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Boshi, as the other handmaidens called her, missed her family, her homeland, and, most of all, her boyfriend Nickholas. Before she was selected as a handmaiden, they were inseparable. But her parents didn't think he was good enough for her, so they sent her to be tested, to possibly become a handmaiden. Boshi had lived on Elsara, the second moon of Elvania. The natives of Elsara had pale violet to dark purple hair and black eyes. She was one of the few to be blessed with pale, pale violet hair. Her parents had always bragged about her, and she assumed more so now because of her position.
"Um, Boshi?" Mari, the another of the five handmaidens, had come up behind her and was looking down at her.
Mari was 13 and the youngest of the handmaidens. She had been selected just as an escort. She had little martial arts training, although the captain of the guards was training her.
"Yes, Mari?" Boshi replied, still staring out the window at the darkening purple evening sky.
"The Queen needs to get dress for her party."
Boshi selected the Queen's outfits and did her make-up, so she got up sadly from her seat on the steps leading up to the throne and followed Mari out of the grand room and into the hallway.
Boshi went through the Queen's wardrobe, trying to decide what her Highness
should wear. It was night, so that ruled out some. Boshi finally picked
three and called the other handmaidens in to help her decide.
The first dress was floor length, as most were, and a dark violet with silver thread spun through it. It had an empire waist, which was pulled tight by a very long silver ribbon, which was about 6" wide and tied in the back. It had a scoop neck collar and sleeves which were tight until the elbow, then the flared out very widely. It had a wrap made of silver feathers from the Itiachi bird, which was native to Elsara, that when wrapped loosely around her Highness' shoulders, reached the ground. The headpiece was a sheer piece of silver silk that fell loosely over her hair, held in place by a silver piece that wrapped around her forehead. It had the Royal Crest on it, shaped by Yataran and Laryata jewels. The second was also floor length. It had no waist but hung loosely from the shoulders. It had a high neck and tight arms. It was midnight blue, with silver Yataran jewels as buttons down the front. It had a long jacket of silver silk, using more Yataran jewels as buttons. The headpiece was little more than her Highness' hair pulled into a very tight, high ponytail and braided, then wrapped around some silver silk and a few Itiachi feathers. The third and final dress was mid-thigh length with a square collar. The sleeves were three-quarter length, and tight. It was red with black trim around the collar and hems. Over it went another floor-length sheer red dress, again with black trim. The sleeves on this one were very loose. The headpiece for this one was the Queen's long hair braided into two pigtails, then looped back up. Each one was then wrapped with a string of red pearls, and the top of each one had a piece of black Forna fur that wrapped around the elastics, then hung loosely over her Highness' shoulders.
"Well, I like the first one," Yahari said.
Yahara was 16 and the Queen's decoy. The other handmaidens were Notori, who was 15, and Dashiri, who was 14. They treated Boshi almost like a mother, because she was the oldest and wisest of them all.
"Personally, I think the third one would be the best. Her Highness is trying to find a prospective courtier," Dashiri told them. Mari nodded.
"Second one is better," Notori said quietly, in her clipped speech.
"Well, Boshi, what do you think? It's the third one, but you can change your mind, if you want," Dashiri told Boshi.
"No, I think the third is the best." And with that, Boshi took the ensemble and walked into the Queen's dressing room
. "Hi Boshi. What do I get to wear to my party?" her Highness asked, somewhat sadly.
"I have selected this one," Boshi said and held up the dress.
Queen Ama nodded. "Well, I should be getting dressed then."
The group of one Queen and five handmaidens walked out into the large garden
behind the palace. It was already swarming with people. The Queen walked
directly to a fountain and sat on the stone seat that went all the way
around. Each handmaiden took a position around her. Yahari sat to her left
on the seat and Boshi to her right. Mari sat to the left of her feet and
Notori to the right of her feet. Dashiri sat a few feet away on a rock in
the middle of a field, looking sad. She had always been pushed away from the
Queen for some reason and hadn't bonded to her the way the rest of the
handmaidens had. Where she sat there were no people around, as they were all
on the patio.
The Queen dismissed the handmaidens, and they got up but still kept an eye on her Highness. The walked over to a stone statuette of a horse.
"What do you think is wrong with Dashiri?" Mari asked.
Boshi shrugged. "She's always been like this," she told the rest of them.
"Maybe we should go talk to her," Yahari suggested.
"Good idea," Notori said quietly, then she turned and walked slowly in the direction of Dashiri.
The other handmaidens followed her, all but Boshi. Boshi thought Dashiri was a little bit of a whiner, so she just sat down and leaned against the statue and watched the other girls. When the girls got to where Dashiri was sitting, it looked like they argued a bit; then they all started laughing. After that they got up and headed over to the buffet table, so Boshi turned and kept an eye on her Highness. The band began playing a slow song, and the Queen was invited to dance by a very handsome man. Boshi was about to get up and go inside, but a man stood in her way.
"Yes?" she asked inquisitively but still looking away.
"Would you like to dance?" he asked her.
"Well, ok," Boshi said, then as an afterthought, "I'm Nagareboshi." That's when she looked up, and when she did, she realized who it was.
"That's a beautiful name, for a beautiful face. I'm Nickholas."
Nickholas took Boshi's hand and led her out onto the patio where people were dancing. He put his arm around Boshi's waist, then took her hand. Boshi put her other hand on his shoulder, and they began to dance, quite gracefully. The Queen saw them dancing and nodded approvingly.
After the song ended, Boshi led Nickholas to a secluded bench farther into the garden. "I have missed you so much," Boshi told him.
