*This story is based on characters and concepts from the Shantae video game series. Those characters and concepts belong to WayForward and creators Matt and Erin Bozon. Some characters featured in this story are LGBTQ, such as the main character, and some topics might be emotionally strong for some, with mentions of xenophobia and loss. I would hope you read on, but if you don't, I will understand...

Embra: Northern Light

"BRRR! I don't remember it being this cold!" Embra muttered, shivering.

It had been a couple of months since she became a half-genie. She was content to help those she came across in her travels. She was often praised for her quick thinking and compassion. She solved problems for travelers and towns alike. Sometimes, she even did so without letting anyone know. She often just went wherever the wind took her, so to speak.

But this trip? This was her retracing her past. She was 19. She fled her home after her parents didn't come back from a hunting trip at 6, terrified of the monsters coming for her next... And of the other villagers, who not always saw her as the girl she knew herself to be.

Since then, she had a life of self-reliance and plenty of wrong turns. She found a strange necklace when she was about 10. She now knew it to be a Swap Amulet, a mystical gender-changing jewel that allowed her to actually be a girl for most of her life after that.

It wasn't long after she found this necklace that she gained entry into Cliff Town, an old-world bunker built into a mountainside. She theorized they thought she was young enough to take in their bigoted teachings, but they never stuck. When they discovered that she was using a Swap Amulet, they broke the necklace and threw her out, presumably to die.

Shantae, a half-genie from Scuttle Town, found her in time. In helping her overcome her injuries, Shantae also unexpectedly triggered Embra's hidden destiny of becoming a half-genie. Since then, Embra has lived confidently and proudly as her true self... Even if it takes people a while to warm up to her Shade Magic powers.

But now she had to know... What did she leave behind that fateful day? She was now far north of Sequin Land, a place where snow covers the ground year-round. The nights here were 18 hours long this time of year, and the cold was brutal. She was glad to have packed up her genie outfit in favor of thick winter coating and heavy boots. She desperately hoped monsters weren't around; she would be fighting at a significant disadvantage here... Her mobility was too limited to fight well.

She used her staff to give her better footing. Metal and wood, it was designed to be light and simple. With her ability to form solid shadow objects, she could turn this basic pole into all sorts of tools and weapons. It has already come in handy more than once since she had it crafted a couple of weeks ago. But right now, it was serving as her walking stick.

Embra climbed over the hill to see a glow in the distance. She suddenly remembered standing on this very hill almost 13 years ago. But the sight from her memory was a bit different than the reality in front of her. This place was a small village before. Now it was a sprawling winter city. But this was the place. She remembered the name of home... Northern Light.

She had heard as much from people who had been in the area. They grew large and fast by offering all sorts of rare and new products, as well as trading with the zombie caravan on a regular basis. Besides, the scenery made it a vacation destination for the well-prepared. Some were more than willing to brave the cold for the view.

Embra rubbed her hands together. "I so wish I could warm myself with my powers right about now... Oh well, I'm close." She continued to the town gate, where she was greeted by guards in heavy armor that appeared to be insulated.

"Traveler?" one of them asked.

"Y-yeah," Embra responded.

"You may pass. If I may, if you need to warm up, head to the inn up the road, near the clock tower. You can warm up with a hot drink there."

"Th-thank you, sir!"

Embra looked around. This city was beautiful. Snow-covered cozy cottages lined the streets, which were made of cobblestone. Light radiated from windows and street lamps, warming the cold night. She remembered when there were just dirt paths and a handful of log cabins... How could they have built all of this in 13 years?

She came up to the clock tower and saw something. Attached to its side, there was a log cabin. Not any log cabin... She realized this was her home from long ago!

"What? Why is this still here?" She shivered more. She needed to get inside. Sure enough, she looked off to the side to see the inn the guard had mentioned. The sign had a name on it: Starlight Inn.

Embra stepped inside. There were a few patrons sitting and enjoying warm meals. She saw the counter was manned by a light-skinned woman with blonde hair and orange eyes in her mid-twenties. But upon closer inspection, there was a detail that stood out: pointed ears. She was a half-genie! She wasn't wearing the usual genie outfit Embra was used to; she was wearing a yellow sweater and her hair was down and straight. If she hadn't seen the ears, Embra would have mistook her for a normal human.

