The Butterfly Girl: A Star is Born

Scattered Pieces

[Sophia]

We all retreated back to the tree house. My b****y nose wouldn't stop dripping. I tried to make sure none of it would get on my shirt, otherwise it'd be a pain to wash out later.

We sat on the platform of the tree house, trying to collect ourselves.

"Are you guys okay?" Apollo asked the twins.

"Y-yeah. We're okay. I think we're okay."

Apollo became concerned when he saw my bleeding nose. I told him that creature must've done something to me. I kept wiping the blood away with my left hand, but it was getting everywhere. Apollo told me to stop and pinch my nose. He quickly went back to the house to get some tissues (or in this case, paper towels because apparently, we didn't have any.) I used them to clean my hand and bunched the rest of them up against my face, waiting for the bleeding to stop.

"Okay... so... I don't think we should go back down there again," Apollo spoke again. The twins nodded.

"Agreed. I don't think it's safe for anyone down there anymore."

I didn't say anything, but I nodded as well.

"But, y'know... I didn't hear anything screaming down there." Apollo mentioned.

"But what about those... things?"

"Yeah, there were so many of them and they came after us!" the twins spoke in turn.

"Wait... do you think... those things were the ones that killed all the Moonflowers?"

"I... maybe?"

"I think it's possible," I finally said, with a nasally flare. "If you didn't hear or see what killed them, maybe it was those things? I mean, they just tried to melt my face off and you can't really hear them when they move slowly like that. I bet they leeched onto the Moonflowers."

"Hmm... that's a good point," Apollo agreed.

"But where did they come from?"

"Yeah, and why did they go after the Moonflowers? It... it doesn't make any sense."

"You didn't see anything else down there, did you?" the twins asked at the same time. Both Apollo and I shook our heads. We saw nothing else. No other creature that could've chased us out with speed. No loud screaming. They were right, it didn't make any sense. But... we didn't want to go back down there again to find out. Probably for the best.

"Hey, what about that thing Sophie had?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! The glowy thing she used to protect us. We meant to ask you about that before!"

The twins turned to me and I looked at them in surprise. Apollo realized and glanced at me nervously, but I knew there was no point in hiding it now. They deserved to know.

I wiped the remaining dried blood from my face with the paper towel and tossed it aside as I pulled my satchel over and started digging through it. I pulled out the blue crystal gem, shaped like a diamond. It fit perfectly in the palm of my hand as I held it out for the twins to see in clear detail.

"You mean this?"

The twins leaned it to get a closer look. In the daylight, it wasn't glowing, but it was the rishest blue the twins had ever seen. Even casting a small blue shadow on the edge of my hand.

"What is it?" they asked. I pulled my hand back and held it up to look at it myself

"Honestly... I don't know. But it's definitely some sort of... magic crystal... or something? And you saw before that when I hold it like this..."

I held my hand outward, gripping the crystal in my hand and in an instant (and with a less intense flash of light) the gem completely transformed into a crystal sword. The blade had the same color and semi-transparent appearance. It was simple, yet elegant. And it certainly looked much cooler when you can see it glowing. I carefully pulled thw sword around and laid vertically in front of the twins so they could see. Apollo told them to be careful when touching it.

"Where did you get it?" the twins asked. I shrugged.

"I... I found it when I was a little girl. See, this bag that I have over here? I found it out here one day and when I looked inside, I found the gem. I don't really know what it is or where it really came from. But... it's been... mine ever since. I don't even know how to tell you how it works."

"How do you know it isn't someone else's?"

"Well..." I turned my head to the side. "I remember the first time it turned into a sword. I was still really young, but when... those creatures attacked me for the first time, it just... happened. I don't really know how to explain it, and I know it's gonna sound weird, but... it just... it feels like it's supposed to be mine. Like I was meant to have it."

"Woah..."

The twins turned to look at Apollo as I took my sword back and it retracted back into it's crystal state.

"Apollo, did you know about this?"

