AN: I know this story is written in a weird style, but for some reason, 
this series seems to be coming to me in a comic-book style when it forms 
in my head.  If it's too confusing, let me know by e-mailing me at 
sailorsolaris@mail.com, okay?

Runes of Destiny, Chapter One
Baptism by Fire: The Birth of Firestorm.

	(Scene opens with an old man dressed like an old-style baker 
waiving at someone)
Old man: Bye, Nick!
(All that is seen at that point is someone leaving with shoulder blade, 
loosely curly hair)
	(Next Frame shows this person putting on a motocycle helmet.  
She's rather pretty, with slightly tan-colored skin and loosely curly, 
reddish brown hair)
	Nick (narrating): My name is Nichole Koptke.  Mostly everyone I 
know calls me "Nick".
	(She puts on a orange and purple leather jacket and then gets on her 
motocycle, a racing-model Ninja that's orange and purple)
	I'm nineteen years old.  As of now, I work in Olson's Hardware 
store.  The guy who said bye to me is Mr. Olson, the store's owner.  
I'd also be starting my second year in college this fall.  That is, 
if I didn't have more impotant things to do.
	(Next frame shows her zooming off on her motocycle)
	What is it that's so important, I have to quit school?  Well, it 
started about two weeks ago, soon after I bought this motocycle...

	(Transition section.  Next frame shows her working on the 
motocycle.  Her face and hands are covered in grease
	The following frame shows a young man, about 22 years old, with 
wavy, light brown/dark blonde hair looking at her, a slight smile on 
his face)
	Young man:  You mean you haven't finished that YET?
	Nick: (turning towards the young man) You try taking a Ninja that 
you pulled out of the junk yard and making it run again, Mike!
	(aside) The pretty boy there's my older brother, Mike.  He 
graduated college a year ago.  He's now working as a claims adjuster at 
one of the big insurance companies that have their local headquarters 
here.
	(She sets down a wrench)
	Nick: Now, if you don't mind, Mike, I'm gonna try starting her 
up.
	(Goes to start up bike.  It runs.)
	Mike: She lives!  I swear, Nick, you're going into the wrong 
profession.  You should be going to school to be a mechanic, not for 
whatever you're doing.
	Nick: (putting on helmet) Yeah, she starts, but how does she run?  
I'm gonna take her out for a test run and find out.  
	(Turning towards Mike) If I'm not back in fifteen minutes, want 
to go and see where the bike died?
	Mike: sure, Nick.
	Nick: (narrating) If I knew then what would happen on that bike 
ride, I'm not sure if I would have taken it.
	(Shows her zooming around on her bike.)
	Bike: You know, I'd appreciate it if you asked ME what sex I am.
	(Nick ignores the voice)
	Ahem, Miss Koptke?  Are you listening to me?
	(Nick screeches the bike to a hault)
	Bike: Nice of you to acknowledge my existance, Miss Koptke.  Or, 
should I say "Firestorm"?
	Nick: (to herself) I musta been working on this too long...maybe 
I need to take a break.
	Bike: No, you don't.  Let me explain.
	At the beginning of time, Evil ran throughout the universe.  
Nautally, it was captured, or else the Earth would be in worse shape 
than it is now.  The powers that be, in order to seal up the Evil after 
it was captured, locked it away by creating ten keys, known as "Runes", 
and putting these Runes into the souls of ten humans.  The only way the 
Evil could be brought back into the earth would be to take the ten 
Runes out of the souls of who carried them and put them together.  
However, the only way to get to the Rune itself is to destroy the body 
of the carrier.
	Every thousand or so years, all ten runes are put into the souls 
of new carriers.  However, this time, a bit of the seal that holds in 
the Evil broke.  The Powers were able to seal it, but not before a bit 
of the Evil was able to mainfest itself into human form.
	This person, known only as "Livan", knows of the Oracle, which 
gives clues to who the carriers of the Runes are.  The only one not 
mentioned in the Oracle is Firestorm.  
	Usually, Firestorm is awoken by a means that only the Powers 
know.  Before this century, it would have been in the form of a horse, 
a donkey, or a camel.  Now, with the advent of vehicles, the Powers 
have decided to awaken Firestorm with a vehicle.  In your case, 
Nichole, it's me, your motocycle.  I was sent to awaken you.
	Nick: (parking the bike and sitting against a tree)  This has got 
to be some sort of joke!  A talking bike?  Runes?  Livan?  The only 
Livans I've heard of is the pitcher Livan Hernandez and the guy named 
Livan in that song by Elton John.
	Bike: Aaah, Elton, one of my favorite prophets.  Would you like 
proof I'm not lying?
	(A stone made of Hematite with a traditional sign for Fire 
appears in front of Nick)
	See that stone?  It's your Rune, the Rune of fire.  Take it in 
your hands....
	Nick: (thinking) Why not?  Maybe if I take that stupid stone, if 
this is some sort of dream, I'll wake up.
	(Nick takes the stone in her hand.  Then, she stands up and yells 
out)
	Guardian of Fire, I call upon you to manifest yourself in my 
human form!  FIRE...........STORM!
	(Rings of fire engulph Nick, turning her jeans and t-shirt into a 
tight orange and purple suit.  Her hair is pulled back by an orange and 
purple scrunchie)
	Nick: What the hell is THIS?!?  I'm dressed up like some X-man on 
Crank!
	Bike: That..is what happens when you say the phrase you said 
before you transformed.
	Nick: Okay...maybe this isn't a dream...
	(She hears a horn beep)
	Crap...MIKE!  How do I get out of THIS?
	Bike: You know...
	Nick: Here goes nothing....
	Guardian of Fire, return to the land you came from!
	(Nick turns back to herself just as Mike drives up in his truck)
	Mike: Everything okay, Nichole?
	Nick: Yeah.
	Mike: How's the bike run?
	Nick: Oh, it runs GREAT...

	(Back to the present)
	Nick: that was two weeks ago.  Since then, Livan hasn't attacked, 
and I haven't had to transform into Firestorm.  However, in the mail, 
came a package for me.  It was the Oracle.  It's written in some weird 
foreign code, so I have NO clue as to what it's saying.  However, the 
bike says that Livan has decoded the clue to find the one who is 
protected by the Rune of Earth, known as Thunderhawk.  Don't ask me 
what Thunder or a hawk has to do with stones and trees.  I'm not the 
Powers...excuse me.  They like to be known as The Alliance.
	(She pulls up to the house she shares with Mike, a S.F. Victorian-style house)
	But, I know one thing for sure.  My life is definately not going 
to be the same again.