Embra sat down at a stool by the counter. The half-genie turned to face her. "Well now, there's a new face! You look like you need to warm up. Here's some hot chocolate on the house, sweetie!" Embra watched the half-genie mix water and chocolate powder in a mug, then watched in amazement as her hand began to glow, causing the drink to warm up to the point steam rose from it. "Here you go, nice and hot!"

"Thank you!" Embra said as she accepted the drink. "By the way, how did you do that? Fire magic?"

"Nah, I manipulate light. Got it from my mom. Still, light can warm things up if you know what you're doing."

Embra was still recovering from the cold, unable to note the significance of that detail.

"Neat eyes and hair by the way. I take it you're half-genie?"

"Oh, yup!" She took off her earmuffs to reveal her own set of pointed ears. "That's better. Those weren't made for ears like ours," she said, rubbing her sore ears.

"Strange, you seem a little... Young, for a half-genie."

"Well..." Embra was caught a little off guard. She wasn't sure how to respond.

"Oh, I know! Could you be that one that just kind of popped up out of nowhere? Embra, was it?"

"Yeah, that's me! Talk about me reached this far already?"

"It's that Shade Magic of yours. People come up from Sequin Land every now and then. There's a lot of buzz around you!"

"I can imagine..."

"Name's Star, by the way!"

"Nice to meet you. Are you from around here?"

"Born and raised! I'm Northern Light's official guardian half-genie. Sure, I don't get the luxury of wearing one of those pretty genie outfits like the ones down south, but it's enough to just know who you are."

"I... Suppose I'm here to figure that out myself. It's been a bumpy road..."

Another woman came up to the counter. "Star, we've got the soda cases ready? The zombie caravan's yearly visit is only a couple of days away."

"I know, Mayor. I've got most of that taken care of. I could have it ready in the morning. We shouldn't have a problem this time."

The Mayor turned to Embra. "Ah, a new half-genie visitor. What brings you to our city?"

"I-I'm just trying to learn some things," she stammered, not expecting to be put on the spot like that.

"That's Embra. She's that out-of-nowhere half-genie everyone from down south seems to be talking about recently."

The Mayor held out her hand to Embra. "Mayor Shelly. I've been living in this area my whole life."

Embra shook her hand. "I heard this was a small village about 15 years ago. How did it get so big so quickly?"

"It took some time and effort, but with Star's help, we were able to turn this small village into a thriving city in little time. There were a number of old-world factories in the area, mostly untouched. We found all sorts of recipes and formulas that gave us new and unique products to sell. The zombies come by once a year to buy sodas made with these formulas; the caffeine in them makes them a great option for the ones who have long tired of drinking coffee."

"Well, that and Avor and Emilia."

Embra stopped. What did Star just say?

"Of course. They always head the group that buys the soda from us. They also keep checking to see if their daughter ever returned. Poor things."

Embra dropped the mug of hot chocolate, and it shattered on the floor. Star and Mayor Shelly, along with the other patrons of the inn, all turned to look at her. She was visibly shaking.

"Uh, Embra?"

"Mom and dad... Died," she whispered.

The two closest to her gasped. They looked at each other, stunned. Star took a much closer look at Embra this time. She looked beyond the eye-catching pink eyes, blue hair, and the pointed ears. She looked beyond even the feminine body. Then she started to see it: minor details of someone she once knew...

"That's... You're Avor and Emilia's missing kid!"

"Wait... You recognize me...?"

"You're certain of this. Star?"

"Of course, and it makes sense with some of the things mom was telling me before she left... It means.. I finally have a sister! OhmygoshIalwayswantedasisterandnowyoureherehowlongdoyouhaveIwanttoknoweverything-"

Star was taking way faster than Embra could comprehend. She stood there, dumbfounded, as the other half-genie spoke faster than lightning.

"Star..." Shelly started, but Star kept going. She turned to Embra instead. "Sorry, she does that when she gets excited. Side effect of her light powers, she can move faster than normal people. That includes her mouth..." She could see Embra looking down, shaking. "So... Is Star right?"

"I thought they were dead..." Embra whispered, tears forming. "They never came back..."

