15 years ago...

Selene walked into school that day feeling egotistical. Her small shoulders could barely feel the backpack clinging to them. It was kind of hard to breath, but Selene knew that was a good feeling. A little stress never hurt anybody. It was only the historic day that only occurred once every 100 years: The Sacred Choosing Ceremony. Her whole family had been waiting for this mome-

"Good morning, Sel!" A cheerful voice called.

Selene scowled. Great. Blondie's here. "Morning, Carla."

Carla Kingsly skipped into the busy hallway, planting her feet quickly in front of the locker right next to Selene's. Today, she was wearing a long, pink sundress, strapped by three thick white rolls of fabric over each shoulder. The two straps joined at the back in a T-shape with 3 silver hoops hanging on them where the strap ended, and the full width of the dress continued. There were three stripes at the bottom where her ankles were, one camel, one sky blue, one white. To finish the look, she had brown moccasins on her feet, which did clash with the dress quite a bit.

"I am so excited for this afternoon, aren't you, Sel?" Carla bared her pearly whites and held her chin high.

She won't be so confident when the day is done. "Oh yes, very excited." She said in a bored tone. In reality though, Selene could hardly contain her enthusiasm. The Sacred Choosing Ceremony would decide Sunniville's next Major and Majoress, an event which her mother and father had been so committed abou-

"Is that Donny?" Selene whispered. Indeed, standing merely 5 feet away, was Donnathon Rogerson. The coolest, slickest, most good-looking-est guy in the whole school!

"Donny! I'm here, Donny!" Selene gasped and ran.

Donny's deep brown eyes expanded. "Um, hi... Selene?"

That voice... oooooh ho ho, as sweet and smooth as honey. "Sooo, Donny?" Selene mustered in the calmest voice she could possibly pull off. "How are you feeling about this afternoon, hmm?" Her eyebrows bobbed up and down.

"Stoked... I guess." His eyes darted away from hers. "No, I'm not sure-"

"Can't make up your mind?" Selene was shocked, yet intrigued. "Maybe it's better that way," She raised up a hand and slid it around his left hip. "Keeping your mind set on one idea is just so... dreary."

Donny's feet tapped on the ground restlessly. "Actually I think I want to decide somewhere else... preferably in the Boy's room."

"Hey, Donny! I didn't see ya there!" Carla waved from her locker. "After your done chatting with Sel, wanna head over to Room 402?"

You shut up, Carla. He doesn't want to hang out with someone as annoying as YOU. Selene thought angrily.

Donny smiled and waved back, deserted Selene's hand and strolled over to join Carla.

Selene rolled her eyes. Whatever. I need to go to class anyway.

Room 402 was in full swing when Selene arrived. A bouncy pop song blasted from the computer, and students danced and chatted, clustered in their own social groups. , "the most awesomeful teacher in the history of all teachers", as her classmates called him, was lounging in the rolling chair beside his cluttered desk. "Controlled chaos" he called it, whatever that means.

Selene sat alone on top of one of the round tables. She needed to spend some time in private, thinking of what lay ahead...

The Sacred Choosing Ceremony, the moment my parents have wanted, needed. I am the only chance they have, seeing that they have become too old. Selene thought, and looked to the cream tiled ceiling of the classroom. She furrowed her brow. I will do as you have bid me, my kin. I swear it.

Suddenly, the music slid to a halt. Students were immediately silent.

"Welcome to this glorious day, fair students." announced in his crisp, official tone. "Do I need to remind you what this day is?"

"No, !" The students exclaimed, giggling. "It's The Sacred Choosing Ceremony!"

He nodded. "Right you all are. A very special fragment of your lives has arrived. But I am getting ahead of myself. We are going to meet in the gym for an assembly. The Ceremony will be done in there."

"This afternoon, right?" Selene asked, slightly dubious.

"Actually, Miss Banditt, we will be performing The Ceremony right after home room."

Selene's heart pounded faster in her chest. Right after homeroom! That's only 10 minutes from now! She was exhilarated. Her destiny decided... in the next few minutes! It was an impossible thing to try and dream of, but it was real. No trick, no fantasy! It was REAL.

"Excuse-y!" A familiar voice squeaked... and the door.

"Miss Kingsly and Mr Rogerson, I do not enjoy seeing late arrivals." scolded.