"Aha, yeah. Sophie and I were just kids at the time when we met. It was the first thing she showed me and she told me the same thing."

"So, is it true?"

"Do you believe she was 'meant' to have it?"

"Yeah, I do. Y'know, one time I asked her if I could try it, and every time I held it, it wouldn't turn into a sword for me. Or anything else. It seems like it only works in Sophie's hands, so yeah, I do believe she was meant to have it. Sometimes I wish I had a magic gem that turned into a weapon in my hands."

"Maybe yours is out there somewhere. Who knows? Maybe it's something really cool looking!" I added. Apollo laughed.

"God, I wish. I honestly don't know what I think it would be. I mean, a sword is cool and all, but for me? Hmm... I dunno."

That conversation went on for some time until Apollo changed the subject and asked the twins about the Moonflowers.

"Yeah, they really mean a lot to us."

"We don't... really know how to explain it either. We don't really remember much from when we were young."

"Those flowers were everywhere, almost in every tunnel."

"Wait, how can a flower grow in comeplete darkness? That doesn't make any sense." Apollo questioned.

"Well, they're definitely not like the kind of flowers that grow up here."

"It's... one of the few things we actually know. They only grow in pure darkness and any amount of sunlight would kill them."

"Is that all they do?" Apollo asked. The twins gave each other nervous glances.

"Well....."

"Actually, before they were all... destroyed. We did manage to save one."

"You did?"

"Y-yeah! Actually, when we came up to the surface, Sophia actually helped us replant it!"

"What? Up here? But there's no way-"

"It's okay. We found a spot where no sunlight can touch it. Hey! We should go check on it. Make sure it's okay!"

"Right now?"

"Yeah! C'mon, we'll show you! It's not to far. You should come see it."

Apollo looked at me and I nodded. (I knew they wouldn't hide it forever, I'm just glad they left out the part about going out in the middle of the night. And getting attacked.)

The twins lead the way out into the forest. I recogized it better out in the daylight and it didn't take too long to find it. Especially with the obvious makeshift tent over the entire bush.

"Here! It's over here. Look! You might have to get down to see it. We had to make sure no light would touch it."

Apollo and I approached the shrub.

"Wow, you really helped them do all this?"

"Uh, yeah! They wanted my help because they were worried it would die if they waited too long to find a better spot!" I explained, scratching the back of my head nervously.

The twins knelt down to see the flower under the shade of the bush. No light whatsoever. They breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that it was doing okay. They made room for me and Apollo. I noticed... that it the daylight, the flower wasn't glowing blue. It looked more white. But it did look better than it had before. I felt as relieved as the twins.

"Wow... it's really pretty." Apollo murmured.

"Yeah, they are. We're hoping we can regrow them. It might take a while, but hopefully out here, they should be okay."

"Yeah, let's hope so. Are you sure it doesn't need water or anything?" Apollo asked.

"I don't think so. Sophia said the stuff in the dirt should be just fine."

"As long as it stays in the shadow, it should be okay."

We all stared at the plant a while longer before walking back to the tree house. I was happy to know it was doing better. As the sun started to go down, Apollo helped the twins make the tree house more comfortable and safe so they could stay. Meanwhile, I quietly retrieved the ruined book from its hiding spot, seeing that most of the pages were dry. I carried it back to the house and brought it upstairs to my room. I set it carefully on my desk and tried to look through some of the pages, but they were still kinda damp. I didn't want to risk tearing them. I left the book open the the damp pages, giving them a chance to dry before I attempted looking at them again.

I thought for a moment.

About everything we'd seen so far. Everything we'd discovered.

In the back of my mind, tiny thought were nagging at me, asking for attention. But I couldn't quite figure out what they were. It was just... something about this... all of this. It all seemed... strange.

Nothing was making any sense yet.

I snapped out of my daze, telling myself there was no point in thinking about all this if we didn't have the right pieces to put together. I left it at that and went downstairs to ask what Apollo felt like making for dinner.