The Mayor put her hand on Embra. "They eventually did - two years later. Whatever happened to them, they were zombified after the fact and returned, not knowing you had fled shortly after they didn't come back. They weren't even aware two years had passed..."

"I-I didn't know what everyone was going to do to me, or if the monsters that got them were coming for me next..."

"You were 6. And not everyone was so accepting of what you were at the time. But between you leaving and the shattered hearts of your parents, everyone realized we needed to do better. Your parents joined the zombie caravan in hopes they would find you out there, and they came back every year with the hope one day you would come back."

"They still loved me..."

"It's thought that their love for you is what has allowed them to stay themselves despite their transformation."

"I'm..."

"It's okay. You came back, just as your parents suspected you would. And look at you: you found a way to be the girl you wanted to be all along!"

Star had finally snapped out of her motormouth spree and had been listening to the Mayor explain things. "My mom was Lumina, Embra. Seeing as you're now a half-genie too, did you meet her?"

"I did, through the magic of a Genie Crystal she said she made for me. I met her in the Genie Realm as a spirit."

"That means a part of her is now in you. You're technically my sister now! She said you would eventually be my sister, but I didn't understand how. Then she left for the Genie Realm, then shortly after, you fled. Your parents filled me in on the details of what was going to happen to you after they came back..."

"They knew?"

"They worked with Lumina to make sure everything would be okay. They considered us a part of their family too after mom 'adopted' you. Unfortunately, they planned to tell you a few years down the line what you would become, and we really didn't have a lot of time to bond..."

"The whole city knows this tragic story," the Mayor chimed in. "The transgender daughter with a genie's blessing, running away after her parents go missing on a hunt. Her parents returning as the undead to find they missed two years and their daughter. They leave to search for her, coming back every year to the day to see if their daughter returned home..."

"But now she has, and her destiny to become a half-genie has come to pass! The story has a-" Star paused. "Oh oh oh-oh-oh-oh! The caravan is coming in a coupleofdays! Embracanmeetherparentsagainandeveryonecanhavethehappyendingtheyalwayswanted!"

"Woah, Star, slow down!"

"Sorry! Avor and Emilia come by every year on the same day, and they will be here in two days! Embra can meet them again!"

"R-really?"

"I'm sure they missed you so much. They will be overjoyed to find out their daughter survived all those years and even became the half-genie girl that she was meant to be!" said the Mayor.

"I don't know what to say... I was thinking I might have had an aunt or uncle, but not find out my mom and dad are still alive!" Embra said as she wiped away tears.

"... Well, as 'alive' as the undead can be." Star noted.

"Good enough for me..." Embra said, remembering the lively zombie girl from Scuttle Town.

The Mayor pulled a key from her pocket. "Here, this is the key to your old home. We have been keeping it up over the years, but it should be mostly as you last remember it."

"T-Thanks," Embra stammered. "If you don't mind, though, I'm not sure I can stay there tonight.

"I understand."

"She can stay with me tonight! After all, I want to know EVERYTHING!"

The Mayor began to leave, but turned and whispered to Embra, "If you need somewhere more quiet, I'll leave a room here open for you. She can be a bit much for people to handle the first time..."

=== Star's home, later that night.===

Star's home was only a couple of blocks away. Embra was still amazed how much Northern Light had changed. The city was at least 20 times the size of the original village.

She was surprised by the fact they hadn't destroyed her cabin, but it had become a part of the local legend. It was left in case the family could ever be reunited again. Even the clock tower was dedicated to them! Given she hadn't settled on a name for herself by the time she left, it was called the Blessed One's Timekeeper. It represented the time that had passed since she fled, counting down each minute until she returned.

That got her thinking, though: SHE didn't even know what she wanted to be called at the time. And yet, Harmony mentioned she saw her name in the genie's scrapbook. It was written before she left Northern Light and well before she had settled on a name. Did Lumina know already - or somehow influenced it? She had to consider the idea, given her name sounded a lot like "umbra," a term meaning deep darkness. Then again, the genies were magic. She could have just made a spell that changed the name when Embra finally settled on it.

Of all the things she expected, she couldn't believe how much her story touched the hearts of the people who lived here. But it was a tale indeed, one with tragedy and eternal hope. It was no wonder people clung to it so deeply.