"Oh dear, so sorry we're late, !" Carla was flustered, so much in fact, that a bead of sweat was dripping down her forehead. "Is there anyway we can make it up to you? Oh my, oh my..." She was scrambling around the classroom, opening drawers, peaking inside desks, scanning the floor. "Is there anything you want, , because I can make it. Or have you lost something?"

Selene snickered. Fool of a girl, I don't understand why you are always so uptight about everything. It's really no hassle to come late to class, especially 's class. But if anyone tries to tell you, you'll just spaz even more!

"Carla, dear, it's fine. I just didn't want you to miss some of your valuable education." said.

"No, no, no, it's not fine. I need to make it up to you... OH! I have to make things right!" Carla exclaimed and fumbled around the classroom even faster.

"Carla," Donny started.

"Please, Donny. I can't talk right now. I have to do something so will forgive me!"

"Carla."

"Wait a second, would you?"

"Carla..."

"I said, please wait a second!"

"CARLA!"

She froze, bent down looking under a table, and slowly stretched upwards. Donny walked over, chewing his lip. The room was static, nobody moved or said a word, except for the two of them.

They stood close, but not too close, that would be odd. They were about an arm's width away from each other.

Carla and Donny stared, as if they were meeting new people. Carla had never seen Donny so assertive when Selene was with him, and Donny had ever seen Carla so paranoid... ever. And yet, they still stared, faces unreadable, but souls seen-through.

The bell pierced the open air, and left the students shaking.

"Okay, class, line up at the door!" ordered as if nothing had happened.

The rest of the class rushed to the door, seemingly unaffected as well.

Donny nodded to Carla. She smiled wearily and... slowly... one thin hand opened like a flower in bloom. Donny took it, and together, they made for the door.

If smoke was coming out of Selene's ears, they would've noticed. It seems they didn't, so maybe Selene wasn't that pissed off, but it definitely shone on her face.

Her cheeks were on fire and her olive-green eyes narrowed. That. Little. TWIT. I. Am. Going. To. Kill. Her.

Finally, the moment had arrived. Thousands of students were milling around the massive gym, so full that the floor was invisible. The only notion that a floor existed were the uncountable pairs of feet standing on it. And the noise... it was loud enough to wake the dead and get them walking again.

Selene had to cover her ears just to hear herself think. This Ceremony would do with a few less people... a lot less people actually. She thought irratibly. Just keep me, whoever the Major is going to be, and . That would make today perfect.

As if programmed to ruin her day, Carla jumped up next her. "I can't believe it's happening! I can't believe it's HAPPENING!" She squealed.

Have fun while you can, nit wit. And start believing. Selene thought. "I feel the same, darling." She half-lied, and then remembered who she WANTED to see. "Do you know where Donny might be, may haps?"

Worry lines wrinkled her forehead. "No, sorry." She flounced off, less animated than earlier.

Yeah, you better flutter away. I can hardly stand you and all those other peppy little idiots.

Tauhp tauhp tauhp! "Hey, is this mic on?" 's voice projected across the vast gym, shushing the other students-

-but what REALLY shut them up was the microphone testing.

"Ha ha, sorry about that," laughed, a little nervously. "Now, everybody find a seat and sit."

Of course, nobody would of been able to get into the gym if there were seats. So, with a few mumbles and grumbles, everyone had to sit crisscross on the floor.

"Oh wait, there are no seats!" joked, to the laughter of a few students, but most of the adolescents just sent glares his direction.

Get on with it, wise guy! Selene urged.

He cleared his throat, put his hands behind his back, and then, "Good morning, young people of Sunniville's one and only High School."

A volcano of applause erupted in the gym, sound pouring through the heads of all.

"I believe we all know why we are here. You are all the fortuitous spectators of an occasion that only happens once every 100 years here in Sunniville. This tradition has been used for millennia on, since we were first formed as a nation. Since we have been using this form of government for so long, it must be working out well." A few more laughs bounced off the walls. "Anyway, without further a-do, I welcome you all to the current Sacred Choosing Ceremony!"

Eardrums split in miniature earth-quakes as the volcano awoke again.

"Now, many of you here will just be watching this interstellar event." continued. "But one chosen young man and one prophesied young woman will become the new Major and Majoress of our nation this day!"

An ocean splashed the walls of the gym with the momentum of the sound, those thousands of hands clapping at once.

