Author's Note: What isn't mine, isn't mine. The Kingdom of Botan and it's ruler, King William Longbottom II, are not mine, they are property of Showstopper.

The chirping of birds awoke her from her sleep. Sunlight was pouring into her room. No choice but to get up, thought Teuila Nuanua sleepily. She went to the mirror in a corner. She adjusted, combed and brushed the brownish hair on her head. It reached down past her shoulders and was very wavy. It had gotten lighter in color recently, she noticed. She also noticed that her skin color had gotten nicer, she no longer had the off-color skin that made her resemble her late, despised father. She was thrilled at that. She took off her pale pink nightgown and searched through an armoire in another corner. She took out a pretty orange dress and put it on. Her final touch in getting dressed was to slip a flower, a red ginger or teuila into her hair, and a pair of sandals onto her feet.

She ran out of her bedroom, into a wood-paneled hallway, and down a flight of stairs. She was happier than usual because today was the day she turned seventeen.

"TEUILA!" yelled a female voice from a connecting hallway. She turned around and saw her best friend, the pink-furred, bright-winged afatasi-muguri named Kushi Ai’a’ive. She spread her pinkish crystal-feathery wings in triumph and ran towards Teuila and hugged her. "Happy Birthday sis! Imihipi! (Long Life!)"

"Thanks Koosh!" replied Teuila, using her friend’s nickname. She patted her on the head, around the strange appendages on Kushi’s head, both the ike’u or stalk with an orb at the end that all muguri or moogles have (but her orb was shiny and crystal-like, with a strange pink electric-like "star"), and shorter stalks with star-shaped ends or "star-horns" that only afatasi-muguri (half moogle, half Ai’a’ive) have. "So, are you doing anything special today?"

"It’s my best friend’s birthday today! OF COURSE I’m doing something special, silly!"

The two exchanged fake slaps, pretending to be fighting but really not, while giggling like idiots.

"I really like being seventeen!" laughed Teuila.

"Seventeen, eh? We’ll need to celebrate!"

The two walked through another hallway and through a living room. As they left it they nearly bumped into a male Moogle. He was dressed in pants and a shirt and jacket, as well as shoes and a cap. He had light grey fur and brown bat-like wings protruding from his jacket. He carried a fiddle with him. "Oops, Sorry about that!"

"Shalom Alechaim!" uttered Teuila the best she could, trying to surprise him in his language.

"Praise the Master, she got it right!" chuckled the fiddler. "But I should be happy for you, I know exactly what day today is!"

He played "Happy Birthday" on his fiddle to answer that.

"Thank you Ludwig!" replied Teuila as she clapped. She went to hug him, but he backed off a couple of steps.

"I’m sorry, Teuila, but it’s not not kosher for me to accept hugs like that!"

"I’m sorry, I forgot, I…"

"Honest mistake. At least you didn’t offer me the meat of pig or Igels (giant hedgehogs)."

"Thank you!" said Teuila.

"No, I should be thanking you!" replied the Fiddler as he began playing again, "Me, myself and I, Ludwig Cohen, The Fiddler on the Roof, Star Guardian of the Six-Pointed Star, am honored to be part of your birthday celebrations."

"I’m touched!" replied Teuila. She and Kushi continued walking, and the Fiddler tipped his cap in response to them.

The duo were headed down another hallway. They entered the dining hall.

Already seated there was Kushi’s blue-furred sister, Kulia, and her husband, Kuro. Kulia looked much like Kushi except for the difference of fur color. Kuro had grey fur and red wings, and was a pure muguri or moogle.

"Happy Birthday, Teuila!" cheered Kulia.

"Thanks Kulia!" replied Teuila.

"Yer growin’ to be mighty purdy!" commented Kuro in his usual Southern/Western accent.

"Thank you Kuro!"

"Yer most welcome!"

"I’ve enjoyed the past couple of weeks. After dealing with wars and hostile take-overs, I’m happy things are slow. The life as Ai’a’ive Matriarch is not easy!" commented Kulia.

"Our mother made it SEEM so easy!" casually remarked Kushi.

"Yes, and she was good at ruling, may she rest well!"

"So what’s for breakfast?" asked Teuila, changing the subject.

"We’ll just have to wait, I asked the chefs for something special for the birthday girl!"

