They Called me a Traitor

~Chapter 29~

Starlina's POV:

   I looked up at Father who smiled down at me.

   "I love you Star."

   "I love you too Dad."

   "Bill?"

   "Yes Jill?"

   "Please call us if Starlina is ever separated from you. I've already lost one sister in law, and I'm not losing my little brother or niece too. Promise?"

   "I promise."

   "Starlina, I have something for you."

   "Auntie Jill-"

   "It was your mother's."

   "R-really?"

   Auntie Jill held her gloved hand out to me, and Father reluctantly let go so I could follow her.

"Jill if I don't see her in five minutes I'm coming after you!"

"Alright!"

   She led me to my room, and sat down next to me on my bed.

   How wonderful it is to be home. Truly home.

   I looked at her, and she pulled a small beautifully decorated box from out of her floating top hat.

   "Here, open it. Crystal gave it to me at her wedding, telling me to give it to her daughter when the time was right."

   "Why didn't Mother just wait to give it to me?"

   Auntie Jill held her arms out to me, and I set the small box down on the bed to hug her.

   "Starlina, she knew what would happen to you both. Crystal was a visioneer, a dream demon who can see to the end of the world, and to the very beginning of time. She knew what would happen, but she had no way to stop it. She told no one, not even Bill. She accepted her fate, knowing she had to keep you safe."

   The way she used "was" really hurt. Tears rolled down my cheeks and she hugged me tighter.

   "I want my mother."

   "I know darling, I know."

Will's POV:

   Starlina went down the hall with Jill, and I looked at Bill who seemed a bit uneasy.

   "Bill?"

   "Shooting Star. Sh-Shooting Star. Shooting St-Star."

   "Bill?"

   He snapped out of his daze and glanced up at me.

   "Y-yes?"

   He pulled at his hair, clenched his teeth and eye shut.

   "Uncle Bill?"

   Stella put her hands on his shoulders, and he stepped back at her touch. She looked at me concerned, and Tyrone stepped closer to Bill who stepped back again as he started to hyperventilate.

   "I w-ant my Sh-OOTING ST-ar!"

   He looked like he was glitching, he spoke indecipherable nonsense and his form would be missing small parts then reappear as others vanished.

   "Bill!?"

   He then took his triangle form and fell to the floor.

   "U-uncle Bill?"

   He glanced up at Stella before flying out of the room and down the hallway faster than I'd ever seen him.

   "Father? What's happening to him?"

   "I don't know, but I think he's been separated from Starlina for to long....."

   "She's only been with mother for four minutes. How can that be to long?"

   "Children, I'm afraid Bill's life may be at stake......"

Starlina's POV:

   "Why couldn't have she told Father? S-she could still be h-"

   "Shooting Star!"

   A yellow blur came breaking through the door and came flying at me.

   "Shooting Star!"

   I caught the strange thing in my hands, surprised to see father as a triangle.

   "Father?"

   He smiled an invisible smile and laughed. He glowed brightly and sat on my shoulder.

   "Shooting Star I missed you!"

   I looked at Jill confused, but she looked at me concerned.

   "Auntie Jill?"

   "Hm? Oh it's nothing, my dear."

   "Father? Are you alright?"

   "Well why wouldn't I be?"

   "It's just that you're a triangle, and I haven't seen you in this form for a while. Are you sure you're alright?"

   "Um, w-well....."

   "Father?"

   He looked down at the floor and held his hands.

   "Father? Is there something you wish to tell me?"

   "N-no."

   I held my hand in front of my shoulder to try and get him off, but instead he hovered to the floor. He glowed yellow and changed back to his humanoid form.

"Father-"

Next thing I knew he had his arms around me in a loving hug with his chin resting upon my head.

   "St-Star..... I'm losing it...."

   "What? What do you mean by that?"

   "I'm losing the little sanity I have left. Soon, I'll be nothing but a psychotic killer....... I'll be a completely different demon...... I'll love no one, be with no one, understand no one..... Not even my precious Shooting Star......"  

   I tried to talk. I really did try to. But I couldn't. Tears streamed down my face and I hugged him tightly.

   "W-why......"

   "I have the feeling that Sixer has told you why you are so important to me? Besides the fact that you're my daughter and I love you to no end."

   "Y-yeah, Shooting Stars keep their Cipher sane. B-but I don't understand, Auntie Jill has been in here for ten minutes without Stella, and she's ok."

   "Jill wasn't separated from Stella for twelve years and then hated by her for two more."

   "Father-"

   I heard a bloodcurdling scream that sounded like Stella, and Jill sprinted out the door and down the hall.

   "Starlina, I want you to stay close to me. Can you do that?"

   "Of course I can."

   I held Father's hand as we left my room and went into the main one, and I wasn't ready to do what was needed to be done.

   Oh no.....