"I've missed you, too, my sweet. But I need your help. I have heard from my sources that someone is trying to have the Queen terminated, and seeing as you're the oldest and have extensive martial arts training, you should be in charge of her protection. Although, the Queen technically should know, I feel it would be smarter not to tell her, at least not yet."
Boshi sat silently for a few moments, digesting the information. "Okay, but what should I do if something happens?" she asked.
"You will know what to do when the time comes. Now, I'm only here for a few more hours, so let's go dance."
It had been a few weeks since Nickholas had informed Boshi of her new
obligations, and nothing even remotely out of the ordinary had happened.
On this bright morning, Boshi sat out in the flower garden, meditating and
resting, when a woman wearing a long, flowing white gown walked up to her.
The wind blew it around her, which gave Boshi the indication that she was
very small.
"May I help you?" Boshi asked, looking at the woman inquisitively.
"Nagareboshi," she said.
"How do you know my name?" Boshi asked, "Who are you?"
"I am Sasuki, Princess of the Stars, and you, my dear, are in need of important information having to do with your life and the life of your Queen."
"Well, Sasuki, how come I've never heard of you before?"
"I come only when I'm needed, and call only when I need."
"What do you mean?" Boshi was getting rather confused and wished this Sasuki woman would get to the point.
"You will understand in time, young one."
"Well, you said I need information. So tell me please."
"You are a member of the Sailor Scouts, young one."
"Sailor Scouts? Who are they?"
"Sailor scouts are girls and women who protect the galaxy from evil."
"Isn't that what Jedi Knights do?" Boshi was getting annoyed now.
"Yes, but Sailor Scouts protect from a different kind of evil."
"Okay, but I still don't believe it."
"Here, take this," Sasuki waved her hand, and a key, about six inches long, fell in front of Boshi on to the grass. "Pick it up and say 'Shooting Star Power, Make Up!' "
Boshi shrugged and stood up. She held the key up and shouted, "Shooting Star Power, Make Up!" Suddenly she was surrounded with white light. A sparkly ribbon surrounded her, swirling, twirling, and spreading sparkles all over the place as it went. When the light dispersed, Boshi was standing, holding onto a sword, which was about 2 feet long. She wore the basic Sailor Scout uniform, but it was grey and aqua.
"Whoa," Boshi whispered.
"You are now Sailor Shooting Star, Senshi of Light and Sparkle. You are to use your new abilities carefully."
"Of course. Anything else to tell me?"
"In a past life, you held an important role. I have been instructed to give you this," Sasuki waved her hand, and a lightsaber fell to the ground in front of Sailor Shooting Star. It reminded her of something, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. "And this," Sasuki waved her hand again, but this time memories of someone or something flooded Boshi's mind. It took Boshi a few moments to get herself oriented again, then thought of a few of her new memories.
"These are memories from a past life. Before you were killed, you vowed in your next life to protect your Queen. And I have helped bring you to that goal."
Boshi remembered training, as an Initiate and as a Padawan, under an esteemed Jedi Master. Going on a mission to Elvania. Being ready to fight whatever came in her way, and wanting to protect her Queen at all costs. Then she remembered her vow and being killed by someone calling herself a Sailor Sith.
"Wow." Boshi murmured, surprised by everything that had happened that day.
"You are a Guardian, and you protect Royalty of the Galaxy. Be wary, though. You are allowed to use your lightsaber, as it was the moment you died, to help you with your duties, but it will take training before you will be able to fight using your lightsaber as your weapon," Sasuki turned and started walking back the way she had come.
"Wait!" Sailor Shooting Star ran to Sasuki. "What do I do if I must fight?"
Sasuki turned to her and placed her hand on Sailor Shooting Star's shoulder.
"You have three attacks for the moment, along with your lightsaber and sword attacks: Sparkle Shower Surround, Bright Beam, Attack, and Light Ray Surround. Shout one of them when you are in danger. Now, I sense your Queen is in danger," Sasuki turned away and disappeared.
"Ama!" Boshi exclaimed, then turned and sprinted into the Palace, where she knew the Queen would be having tea.
When Boshi reached the room, she saw the Queen being held by the same Sailor Sith who had killed her. "I vowed to protect my Queen," Boshi whispered, "and I will! LIGHT RAY, ATTACK!" The bright, sparkly ribbon caused the Sailor Sith to lose her vision. Then Boshi shouted, "Sparkle Shower, Surround!" Boshi held up her sword, and a wind coming from nowhere blew sparkles out of the tip. They flew at the Sailor Sith, but she jumped away and out the window.
"My Queen, are you all right?" Boshi ran to her side.
"I'm all right. But who was that? And who are you?"
"That was a being of supreme evil, and I am Sailor Shooting Star. I am the Princess and Protector of that moving light in the sky! I stand for Light and Sparkle! I am the Pretty Sailor Jedi, Sailor Shooting Star," Sailor Shooting Star told her.
"Well, Sailor Shooting Star, I am Queen Ama di Lara, and I need help up because I have a meeting of the Court soon."
Boshi sat at her desk, reading from a large leather-bound book, when she
received a call.
"Yes?" she said to the unknown face on the screen.
"I'm Seijoutai Priire, and I understand you have just become a Sailor Scout."
Boshi grinned. She knew that this new duty of hers would bring her to a group of great people. And she also knew it would be great having her Jedi abilities back.
More about the senshi in this story:
Nagareboshi/Boshi/Sailor Shooting Star
Emi/Sailor Sith Eimin
Priire/Sailor Asteroid