Just then a trio of fluorescent-furred creatures walked in. They were about the size of normal dogs. One of them had orange-brownish fur, a bulldog-like face, trumpet shaped ears, a spring-shaped tail, and four arms and two legs. He was a Pororo, and his name was Woo’oof.

"Hi everyone!" uttered Woo’oof, "Hey, today is a special day!"

"Thank you for remembering my special day!" said Teuila.

"Uh, so who is you marrying?"

"Not that day silly, my birthday I mean!"

"Oh, I feel so stupid!" Everyone laughed at that, considering Woo’oof’s lack of intelligence.

"That’s ok!" replied his not so stupid wife, the yellow-greenish furred Mia’aou, who had lotus-shaped ears, a fan-shaped tail and a cat-like face. She, like all other Pororos, also had four arms and two legs. She had to remain patient. In so many cultures women were told they were the ones who were supposed to be patient, accept every fault in their husbands as if it were the greatest treasure. But Woo’oof Gigure was once normal. But not anymore. Now he was an idiot most of the time.

"Happy birthday, Teuila!" said the other Pororo, the blue-purple furred Loookie, who also had a cat-like face, as well as a tail and ears that were shaped like shamrocks. She produced a necklace of colored diamond and electrum (gold-silver alloy.) "This is for you!"

"THANK YOU!" replied Teuila as she took her gift and hugged Loookie. She put the necklace around her neck.

"You look simply fabulous in it!" said Kushi in a mock British accent.

Teuila had a wide smile on her face.

"How could things get better?" she asked.

Just then a door opened and through it walked The Fiddler and another moogle, Elka.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" yelled Elka excitedly. The sunlight in the room shone off her purple fur and her green dress.

"We have a special breakfast for you!" said Kulia, "We just have to wait for everyone to get here!" The other sisters and brothers of Kulia arrived, their fur in different colors.

"We just need Mom and Dad!" laughed Teuila, "Where do you think those two could be?"

"Probably still asleep!" suggested Kushi.

"Why, where the two doing anything late at night last night?" asked Teuila. Elka stared across the table at Teuila.

"Were they doing anything? Do you think they were doing anything? DON’T ASK! I mean it, I think we know, and I don’t think we want to know! OY VEY!" replied Elka with an O’ive accent.

Teuila grinned sheepishly, as she was perfectly aware of what the newly married Lara and Kerenge did the night before, and were probably doing in the morning.

Lara and Kerenge walked in a few moments later. Kulia rang a bell to signal the servants to bring the food in. Lara had long hair that reached below her knees, some of it flowing freely, some of it in the form of three braids. These braids were all attached at the end to a strange device called the Silver Star. The Silver Star had a central sphere with arms projecting out of it and each arm having a sphere at its end. Lara’s fair skin contrasted against her dark purple dress she was wearing.

"Happy Birthday, Sei!" said Lara, using Teuila’s nickname, which means "Flower", which was rather appropriate, as the teuila is a kind of flower.

"Fa’afetai, Tina!" replied Teuila, meaning "Thanks, Mom!"

"So how is our princess today?" asked Kerenge. Teuila didn’t reply. She just got up and walked around to hug Kerenge. Kerenge got up before she reached him, knowing that the hug was wanted.

He had shoulder-length brown hair, a fair skinned complexion that wasn’t as light as Lara, and a tall build. He was wearing an oversized long grey T-shirt that reached down just below his knees. He reached forward and hugged his step-daughter.

"Thanks!" replied Teuila with a wide grin.

"I think our meal has arrived!" commented Kushi as a trio of winged Ai’a’ive waiters brought in the food.

The waiters themselves were wearing red and orange ie lavalava (sarongs or wrap-around skirts) and jackets with the Ai’a’ive Matriarchal Emblem on them. They were carrying trays that had large silver lids on them to keep the contents the right temperature.

Breakfast consisted of sausages, fruits, waffles, and pastries. Delicious juice was served in tall glasses. Chants of "Imihipi" ("Long Life") were frequently yelled, as well as "Manuia le Aso Fanau!" (Happy Birthday!)

Teuila was given a few presents, including some clothes, a few CDs, and some jewelry.