Star's home didn't look all that much different from the others. There were some flourishes that set her place apart, like the stars painted on the outer walls, but beyond that, it was built roughly the same.

Inside, Embra saw things she had never seen before; She didn't realize it, but the city was electrically powered! The lights inside and out were electric bulbs. They even had running water, no small feat for such a frozen location. The technology they found in the old-world ruins must have let them figure all of this out.

Embra had changed into a set of pajamas for the night. They were simple, long sleeves and pants covering her body in navy and white dots. She knew she chose it because it reminded her of the night sky - and her powers.

She sat in Star's living room and looked at the decor. Among the items was Star's genie outfit, framed and hanging on the wall by the fireplace. She clearly cared for it, but given the cold, she wasn't able to wear it. It was almost the opposite of Embra's, white with gold accents. The bangles looked like rays that would come from Star's wrists, and her bra had four straps, with gold laced into the straps. She also had a radiant tiara with her outfit.

It looked like a piece or two might be missing... She suspected Star had a necklace like hers that she was probably wearing.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Star was wearing her own pajamas, a dress that transitioned from pure white to glittery gold. Embra also spotted the gold necklace Star was wearing, the one piece of her genie outfit that had been missing. It showed a star with a bright orange gem in the middle.

"I see you got one of those necklaces too?" Embra asked.

Star looked down and grabbed it. "This? Yeah, it's the only thing I really can wear. Even the tiara gets in the way of a warm hat."

Embra pulled hers out from under her pajamas. "This is mine. It's made of this really pretty sky-blue metal that's on the rest of my outfit."

Star took a closer look. "A vortex with a point in the middle... I wonder if this is something called a singularity?"

"A what?"

"It's a term from old-world science books. A singularity in cosmic terms is an infinitely small and infinitely dense point that creates a field in which no light can escape, a 'black hole.'"

"Why would this be a part of my outfit?"

"Maybe it's a clue to how much power you have? My necklace is the same. It's a clue to the power I have."

"What do you mean?"

"A few years after you left, a number of the villages came under attack. It was a real nightmare of a monster, a giant writhing mass of tentacles. Almost every other village had been destroyed, their people coming to ours. Ours was next. I wanted to protect everybody. I welled up all the power I could muster and let it loose. As everyone there described it, it was like a giant burst of light came from me. It harmed no one, but the monster was completely destroyed."

"That's amazing!"

"But I was out cold for a few days... I'm certain every time I use that power, I would be out cold."

"So it's a last-resort sort of move?"

"Yeah, we've come to call it 'supernova.' I think it's why monsters haven't bothered us too much in the years since, allowing us to focus on building the community instead. I might have blown most of them away..."

"That's why the Mayor credited you with helping build the city... So you think I have a power like that?"

"It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of half-genies do, but they may not know it... Or they're too afraid to try."

"So what do you think I would be able to do?"

"You could probably create a black hole from which no evil could escape. I think that's what the necklace means. Like my supernova, your singularity couldn't hurt good people."

"Wow... I didn't think I could be capable of something like that."

"It's like what the half-genie Harmony tells me when she visits; we're capable of far more than we realize!"

"What do you know... She actually helped me understand my powers after I first got them!"

"No kidding! I guess it has been a while since I last saw her, so it makes sense. I have to ask, though... Where were you all these years? Your parents went to a lot of places, and for the first few years they tried to follow a trail, but it went cold when you were 10..."

"I got into Cliff Town..."

"Not those horrible recluses!"

"Unfortunately. You seem a bit more familiar with them than Harmony was..."

"I tried dealing with them a few years ago. They spat some of the most vile things at me, saying I was an abomination and I shouldn't exist. They even actually spat on me! Some of them even took some swings at me. What was wrong with them?!"

"I don't know. I was left to my own devices for the most part. I never could figure out why they hated people so much... That's how I wound up getting kicked out; they found out about my Swap Amulet..." Embra grabbed her bag and fished out a small satchel. She pulled the broken necklace from the satchel and handed it to Star.

"So you had been living as a girl right under their noses? I guess they weren't pleased that you weren't what they thought you were..."

