Shiloe was looking through the books at the school library.  She picked one up, then put it back immediately, thinking, "This is such kid stuff."  Then she spotted Michelle across the library, showing something to Daphne, who looked bored.  Shiloe went over to where they were to say hello to them.
     "Hey, Daphne, Michelle!" Shiloe greeted them.  "What’s up with you guys?"
     "I was showing Daphne my favorite book, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley," Michelle explained.
     Shiloe nodded.  "Yeah, I like that one too," she agreed.
     "It’s boring," Daphne interjected.
     Shiloe rolled her eyes.  "You just don’t have the patience for classical literature," she said.  "You wouldn’t know a classic if it hit you over the head."  She proceeded to take the book from Michelle, and hit Daphne with it.  "See?"
     "Hey!" Daphne argued.  "That hurt."
     "Sorry," Shiloe said sincerely.  "I was kidding.  You know, joking?  Funny, ha ha?"
     "Yeah, whatever," Daphne said.  "No matter what you guys say, I still think it’s boring."
     "I think it’s absolutely fascinating," Michelle spoke up.  "I love the way Huxley writes: ‘Today it seems quite possible that the utopia may be upon us within a single century, that is, if we refrain from blowing ourselves to smithereens.’"  Michelle quoted a statement from the book.
     "I agree," Shiloe said.  "The concept of the book is wonderful too."
     "It’s boring," Daphne put in, yawning exaggeratedly.
     Michelle sighed.  "Shiloe was right…you don’t have the patience for classical literature."
     "Oh, by the way…" Daphne added, "Dani says that Cypress asked her to call a meeting of the Astros.  She says he wants to tell us about something, and also that he has some questions for you, Shiloe.  The meeting is at my house, since Dani’s mom is having a party at their house and we can’t disturb it.  Can you come?"
     "I guess so," Shiloe replied.
     "Great!" Daphne replied, then turning to Michelle, "I still think it’s boring."

     "Order in the room!" Dani called out, partially joking.  She was sitting in Daphne’s bedroom with Cypress perched on her hand.  Also there were Daphne, Shiloe, Ryan, Sara, Lilia, Chrysta, and Michelle.
     "As you all know," Cypress spoke, "I called this meeting because I have some important things to discuss with you.  First things first, Shiloe."  Shiloe looked up at the bird, expectantly.  "I was only wondering…how did you become an Astro?"
     "Well, I—" Shiloe began, but was suddenly cut off by a knock on the door.
     "Daphne!" a voice called from the other side of the door.
     "Oh, man," Daphne muttered.  "My dumb nine-year-old brother."
     "DAPHNE!" the voice yelled again.
     Daphne swung the door open, and outside stood a young boy.  He looked a lot like Daphne, the only difference being that he, obviously, was a boy and had short hair and she was a girl.
     "Go away, Douglas," Daphne muttered.
     "Hey, Daphne?" Douglas asked.  "What’re all these people doing here?"
     "Just go away, all right?" Daphne started to close the door, but Douglas just pushed it back open again.
     "I just want to know what you guys are doing, that’s all," he said.
     "Important stuff," Daphne said quickly.  "Boring big-kid stuff.  You wouldn’t like it."
     "I would!" Douglas argued.  "Just let me in, okay?"
     "Douglas!" Daphne yelled at him.  "Just go away!  Geez, you’re so—"
     "MOM!" Douglas yelled.  "Mom, Daphne’s being mean again!"
    "Daphne!" a voice from down the hall yelled, apparently Daphne’s mother.  "Be nice to your brother."
     "But he’s bugging us, and we’re doing our homework!" Daphne argued.
     "In that case…" Daphne’s mother reconsidered.  "Douglas, stop bothering your sister!"  Douglas immediately left, leaving the Astros in peace.
     "Cute kid," Lilia commented.
     "Unless you have to live with him," Daphne complained.
     "Where was I?" Shiloe wondered.  "Oh yeah.  Anyway, how I became a Sailor Astro…well, I was just walking around one day when I found the transformation wand on the sidewalk.  I picked it up and suddenly…I remembered, remembered everything.  So I decided to transform."
     "I see," Cypress murmured.  "But…why did you only appear to the others when they were in trouble?"
     "It wasn’t when they were in trouble," Shiloe corrected.  "It was when my princess was in trouble.  Sailor Zephyr, you know, is the Princess of Astro…along with Sailor Nebula.  By the way, where’s she?  Have you found her?"
     "That’s what I wanted to talk to you Astros about," Cypress said.  "The possibility of other Sailor Soldiers.  That there might be more Sailors out there like you.
     "Like Sailor V?" Chrysta asked, referring to the popular anime heroine.
     "Or Sailor Moon!" Sara cried.  After receiving several blank faces, she asked them, "You guys have never heard of Sailor Moon?  Geez, where have you guys been?"