"Of course, this isn't a lottery-ticket situation." He explained. "Only the kindest, fairest, most courageous of you will be able to take the position..." His hands moved forward, revealing two jaw-dropping, stunning, mesmerizing- "...and wear these two crowns!"

They were the most beautiful objects anyone in the gym had ever layed eyes on. They were identical, solid gold, with tall spikes in the shape of chess rooks. They had gems and jewels of every color, shape, and kind incrusted in it. Moonstones, turquoise', rubies, diamonds, topazes, amethysts, pearls... you name it, they got it.

Selene would've been drooling, but that would've been embarrassing. A work of art meant for a museum... and I get to wear one! She imagined what she look like with one of them on. Easy. I would look like a queen.

"Woah, Momma!" Selene heard a nearby voice proclaim. She shifted her head to the right... and stared directly at Carla's neck. Stretching to look behind her, she saw Donny gaping at the crowns.

Oh, Donny! She wanted to scream. Your so close to me, but so far away! Too bad stupid Carla is blocking my view. But I don't have to worry. When I'm Majoress, I can throw Carla in a dungeon and make Donny my Major. Just the thought of Donny holding her in his arms, with them wearing matching crowns, gave her pleasure. And what muscular arms they are, hmm hmm hmm.

"Back to the point, students," resumed. "These crowns are more than just a fashion statement. I am sure none of your parents have told you this, but these crowns hold ALL of the magic of Sunniville in them."

The volcano erupted once again, but this time, the noise was chaos. Complete chaos, not even controlled chaos! Students were laughing, jeering "there's no such thing as magic!". Students were awestruck. Students were confused, asking questions...

"QUIET!" demanded. "Now that's enough!"

In 10 seconds flat, the gym was silent. Everyone knew when was serious, HE. WAS. SERIOUS.

"It's true. Magic is real!" He yelled. "Once these crowns, passed down each century, are placed on the Major and Majoress' heads, you will know."

No one questioned him again.

"Good." He cleared his throat again. "Back to the choosing process, I bet you all are wondering just how the next leaders of our town are going to be inaugurated, right?"

Some students looked bored, others were paying close attention, while a few were confused (most likely they didn't know what "inaugurated" meant).

"Right!" continued. "I get to use another antique tool... PULL 'ER IN, BOYS!" ordered.

Slowly, but surely, a gigantic black telescope was rolled in on a dusty flat platform with wheels beneath it. It must've weighed a few tons, because those wheels were going snail speed.

Once the telescope finally reached it's destination next to , the platform SCREECHED to a halt.

"This is The Ancient Telescope Of Divine Energy. It can read your thoughts and see your aura. Your aura is the ambience surrounding you. It gives a peak into your being. If you stare straight in a mirror for a long enough time, you can see it for yourself. Aura's have a certain color scheme, and appear in a rainbow of colors. But for the Major and Majoress, the auras will appear as gold as the crowns they will wear."

The crowd OOOOOOOOOOOHed and AAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWed.

All except for Selene who was picking her nails calmly, already knowing the power of the telescope. Mom and Dad told me all about this. I'm a Major and Majoress expert!

"Silence." whispered into the microphone. "The time has come. The Major will be found first."

The voices in the gym blended with the quiet until the quiet had washed it away.

Selene looked behind her and in front of her and saw students tittering with anticipation. She crossed her arms and smirked. There's nothing I need to worry about, or wonder. I already know my destiny, and I know I was born to wear that crown. But then, her eyes widened. Yet... who am I to share it with? Who will my Major be?

gazed into the lense of the telescope. First, it was blurry, but then... pops of color flashed in front of his eyes. Rings of hues hung over the heads of every masculine student under the telescope's sight. Reds and greens, oranges and blues, yellows and purples... but no gold.

Male voices began to be picked up in the sacred ears of the telescope. A roar of thoughts mixed and mingled through the ear:

Will it be me?

Who will they be?

What if it were me?

The chorus of consciousness became so overwhelming that had to look away and catch his breath. The Telescope was powerful, almost too powerful for him to wield. But he knew he had to show who they were. It was his responsibility. It was his destiny.

He took a deep gasp of breath, and took another peak. The voices screamed to be answered, but one voice in particular screamed the loudest. knew it had to be a sign. The telescope must be magnifying the voice of the Major!