"Their loss. I don't plan on coming back, not that they would ever take me back as a half-genie."

"Why keep the broken amulet, though?"

"I hope to figure out how to repair it with my magic. Someone else might need it one day..."

Star smiled. "I see what mom saw in you! You had a want to help people and be kind even before light magic was flowing through your blood!"

"Thanks!" Embra paused for a moment, lost in thought. "Star, what are my parents like? Are they still the way I remember them?"

"Well, they're still fairly similar to the way they looked when they left on that fateful day. They try to take care of themselves, so they look a lot less rotted than some. They're kind of blue, though, with stitches in places. But if you're asking if they're the same kind people they were when you were little, then the answer is yes!"

"That's... Good to hear. I'm just a bit nervous..."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about! They treat me like a daughter as well. If they weren't out looking for you, I think they would have stayed behind to take care of me. I think they will be overjoyed to see you again!"

"I hope so..."

Star gave Embra a hug. "Hey, you're not alone anymore. You have me!"

"I do have some friends back in Sequin Land, including Shantae, the half-genie that rescued me."

"I'm glad! But that is a long trip..."

"Oh, I have a way to fix that!" Embra stood up, then quickly sank into the ground.

"What the? Where-" Star heard a knock on the back of the couch. She looked behind it to see Embra laying there in the shadow made by the fire from the fireplace. "How did you do that?!"

"I learned quickly I can warp between dark places! I was actually in Scuttle Town just now. All I need to do is think of a shadow or dark place where I want to go and I can create a gate taking me there."

"That's amazing! I can run really fast, but with that, you could probably beat me in any race!"

"It also comes in handy for storing stuff. I can always travel light just by setting aside a dark safe place for my stuff."

"Dang, I'm kind of jealous now! It sucks having limited storage when you're on a mission."

"And there's more. You saw my staff that I was using, right?"

"I was wondering. I thought it was a walking stick..."

"Well, I had it made for me. Light yet durable, it can take some serious punishment. I wanted that because I can conjure solid shadows! I can form whatever tool I need with the staff and some sort of shadow form. I've had to use it as a shovel and as a weapon. I find a curved blade on the end works well for a swinging weapon..."

"A naginata?"

"A what?"

"It's a pole arm weapon, kind of like a spear, but with a curved blade tip for slashing. Those who don't have a lot of strength but a lot of speed can make use of them."

"Makes sense. I couldn't punch out a monster to save my life. I have to think my moves in the moment. It has worked well so far..."

"So, for all the neat tricks, you don't have a lot of 'punch,' sound about right?"

"Yeah..." Embra grumbled. She could live with it as long as she wasn't constantly reminded of it.

"I have what we call Shine Magic. Standard light manipulation. Enhanced movement speed, light bolts, the works. I kind of wish I could make my own weapons out of thin air..."

"Don't sell yourself short! Maybe you just need some help?" Embra sat down next to Star and gently grabbed her hands. "Maybe you need a way to look at it? So when I make shadow forms, I vacate the light from the area I want to shape. I concentrate on that absence again and again until it turns solid. Maybe you can do the same, but in reverse? Try concentrating light into the shape you want..."

Star took the advice. She concentrated on making a mug. She closed her eyes to concentrate, but Embra was free to watch. She could see Star pull in ambient light, and a glowing form began to take shape. It glowed brighter and brighter until finally, the light collapsed on itself. It had successfully solidified! A glowing mug had formed in Star's hands.

"Star! Look!"

She did, and she was amazed to be holding a cup made out of pure light. She made that. "That worked?! I didn't know I could do that! This isamazingjustthinkof-"

"Star, slow down!"

"Sorry! Just think of the possibilities this unlocks..."

"Oh, I know personally."

Star leaned over and gave Embra a hug. "Thank you, sis!"

Embra started to tear up and smiled. She returned the hug. "You're welcome... sister."

=== The next morning. ===

It was neither early nor bright. It was technically mid-morning, but it was still dark outside. Regardless, Star still had work to do. She was sealing cans and putting them in boxes at Starlight Inn when the Mayor walked in.

"Morning, Star! I see your guest last night didn't keep you up too late?"

"Nah, she was pretty tired. Still, it was... Really nice."