     "Anyway," Cypress said loudly, calling the attention back to himself.  "There are two other Sailors from Astro.  Sailor Nebula, as Shiloe mentioned, is Sailor Zephyr’s sister."
     "I don’t have a sister," Dani put in.  "I’m an only child."
     "Your sister from the Age of Sapphire, Daniella," Cypress pointed out.  "You both were the princesses of Astro, as well as the most powerful Sailor Astros.  As far as power is concerned, the next most powerful would probably be Spica…"
     "Cool," Shiloe commented.
     "…and then maybe Vega," Cypress continued.  "But as I was saying, there is another Sailor Astro out there…"
     "WHO?" all the Astros in the room all asked at once.
     "Sailor Nova," Cypress said.  "But, sadly, she was taken by the Death Ladies on Astro in the great battle that ended the Age of Sapphire.  The King and Queen of Astro—Zephyr’s and Nebula’s parents—didn’t have enough energy to send all of the Sailor Astros to the future.  They ran out of energy and were unable to send Nova to be reincarnated in the future.  So she was taken by the Death Ladies, and it is believed that she worked under them for all these years."
     "So…then she’s like Oscurio and Cuchillo, right?" Lilia asked.  "She’s one of those creeps?"
     "She’s not a creep!" Cypress said strongly, startling the others.  "I’m sorry," he finally apologized.  "It’s just that I wanted to emphasize that.  She’s not evil, she was brainwashed and her body invaded by a demon.  The only way to get her back would be to heal her and have her transform into her Astro form.  Even then…she still wouldn’t be the same.  She would still have evil tendencies.  Nothing could completely heal her, she would still have a bit of evil left in her."
     "How sad…" Michelle whispered.
     "Then there are more Sailors—but not Astros—that were our allies in the Age of Sapphire," Cypress went on.  "There is a Sailor Earth.  She was the princess of Earth during the Age, and it is believed that her Sailor Soldier form hasn’t been awakened yet…as in, she hasn’t transformed since she was reincarnated.  So Sailor Earth would be the princess of Earth, Princess Terra, if it were ever to come to that.  Then there is a Prince of Earth, Prince Endymion…not much is known about him to us.  But he does exist, so he would be the prince of Earth and Sailor Earth the princess.  She also joined forces with the Astros on occasion, so if she awakened she would side with us.
     "Then there are the Sister Soldiers.  We don’t know much about them either…I’m not even sure what their names are anymore.  But one controlled wood, and the other water.  I’m not sure about who they are, but I think they were reincarnated in Japan, as was Sailor Earth."
     "Odd…" Shiloe mused.  "In Japan?  Why, when we are over here?"
     "Fate," Cypress said simply.  "You were not meant to meet them yet, but you will when the time is right."
     "So there are others?" Daniella asked.  "We’re not alone?"
     "There are," Cypress confirmed.  "There are believed to be others in Japan…they call themselves the Sailor Senshi."
     "The what?" Sara asked.
     Cypress rolled his eyes, if that was possible for a bird to do.  "Senshi means soldier in Japanese…which is why we call ourselves Sailor Soldiers.  Anyway, they are Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, Pluto, Chibichibimoon, Starfighter, Starhealer, Starmaker, Chibimoon…"
     "Chibi?" Shiloe repeated.  "Doesn’t that mean small?"
     "Yes," Cypress replied.  "She is Sailor Moon’s daughter from the future, Crystal Tokyo…it’s all very complicated really."
     "I TOLD you guys there was a Sailor Moon!" Sara cried.  "I told you!"
     "Sara, really…" Lilia sighed.
     "Anyway," Cypress continued.  "The Sailor Senshi have nothing to do with us though.  They are part of the Silver Millenium and Crystal Tokyo, which is an entirely separate thing.  But Earth and the Sister Soldiers are the other Sailor Soldiers who might be Astros."
     "So there are others," Ryan said.  "Will we ever meet them?"
     "When fate allows," was all Cypress answered.

     "Cuchillo?" Nova asked her superior, as he was working in his laboratory.
     "What is your problem now, Nova," Cuchillo looked up from his work, irritably, to find Nova looking over his shoulder.
     "The Ladies want a word with you," Nova informed him.  "They have…a mission for you."
     This got Cuchillo interested.  "A mission, did you say?  What kind of mission?"
     "Don’t ask me," Nova said as she stalked off.  "Ask them.  You’re supposed to be in their chamber…" she glanced at the clock on the wall, "right now."  She left the room, leaving Cuchillo totally puzzled.

     "Where is he?" Lady Muerta asked Nova.
     "He’ll be here," Nova said.  "Probably a few hours late, though."
     "Try a few minutes," a voice said.  A knife flew through the air and landed at Nova’s feet as Cuchillo stepped in.
     "Cuchillo, do you honestly have to show off so much?" Nova inquired.  "Who’re you trying to impress anyway?"