He spun the telescope toward the most vociferous thought, and saw a blinding haze of gold soar into his vision. The gold was so piercing that he could barely see who was possessing it.

squinted with all his might, and suddenly... he recognized the boy's face.

"Attention! The new Major of Sunniville for this grand, new century is..."

All the students, especially the boys, leaned forward...

"Donnathon Rogerson." He announced. "Congratulations, young man."

Selene couldn't even see Donny's reaction because Carla was so excited.

"YAY FOR YOU! YAY FOR YOU!" She shrilled. "You are so lucky, Donny! You really are the kindest, fairest, most courageous of all!"

Suddenly, one of the crowns in 's hand began to glow. Everyone looked forward in awe. Then, it began to LEVITATE, all on it's own. As soon as it was a foot in the air, it turned toward the center of the gym, and flew to Donny. It hung over his head for a short while, then slowly lowered down to rest on it.

Carla's eyes were the size of gumballs, and soon enough, the volcano of applause made another appearance.

When Selene finally caught a glimpse of Donny, he was red as a cherry. "I never thought it would be me." He said. "I'm so thankful, to you, to , to everyone here. I just can't wait to know who the Majoress is going to be!"

Carla looked downward. "Oh yeah, the Majoress. I wonder who the chosen girl will be." She murmured.

Donny is the Major! Thank the universe, I am going to be married to the hunkiest guy in all of Sunniville! Selene was literally jumping in her seat as she was thinking this. "Eee, hee hee heee heeeee!"

Some classmates next to her gave her strange looks, but Carla and Donny seemed to concentrating on their own thoughts. Donny was fingering the crown in his hands, delicately turning it to see all of the crystals. Carla, however, was still looking downcast, her long blonde hair a curtain covering her face.

"Now, dear students, the Majoress is to be found!" reminded them.

The gym was once again mute.

Gathering strength, looked again into the telescope. This time, feminine voices and aura's were projected, as if the telescope knew his situation, and had some sort of intelligence within it.

The loudest voice was near that of the Major. turned the telescope in that direction and saw an even brighter hue of gold over Carla's head.

He gasped, for the gold wasn't just in the air around her, but it was also circling around her chakras, the sacred points in every person's body. He concentrated with all his might to hear what she was thinking.

This is so exciting! I can't believe Donny is the Major! But that makes sense, he's such a nice guy. She looked up, smiling. The Majoress will be one special girl, since she'll have the humblest boy in the world as her husband. But then, could swear he saw a slight... shine on her face as it caught the light. It also showed in the whites of her eyes. He knew that look from years of teaching experience... Carla was starting to cry.

However, there was a more frightening sight than Carla's disharmony. Strange black tendrils began to wisp around the right edge of the lense. Rapidly they stretched farther, and seemed to wind their way around Carla. They moved smoothly, like little snakes, and grew like ivy vines. Carla couldn't see them, but could see everything. The tendrils began to whip around her arms and crawl through her hair, they wrapped around her face and blinded her eyes and gagged her mouth-

turned his head away from the lense and choked on air. He had just realized he had been holding his breath the entire time.

The ancient history of Sunniville had never foretold of any "black tendrils" ever occurring. He was losing the strength to go on, but he wrenched his head forward to look again.

The tendrils were still unwinding, but what needed to know was where they were coming from. He turned the telescope slowly to the right and was horrified by what he saw.

The black arms of the tendrils streamed out of Selene's chest! It was epic and hypnotizing, but at the same time disturbing. Meanwhile, Selene herself showed no sign of her knowing what was happening inside of her, and around her. She had one eyebrow raised in question, and her thoughts as well.

What is taking that man so long? The longer I wait for my crown, the less time I'll have to spend with my Donny! She whined. That telescope must have a dash of sense to know that the Banditt's were meant to have the position!

was panicking. What would he tell the crowd? There was never any recorded history of there being TWO Majoress'! Especially one of them having some of kind of EVIL within her!

Still nervous, he cleared his throat. "The new Majoress of Sunniville is..." His voice shook, he had no idea what to say! Then, he took a deep breath, and resolved that the only reasonable choice would be to choose the one who would protect the nation, no matter what the other said.

"Carla Kingsly!" He exclaimed.

Carla looked up, a huge smile once again on her face. "Me? Oh my goodness! This is... extravagant!"