Teuila was beside herself in happiness. She remembered being asked by one of her friends from Earth "Did you enjoy turning 16?" She was even told about the "Sweet Sixteen" party. Turning 16 was just as miserable as any other day in that period of her life in the not so distant past. When she lived with her father, the long-toothed Nifoloa, in a house in a ge’ho or "semi-dimension", in order to stay hidden from the forces that kidnapped her mother. During those years she was there, she didn’t have any friends. She didn’t have an opportunity to go to school, and consequentially, she was just learning how to read at an age when she should have been able to read a novel without any difficulty.

Stop thinking about the past, she reminded herself. There was a bright future ahead.

So she made herself think of happier moments. The day on which her mom married Kerenge, not that long ago, was very happy. She also had many happy moments when she visited Earth. She even remembered the words "Domo Arigato," two simple Japanese words that were a way of expressing thanks. She definitely was thankful for all the good stuff that had been happening.

Then her thoughts moved to her parents. She was happy for them. Also, she was different from them in one way. She was seventeen and never had a boyfriend. Her mother was married and expecting at sixteen. There’ll be plenty of time to find a boyfriend, she thought.

*******************************************************************

A few hours later everyone was dancing in the uppermost room of the Poru Palace.

"This is the best day of my life!" laughed Teuila, "Besides the one where I met you Kerenge, and the one where I saw Mom again, and the ones with those weddings!" The room they were in had a glass dome. The sky was perfectly sunny. There was only one thing that Teuila was upset about, and that was a lack of people her age. The only real friend she had who was near her age lived in Japan on Earth. Still, she wouldn’t trade her wonderful family for anything.

"Mom, Dad, [she had taken to calling Kerenge "Dad", even though he wasn’t], I’m going with Kushi to buy some ice cream! I’ll see you later!"

"Any flavor in mind?" asked Kushi.

"Oh, the new Love-Fruit and Mango Quake!" replied Teuila. Just then a minor tremor shook through the room.

"That’s odd…probably just a minor tremor!"

The duo walked through the dance room, down a staircase, and through a long passageway that was decorated with hand-woven mats and palm-leaves. Eventually they came to the main entrance and left. Poru was a large city, and a rather odd one. It was built amidst a thick rainforest, with the buildings built on the trees and attached to them. A network of paths and roads and stairs and elevators connected through the levels, making this a three-dimensional city. Civic addresses included the floor as well as the street. The houses themselves were an assorted mixture. Mostly wood, but some metal and stone buildings were also present. Some of them resembled the type of dwelling common in North America. Others either looked like enormous spheres with a few windows, these were called "ki’opi", or were huts with roofs supported by pillars but no walls, these were called "fale."

"I’m excited, when we get back Dad is going to show me something special!" said Teuila.

"That’s wonderful!" replied Kushi.

Just then the cloudless sky darkened slightly as numerous forms appeared out of nowhere.

"What the…" Teuila was interrupted by orange-yellow laser-like projectiles being fired down from these forms. The weapons exploded in brilliant flashes of light. The assortment of citizens, the furry Muguri, the winged Ai’a’ive (who resemble humans, but with wings) and the Afatasi-Muguri out on the streets had gone from being very happy to being terrified in a manner of moments.

"We have to get everyone and evacuate!" yelled Kushi.

***********************************************************************

"Nothing’s on the radar!" stated a green-winged Ai’a’ive officer inside a military building. He stood in pride, his short oiled hair glistening under the bright lights of the radar room. He wore a grey lavalava and carried an officer’s staff. Just then a single orange dot appeared on the radar. He was confused. Then a few more dots appeared on the radar. And then the entire area around Poru was saturated with dots.

"TAGALOA!" he swore. The ground began to shake. A pair of pink winged guards in dark blue lavalava rushed in. "SOUND THE ALARMS!" he ordered. The two produced keys, and turned their keys in a pair of keyholes. Then a button was pressed. Loud alarms went off inside the centre. A message on the screen said "General Population Alert Sirens Activated!" "We’re being invaded, assemble the forces!"

********************************************************************

The loud wail of air-raid sirens flooded the city of Poru.

"Hurry!" yelled Kushi, as she began running, and Teuila kept up with her. Soon they were back in the palace, where everyone else was being evacuated.

