the sign of The Scorpion! I am Darling Scorpio!" Darling Scorpio chimed in. "We are the Star Darlings, and we won't let you continue your reign of terror!" They announced. "Scorpio Shadow Waltz!" Darling Scorpio exclaimed, trying to attack Eissac who dodged it as Dark Darlings do. "Darlings Sagittarius and Virgo! Use your attacks to break the cage!" Hoshi exclaimed. "Don't hurt me, please!" Cassie whimpered. "We won't, Cassie." Darling Sagittarius said. "Virgo Snowflake Explosion!" Darling Virgo exclaimed, freezing Cassie's cage. "Sagittarius Shooting Star Arrow!" Darling Sagittarius exclaimed, shooting the arrow at the cage, destroying it completely. Darling Sagittarius ran towards Cassie and handed her a crescent moon-shaped, pale peachy-pink Star Pact. "Now remember Cassie, say: "Cancer Star Formation!" Take the puff, and transform. When you need to un-transform, say: "Cancer Star Supernova!" And you'll be back to normal. Got it?" Darling Sagittarius explained, Cassie nodded her head in understanding. "Cancer Star Formation!" She exclaimed. Taking the puff, she patted herself everywhere which produced colourful, luminous ribbons (which are supposed to represent emotions, by the way). Cassie's uniform had pale peachy-pink Cancer motifs. "I am the Star Darling, who represents the sign of The Crab! I am Darling Cancer!" She announced. "What! Why!?" Eissac scoffed. "Cancer Emotional Spectrum!" Darling Cancer exclaimed. She crossed both of her arms and the colourful, emotional ribbons flew towards Eissac who screeched in agony. "D-did I really...do that?" Darling Cancer said, shaken. She felt extremely dirty inside as if she killed someone. The others convinced her that it was a part of being a Magical Starling.

Author's Note: Yet another rushed chapter, however, I was clearly running out of ideas at this point, most of us do run out of ideas when we're writing something and need to get it done. And besides, I don't hate Cassie, in fact she's one of my favourites, so please take my word for it.