     He ignored her.  "You requested me, ladies?"
     "We did," Espirita confirmed.  "You are to go to earth.  You will find out which Sailor Astro has the Sapphire Star…and take it from her.  If you do not…well, you know what happened to Oscurio, don’t you?"  Cuchillo nodded, afraid.
     "Yes, madam," he said.  "I shall go to earth as you asked."  He then disappeared.
     "He’ll fail," Nova decided.  "And my sword will work this time," she thought to herself as she left the room.

     "Daniella," Cypress said to her.  The Astros were still at Daphne’s house at the meeting.  "I think it’s time to give you this."  He flew a loop over her and produced a long scepter.  It was gold and had a green star-shaped jewel on the top.  "The Star Scepter," he announced.  "When you transform, it will appear.  It gives you two new attacks, Mind Dazzle and Star Apocalypse Explosion."
     "What do those attacks do?" Dani asked, as she examined the scepter.
     "You will find out when you use the attacks," Cypress said.  "However, you are never to attack with Star Apocalypse Explosion unless it is absolutely necessary."
     "Why?" she asked.
     "Because it would destroy the world," Cypress told her.  "If you used that attack, the world would explode.  So you must never use it unless I tell you that it is all right."
     "I won’t," Dani promised.  She glanced at her watch.  "Well, I’d better go, you guys.  I’ll see you later."  The other Astros (except Daphne) also had to go, leaving Daphne alone.

     Dani walked along the sidewalk with Cypress flying overhead.  She looked up at him and noticed that the sky was getting darker.  "It’s probably late," she observed.  "I’ve got to get home soon or else Mom will have a fit at me for being out for so long!"
     "Sailor Zephyr, I presume?" a voice behind her said.
     "What?!"  Dani turned around to see Cuchillo floating in the air above her.  "How did you know…"
     "Well, remember when I attacked your classroom?" Cuchillo reminded her, smirking.  "You thought I didn’t see you transform but I did."
    "Oh well," she thought.  "I’m going to have to transform and call the Astros."  She took out her transformation wand and raised it.
     "Zephyr Astral Star Power, transform!" she yelled, transforming.  When finished, she held her scepter out to Cuchillo, threateningly.  "Since you know, I’m going to have to kill you," she told him.  She sent out a telepathic cry for help to the other Astros, telling them to come help her.
     "The Sapphire Star…" Cuchillo whispered, staring at the jewel on the tip of the Star Scepter.
     "What is your PROBLEM!?" Zephyr demanded.  "What are you staring at, Knife Freak?"
     "The Sapphire Star!" Cuchillo cried out, pointing at her scepter.  He lunged at her, trying to grab the scepter.  "You’ve got the Sapphire Star, don’t you, Zephyr?"
     Cypress flew down and landed on Zephyr’s shoulder.  "Don’t tell him that you do, Sailor Zephyr!" he whispered to her.  "That jewel on the Scepter is not the Sapphire Star, but he thinks it is.  Don’t tell him that you really have it, all right?"
     Zephyr nodded.  She turned back to Cuchillo.  "What are you talking about?" she asked, pretending ignorance.  "I’ve never even heard of the Sapphire whatever…so how could I have it?"
     "I know how easy it is to play dumb, Zephyr, but don’t try that with me," Cuchillo said.  "That jewel on your scepter is the Sapphire Star, and you know it is."
     "Hey, quit picking on Sailor Zephyr!" a voice said.  Out of nowhere, Orion, Spica, and Inferno appeared behind Cuchillo.  He turned around.
     "Oh, there are more?" Cuchillo asked.  "Too bad."  He threw a knife at them, which they dodged.
     "Nice try, but that trick doesn’t work with us anymore," Spica said.
     Inferno stepped toward him, holding up her Lava Gem.  "Okay, freak, you’re gonna give us Sailor Spica’s sword back or I finish you off with this."
     "I’m going to do nothing of the sort!" Cuchillo said, holding Nova’s sword out at Inferno, absorbing her energy.  Inferno collapsed to the ground as Cuchillo laughed triumphantly.
     "What did you do to her?" Orion demanded.  He threw a mass of light energy toward Cuchillo, shouting "Speed of Light!"  However, Cuchillo dodged the attack and attacked back at him.
     "Inferno Lava River!" Cuchillo shouted.  He grabbed the Lava Gem out of Inferno’s hands and attacked Orion with it.  But the river of lava didn’t hit Orion as Cuchillo had planned.  Instead, before it reached Orion, the lava turned around, split off into several different streams of lava, and flew back at Cuchillo.  Cuchillo was so stunned that he dropped the Lava Gem and it landed in the unconscious Inferno’s hands.  The lava hit him, and before he died he yelled out, "Cursed Sailor Astros!  You will be repaid!"  Then he collapsed to the ground.