"Remain Calm!" said Kulia in a slightly agitated manner, "Try to ignore the fact that explosive lasers are being rained down upon us!" Upon hearing the yells of citizens outside, everyone inside was panic. "Ok, don’t remain calm, but FOLLOW ME!"

Everyone ran after Kulia. On the streets police and military personnel were directing everyone towards shelters and evacuation points. Kulia lead everyone towards one bridge that led right to a main staircase to the ground, but just then the elevated structure in front of them was blown up by a pair of exploding lasers.

"THANK YOU FOR RUINING MY BIRTHDAY, ASSHOLES!" yelled Teuila at the forms in the sky. They were becoming clearer and clearer. They were spaceships. Teuila had to grit her teeth to remain calm. She saw Zeppelins fly over in the same manner on the day when her mother and grandparents were abducted by the Steel Men. I won’t be sleeping, I’ll have nightmares, she thought in a darkly humorous way.

**********************************************************************

The spaceship at the front of this armada was odd-looking to say the least. It resembled an oversized Polynesian outrigger canoe, except that it was enormous, had an entire living section, and even had engines. It also had a glass dome on one part even, as well as a radar tower. It was called the Star Canoe.

The captain of this ship was Tapuitea Ai’a’ive. She had a tanned complexion, long wavy black hair, and blue-purplish wings. She looked like she was in her early 20’s, while in reality she was over four thousand years old. She held an ornate staff with a large pearl at one end and a large purplish "black-light" lit jewel at the other. She was wearing a red and black swirl-print dress and looking through one of the windows at the destruction unfolding below.

"Pierre, get over here!" she yelled. A strange creature the size of a cat, who resembled a cross between a cat and a frog but with raccoon-like hands, appeared.

"Oui madame?" he asked.

"Just a reminder to have my best puletasi (traditional Samoan dress) ready for tonight, and do it by hand! I have to look my best, we’re having an Armada Captain’s association dinner tonight. We have to celebrate the fall of Oava’ia’i!"

"Madame, if I may speak, I think that this Monsieur Radiateur is un peu…crazy?"

"Silence, shut up and go clean that dress, Mr. Radiator’s spaceship has those impressive exploding lasers!"

She looked out the window, saw the exploding lasers, as well as the occasional bombs, machine gun fire, and napalm used just to spice things up. Tapuitea dashed through a corridor into the bridge, where she used a microphone to broadcast a message.

**********************************************************************

"People of Oava’ia’i, this is Tapuitea, Taupou (princess) of the Eighth, I have assembled this invasion force to conquer this pathetic land. You may start panicking now. Once we have done our damage here, we shall go to the planet Earth. Mr. Radiator is hereby appointed El Presidente and Grand Kumere of Oava’ia’i. Resistance is futile, prepare to be annihilated! And now you are about to witness one of the greatest marvels of mass-destruction, the Kingdom of Botan’s Big Man missile. It’s a manlier missile, and it’s dangerous also!"

Just then a squadron of Ai’a’ive airforce jets and helicopters, as well as flying Ai’a’ive soldiers and O’iveland’s Planes of Abraham converged on the invading forces. Gunfire and missiles were exchanged, as were magical blasts from the soldiers.

"This is Mr. Radiator!" sounded a loud booming male voice over an external Public Address system. "You bozos are no match for the Master Radiator!" Just then roof-mounted lasers atop the largest of the spaceships fired red beams at the Ai’a’ive military forces, decimating them terribly.

********************************************************************

Aboard the Master Radiator, a large silver and brown spaceship that in appearance resembled a cross between an old-fashioned hot-water radiator and a millipede, except that it had a human-looking head on the front, Mr. Radiator himself was laughing hysterically. Mr. Radiator had a face that resembled that of Charles Manson in almost every way, including the beard. However, the rest of his body was radically different. He was about seven feet tall, and most of his body was covered in metal. Attached to him were steam and hot-water radiators, and what could easily have been two miles of connecting pipe, as well as a few heaters and condensers. His left arm was covered in metal and tubing, but his hand was normal, even though there were several retractable claws around the edges of his forearm.. His right arm was another story, and his entire forearm and hand was a cybernetic transformable device, that had a heavy claw, that could also be a grappling hook and an arm cannon, besides other capabilities. Attached to his back were compressed-water radiators, and jets in his back and his feet enabled him limited hovering capabilities as well as the ability to dash forward at speeds in excess of one hundred miles per hour. He looked around at the room he was in. Large purple banners had Mr. Radiator’s symbol on them. This was a grey silhouette of a radiator with a crossed wrench and hammer in front of it. It seemed more like a plumber’s logo than the logo of a megalomaniac. The room had a high ceiling, creating an intimidating feeling. The walls were mostly covered in the banners, except for one that had viewscreens on it. He was watching the damage his ship was causing to the planet below.