"Where is she, by the way?"

"At my place, still sleeping. I tried to wake her, but she said five more minutes... An hour ago."

"Well, to be fair, we're a few hundred miles from Sequin Land. She didn't make it here in a day."

"She's timid, but she's determined when she sets her mind to something." Star seemed a little lost in thought.

"Something wrong?"

"Well, she told me where she had lived most of that time... And she seemed nervous of what people thought about her. She was really conscious of that."

"I think I know where she was from your tone: Cliff Town."

"How did you know?"

"It's the only place you ever came back from shaken and distraught like that. You were accepted everywhere you went, save for there. I know that changed you."

"And to think, she was there the whole time! If I had forced my way in..."

"You know that would have made things worse."

Star sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Besides, she may not have become a half-genie without it. Still..."

"You worry what that did to her."

"Exactly. She's a nice person, but she stealthily spent nine years as a girl under them. She probably lived with a lot of anxiety over being discovered... And it happened, and sure enough, they left her to die..."

"Honestly, I'm glad we never started trading with them. I can't understand that kind of cruelty. It gets you nowhere."

"After seeing it, I was glad I lived somewhere where people accepted me for who I was. It didn't matter anymore if I was the 'Guardian Genie.' I had to make sure I took care of those who cared about me."

"I noticed after that you stopped trying to 'look the part.' Although you're still the Guardian Genie, it didn't matter to you what you looked like, just that you did what was right."

"Yeah... I admit, I've been more comfortable since then. I stopped living up to a standard set by others."

"Embra might need that. You are sort of an older sister to her, so your experience might be helpful to her."

"Actually..." Star began to smile. "We were already calling each other sisters by the end of the night!"

"Oh, that's wonderful! How did that happen?"

"I was complimenting her on her Shade Magic and all of its unique tricks. But when I got a bit jealous of the fact she could make solid objects with her power, she instead helped me do the same with my power!"

"Wait, she taught YOU something new?!"

"Yeah, watch!" Star put down what she was doing and used the same trick from the night before. She condensed ambient light from around into a cup of solid light. To add on it, she decided to fill it with water and coco powder and mix it up in the cup. She realized she could make the cup glow bright enough to warm up the drink, then reduce the lumosity so it wouldn't burn or blind the Mayor. She handed her the cup.

"Well, now, that is a new trick." Shelly took a sip. "Oooh, I have to say, for some reason, this tastes a little bit better!"

"Really? Why?"

"I don't know. I mean, it tastes the same, but at the same time, it just makes me feel better? Maybe some of your magic mixes in, gives you some good feelings?"

"I will have to try that with someone else one of these times! After that, I called her my 'sis' and hugged her, and she called me sister back!"

"It's nice to hear you two are getting along so well so fast! I think she appreciates that she has a family now."

"She does, and I hope for her sake her parents become part of that too. I mean, I doubt anything will go wrong, but I can't tell the future."

"We will just have to see what happens tomorrow. Speaking of..."

"I should have this done in the next hour or two, depending on how busy we get. I should be done before lunch."

"Alright, keep up the good work! See you later."

"You too!" Star said, waving to the Mayor as she left. She went back to work, filling and sealing the cans for the next day. As she did, she continued to think about the night before, the time she spent with Embra. It brought a smile to her face.

=== Around noon. ===

The lock clicked. The old wood door creaked open. Embra peered into the space, dark and cold. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she could see everything. Still, she decided to light a candle to provide some warmth.

Before her was the home she spent her first years in. It all felt familiar, even if she didn't remember it all that well at first. There was the table in the middle, with plates and utensils left for the dinner that never came. There were changes of clothes for Embra's parents for when they returned, still neatly folded, although it looked like someone else had done the deed. She remembered how her parents folded their clothes, and this wasn't it.

She looked around. The walls were lined with hunting gear, her parent's profession, the one that led to their demise. It is why they were the Huntsman family. They did not keep trophies of their hunts, though; this was to feed themselves and others. They did not brag about the beasts they brought down, only informed others of what they took. They often returned what they didn't need to nature to let it use what remained. They respected the natural world around them.