     "Okay, can anyone tell me what happened here?" Zephyr asked.
     "I have no idea," Orion said.  "I didn’t even do anything.  The stream of lava just turned around right in front of me like I had some barrier around me."
     "And where’s my sword?" Spica asked, searching Cuchillo’s corpse for it.  "What did that rat do with it?"
     "Oh, he still has your sword?" Orion asked her.  "Do you think he has it with him right now?"
     "He’d better," Spica said, still searching.  "Here it is!" she cried, pulling it out of his pocket.
     "Hey…what’s going on here?" Inferno asked, getting up.  Then, seeing Cuchillo on the ground, she shuddered.  "He’s dead?"
     "I’ve got my sword back!" Spica cried, showing it to Inferno.
     "Yes, he’s dead, Inferno," Zephyr said.
     "You guys killed him?" Inferno asked, amazed.
     "He killed himself," Orion corrected her.
     "Why?" Inferno asked.
     "We’re not sure what happened," Spica said.  "He stole your energy, then he used your attack on Orion.  But the attack didn’t hit Orion, it turned around and attacked Cuchillo."
     "How could he use my attack?" Inferno said, looking slightly scared.
     "I think," Zephyr spoke up, "that it has something to do with that sword that he used to suck your energy.  He probably used it to absorb your power too, then used your powers to attack Orion.  Why your attack turned on him, I have no idea."
     "Oh, did Cuchillo fail?" a voice asked from above.  They looked up and saw the Death Ladies floating above them.
     "Who are you?" Zephyr asked.
     "We are the Death Ladies!" they announced in unison.
     "Lady Espirita," Espirita introduced herself.
     "Lady Diabla," Diabla said.
     "And I am Lady Muerta," Muerta finished.
     "There are three of you?" Zephyr was astonished.  "Last time I checked there was only one."
     "Okay, what’s up here?" another voice asked.  Sailors Vega, Andromeda, Io, and Arcturus appeared behind the others.
     "Now you guys get here, after everything’s already happened," Orion sighed.  He explained everything to them, and they were genuinely surprised.
     "Okay, Astros," Diabla cut in.  "We want the Sapphire Star and we want it now."
     "What the heck are you talking about?" Zephyr demanded.  "We don’t have any Sapphire Star."
     "You know what I’m talking about, Zephyr," Espirita said.  "One of you has the Sapphire Star and I want to know which one of you it is."
     "Sisters, are you all blind?!" Muerta cried out.  "Zephyr has it!  I’m sure she does.  Look at that staff she’s carrying!  See the jewel on top? It must be the Star!"
     "Yes!" Diabla cried out.  "It is the star!"  Impulsively, she sent an energy blast at Zephyr in an attempt to knock her over to get the Star Scepter.  But instead of attacking Zephyr, the blast hit her scepter and it exploded into bits.
     "You fool!" Espirita reprimanded her sister.  "You just destroyed it!"
     "That wasn’t the Sapphire Star anyway, you airheaded witch!" Zephyr yelled at them.  "I told you, I don’t have it."
     "She’s right, sisters," Muerta pointed out.  "If it was the Sapphire Star, and we had destroyed it, we would have killed her."
     "True," Diabla said.  "We’re just wasting our time here.  Let’s get out of here."  They disappeared into a black portal that had opened up behind them and closed when they had gone through it.
     "That was odd," Andromeda remarked.
     "It worked!" a voice cheered.  The Astros looked toward the origin of that voice and saw Nova.  She had been hiding in a tree behind them the whole time.
     Cypress recognized her instantly.  "It’s Sailor Nova!" he whispered to himself.
     "Who are you?" Vega asked.
     "I am the dark snow that falls from the sky, Nova!" she introduced herself.  "And I am now the third warrior to the Death Ladies."
     "That explained everything," Vega muttered sarcastically.
     "Okay, what is going on here?" Io asked.  "I don’t understand any of this."
     "Oh, you will," Nova assured her.  "See, I created that sword that Cuchillo used to suck your energy, Inferno.  When he absorbed your energy with that sword he also absorbed your power.  Which is why he could use your attacks.  But when he used your attacks the attacks were supposed to turn on him and attack him instead, with doubled power.  So when he attacked Orion with Inferno’s attack, the attack turned on him and killed him.  Thus allowing me to become the Death Ladies' warrior."
     "Well, Nova," Zephyr said.  "You just did us a favor for destroying him."
     "No, I didn’t," Nova argued.  "I killed him, but if he had failed the Death Ladies would have too."
     "Is that what happened to Oscurio…" Inferno whispered.
     "So either way he would have died," Nova continued.  "And now you have someone new to deal with: me!"  With that, Nova disappeared into another black portal as the Death Ladies had.
     Cypress flew down to the Astros.  "Sailor Astros, I believe we have found ourselves a new ally…"