Donny grabbed both of her hands. "You are the Majoress? That means..." He blushed again. "We are-"

"-Engaged?" Carla finished. They both laughed.

Selene jumped up. "DECEPTION!"

The crowd gasped at the harsh voice. became even more nervous.

"This man has lied to you all!" She proposed. "Carla isn't supposed to be Majoress," Her eyes narrowed. "I am."

The crowd erupted into confusion.

"The telescope doesn't lie. That's insane!" Some yelled.

"How would you know what the telescope shows, anyway?" Others screamed.

"MAYBE YOUR THE ONE LIEING TO US!"

Carla and Donny backed away as Selene pushed through the crowd to the telescope and the remaining crown. was cornered against the wall in a minute.

"You, sir, have no idea what you've gotten into." She growled. "I am the chosen one. I'm sure of it. My parents know of it too!" She pointed her fore-finger at him. "You've made a BIG MISTAKE!"

Selene lunged for the crown in his hands. For a few seconds, she stood there, basking in it's antique beauty. It's so perfect, she thought lustily. And it's so MINE.

Selene swerved toward the crowd, holding the crown up Lion-King-style. "You hear me? I AM your Majoress! And I have this crown to prove it!" She howled.

Then, at that moment, something righteous happened. The crown started to glow, just like Donny's had. A grin creeped up Selene's face. "Yes, even this crown knows I AM the one. Watch it rise up toward the sky, and place itself on my head."

But the crown had a mind of it's own. To Selene's surprise, a thick crack appeared in the center of the crown, at the front and back. Forces of magic and reality seemed to toy with it as it tore apart and glowed ever brighter.

"Wh-what's happening?" Selene demanded. "Why is my crown doing this?"

As soon as it had started to break, it was done, and one half was blown away! The other half stayed stationary in Selene's hands.

was on the verge of fainting. "That was an ancient masterpiece! It has been passed down for thousands of years! That was the original crown that every Majoress in time has ever worn!"

One half of the crown had been whisked away, right into the tiny hands of Carla Kingsly. She stared at it, her emotions a pouree of terror and gratitude, but mostly terror. "I..." She could barely conjure up the will to speak.

Selene, however, was full of words to say. "AAAAAHHHHHHGGGGG!" She spat. "Give that BACK! NOW!"

The rest of the classmates zipped their lips, expecting Carla to do the same. She was nothing more than a statue, with so much potential, but no spinal chord at all. "I..."

"NO." Donny stated. "She WON'T be giving that back. In fact, YOU should be giving YOUR half back to CARLA." He had never spoken to Selene that way before, since she creeped him out. But he knew that it was his time to show who was the boss.

Selene was burning and seething, it was written all over her face. But, with the will of a boulder, she spoke with the voice of an iceberg. "You shouldn't speak to your Majoress in such a way."

She squeezed her eyes shut, placed the half-crown on her head, and closed her right hand in a fist. The half-crown started to glimmer again... and so did Donny's. A human magnet, Donny was attracted to the half of the crown beckoning to him. His feet started to slide toward her. Panicking, his arms waved around, and Carla grabbed them.

"Carla, you gotta help me! Save me!" He pleaded, completely forgetting his "who da boss" speech.

"I don't know what to do! I... I'm sorry!" She apologized, and was on the verge of crying again.

"No, no, wait. Don't cry, you don't have to cry." Donny loosened one of his hands and tilted her chin up. They saw each other, and what was inside, for the second time that day. "I'll see you again... someday."

She nodded, swallowing tears. "Someday." She whispered.

At that moment, he was pulled away from Carla in a heart beat. He flew, feet first through the open air. The crowd ducked and scattered, not wanting to get hit by his flying body.

"SOMEDAY!" Carla yelled.

Donny landed on his back next to Selene's feet, groaning. Her hand unfurled, her eyes opened, and both of their crowns lost their glow. She yanked him standing with one tight hand, and held him that way.

"I will be holding your Major hostage until I get the other half of that crown, and the name of power I DESERVE!" Selene promised. She sent daggers her way when she caught Carla's gaze. Talking only to her, she said, "Don't think I'm done with you, Blondie. I will return for my crown." She turned to look directly at Donny. "But not alone."

Her half-crown sparked one last time, before the two of them were gone.

To be continued...