"Destruction, Death, Hate, Chaos, Devastation, Agony, Pain, Hopelessness, I LOVE IT!" he yelled as he watched what his ship was doing. A pair of androids walked into the room. They had white faces and had the Mr. Radiator symbol on their foreheads. They wore purple and silver jumpsuits and chrome belts. The chrome belt had a built in communicator device in the front middle, as well as a holster on either side for carrying guns. These robots, known as Mechanical Men, were based on crash test dummies (in fact the original ones began their lives as such) but with full robotic equipment.

"Sir, we’re ready to blow up the Palace now!" announced one of them.

"Fantabulissimo!" replied Mr. Radiator.

********************************************************************

Kulia looked behind and saw the worst thing in her life. Before her very eyes the palace was reduced to a flaming mess by exploding lasers.

"LEAI!" screamed Kulia, meaning no, as if to deny what was visibly going on.

"Sis, there’ll be plenty of time to cry later, right now we have to get out of here!" yelled Kushi, as she led the group down a spiral staircase.

At the same time anyone who was in a car, streetcar or train abandoned vehicle, since nobody wanted to be inside a large target.

Kulia and her family, along with the Star Guardians and the palace staff, had soon reached a shelter.

"I hope that outside help comes!" said Kulia.

**********************************************************************

Meanwhile, in the main Hyperwave and Radar Facility, a pair of technicians, one of them male, one of them female, were seated at a console, a pair of male Ai’a’ive soldiers behind them.

"We have no choice!" sighed a soldier, "We’ll have to put out a call of distress to friendly forces!"

A screen in this place was flashing dots, like in the other radar facility.

"Ok, the Hyperwave Broadcaster is active, let’s begin!" said one of the technicians, as she pressed some buttons and screens came to life. "Come on!" she said.

**********************************************************************

Outside, one of the spaceships opened up a compartment, and a large dark grey missile appeared. It was long, and at its base had two spherical thrusters. On the hull it had the emblem of the Kingdom of Botan on it. The head of the missile was painted to resemble that of a shark. Loud sirens sounded, a thick cloud of exhaust escaped and the missile flew forward. It was headed towards a building on a hill that was covered with radar towers and transmittors. It was the Hyperwave and Radar Facility. It had the only hyperwave transmitter that was jam-proof. The Big Man missile flew towards its target, and just before impact, its heavy armor disintegrated into a cloud of shrapnel and chaff, leaving behind several warheads, that were kept on a collision course with their target.

**********************************************************************

"We almost have it!" said the male technician, "In a few…" He was interrupted by sudden shaking, and the lights flashing on and off. Alarms sounded intermittently.

"WE’VE BEEN HIT!" yelled the soldiers as they ran towards the exit. A pipe fell from the ceiling, crushing one of them. An enormous fireball flooded the room seconds later, incinerating everyone and everything.

***********************************************************************

"Nice shot, King William!" yelled Tapuitea through the external loudspeaker.

"I still have plenty of weapons left. Today Oava’ia’i, Tommorow, Earth!" yelled a male voice back.

"Fantabulissimo!" yelled Mr. Radiator into the fray, "That Big Man Missile was the right groove!"

**********************************************************************

"It’s dark and crowded!" complained one of Kulia’s brothers.

"It’s all we have right now!" snapped back Kulia. "Kushi, I think you may be our hope!"

"Ok, Star Guardians, it’s GO TIME! Anyone who can transform, do so, and it’s time to call in the Star Force!"

To be continued…

Shoutouts: The Usual

Author's Notes: Welcome to the fifth book in the Sekola series. As you can see, things get pretty grim here. Look for things to go from bad to worse.

~Ra'akone