There were a couple of rooms in the back. One for her, one for her parents. She grabbed the handle to her room, cold from the lack of use. She looked inside to see a room that had all the markings of a little girl's room, from a dollhouse her dad made for her, to the little dresses and tights that hung on the wall.

She lowered herself to the dirt floor gently next to the dollhouse. She carefully took the roof off and placed it neatly beside her. Inside, five homemade dolls rested, with a layer of dust on them. Clearly, people had been forgetting to check inside the toy house for cleaning. Embra carefully brushed off the layer of dust from each and looked at them. These weren't just dolls, she realized; they were her family at the time.

There was the husky one with a beard, her dad. There was the lean short-haired one, her mom. She now knew what the other two were; the blue one with a tail and no legs was Lumina, and the blond-haired girl that was smaller was Star. Her parents gave her these two a few weeks before they disappeared. They must have been trying to tell her that both were family now...

Then finally, the smallest one. A little girl with dark hair and brown eyes. That was her. She remembered being so happy to be given this one. Her first doll, a girl version of herself at a time where she was beginning to grasp what that meant to her. She hugged it tightly.

You're home, Embra Huntsman, she thought to herself.

=== Sunset. ===

The town was bustling with energy. Banners were being hung from buildings. Windows were being cleaned, and decorations were being erected. Clearly, Embra underestimated how important the yearly zombie caravan visit was to people here. It wasn't a yearly business deal; this was a full-blown celebration!

Mayor Shelly came up behind the befuddled Embra. "Not what you were expecting, was it?"

"No, not at all! I thought this was just a normally scheduled thing that passed without much fuss... And I don't think I've ever seen people this excited to have a bunch of zombies visit!"

"Is that a problem?"

"No! I made a zombie friend back in Sequin Land, so I know they can be good people. I just know a lot of people tend to be afraid of them."

"We used to be, but after your parents, we saw the humanity they still had. At first, it was just a regular thing, but after a couple of years, some of the zombie folks started thanking us for letting them in and treating them so nicely. In some cases, they said that saved them from going feral. We suddenly realized it was far more important than we first thought."

"That's amazing..."

"On our side, the zombies always came in good spirits with interesting tales to tell. Not everyone leaves town to visit other places. This is not an easy land to traverse, as you're likely aware. Often, they bring a connection to the outside world we don't always get. They give us company we often need."

"I never thought of that. The people here are amazing!" Embra paused, then looked down. "I never should have left."

"This whole thing came together because you ran away. If your parents hadn't become zombies and joined the caravan to look for you, we would still probably be the small village you remembered. Things sometimes happen for a reason. That's the way I look at it. Even you living in Cliff Town."

"Star told you?"

"Not directly, but she was a bit shaken by it. I figured it out. I sent her there on our behalf a few years ago, not knowing their reputation... It's one of the biggest mistakes I've made as Mayor. She came back a mess from that. It took her a year to recover her spirits... Fortunately, I got the message about who they were loud and clear. We refuse to trade with them these days."

"It seemed like they had regulars that put up with them, but not by much... But you think living there was important too?"

"You're the half-genie you were destined to become. You've seen hate but refuse to bow to it. You have a maturity greater than your age and a heart to help others whether they accept you at first or not. I'd say some of that is influenced by living there."

Embra took it in. She realized Shelly was onto something. Embra understood why she was the Mayor after that. "Thank you. I think I needed to hear that."

"You're welcome! You should get ready for tomorrow. The caravan will probably arrive in the early hours, assuming no delays on their end."

=== The next day. ===

The zombie caravan arrived in the early morning, as was predicted. The weather was nice and clear for them as they came up from the south. As they parked their wagons outside of the city gates, all sorts of people came out. City guards shook hands with wagon owners, promising to defend their wagons from any threats. Regular townsfolk offered friendly gestures and gifts to their undead visitors. The kids, living and undead alike, came together and started playing games. Snowball fights started breaking out between them, something the zombie kids didn't get to have all that often. There were even official competitions held each year, and the kids would get prizes!

Despite how late the sun would rise, there was already an energy and vibrance to the city that wasn't there when Embra arrived. She was looking down from the clock tower's balcony to watch the celebration. And somewhere down there, her parents were among them... She made her way back into the clock tower to descend to the street. Star had a plan, so all Embra needed to do was wait for the right time...

Star, meanwhile, was hauling out cases of soda out of Starlight Inn on a special trolley she created with her newfound ability. It was ambitious to create something with moving parts so soon, but it seemed to be working.

She hadn't finished when she saw a wagon guided by a pair of skeleton horses coming up to her. This was the team of zombies that would be making the deal and hauling the soda back to the caravan. And as expected, the familiar faces of Avor and Emilia Huntsman drove the wagon.

She put the trolley down and waved. "Avor! Emilia! It's nice to see you again!"

They stopped the wagon and hopped down to the ground. "Star! It's great to see you too!" said Emilia as she gave Star a hug.

Avor noticed the semi-transparent glowing trolley Star had been using. "What's with that?" he asked.

"Oh, I found out how to solidify light a couple of days ago! I'm currently testing to see what I'm capable of."

"That's amazing! I know a couple of years ago, you were struggling with your magic thanks to the bigots of Cliff Town," Emilia remarked.

"Thanks. So, who's on the team this year?" Star asked as she peered over at the lineup of zombies ready to help with transporting the goods.

"We got a couple of new faces," Avor responded, "including Harold Boggs. We didn't expect to have him come by this year, as he's usually doing his own thing."

Star looked to the line to see the zombie gentleman wearing a bowler hat. He tipped it off to her. "Mam. I had to see what all the hub-ub was about, but the trek is treacherous for a lone zombie, so I came with the caravan this year."

Star bowed. "Nice to meet you, Harold!"

"I prefer Boggs, personally."

"Alright then! Anyone else I should know about?" she asked as she walked down the line.

"Well..." both of them started in tandem.

"Heya, Star! How's it been?"

She recognized the voice. She looked to the end of the line to see a familiar zombie girl in a homemade genie outfit. "Oh no, not YOU again!"

"Sorry, Star. Rottytops insisted she come with this year," Emilia explained.

"Not sure why she's dressed like a half-genie, though..." Avor muttered, confused. He was pretty sure she wasn't wearing that earlier...

"It's for a friend!" Rottytops replied.

Star went up to Rottytops. "Look, PLEASE be on your best behavior this time. I don't want a repeat of last year's mess. It's my skinny behind on the line when you make a mess like that!"

"Mess?" Boggs asked.

Another zombie chimed in. "She dropped a couple of cases of cans from the clock tower balcony to see what would happen."

"Oh my, what happened?"

"Many of the cans burst outright, but a few survived to fly several blocks away, spraying their colorful contents everywhere," Star explained. "The cleanup was astronomical, as was the property damage."

"It was fun to watch, though!"

Star gave Rottytops a stern glare.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to cause problems this time! I'm trying to be good for a friend who came here a few days ago."

"I'm holding you to that."

"My condolences, mam," Boggs said to Star, nodding.

"Star, a word?" said Mayor Shelly, who had just walked into the area.

As Star made her way over to the Mayor, Boggs leaned in close to Rottytops and whispered to her, "Rabble-rouser, eh? I can respect that." They smiled to each other before getting back in line.

Shelly pulled Star aside. "I can handle the soda deal this time - and keep an eye on that troublemaker. If anything goes wrong, that will be on me. Besides, I think you have some very important matters to discuss with the Huntsmans, don't you?"

Star nodded. She walked up to Avor and Emilia. "Hey, the Mayor is taking over for me right now. Would you like to go on a walk?"

They both nodded. "Of course!" said Avor.

"We always like spending time with you. You're basically a daughter to us."

They left the group to their own devices and walked down main street, passing by Star's house along the way. They walked down a road in a more quiet part of town, away from the celebrations.

"So, what's been the news down south, you two?" Star asked.

"Sequin Land's got a new half-genie running around," Emilia explained. "She's a bit young, but she always helps out people she comes across."

"No one's really sure where she came from," Avor added. "She just kind of appeared out of nowhere."

"That's what we've been hearing from travelers lately too."

"And that magic of hers. It's so strange, it's the opposite of yours." Avor remarked. "I've never seen anything like that in our travels... I don't think it's coincidence a lot of villains and troublemakers in the area have started having mysterious setbacks. Something tells me this new girl knows what she's doing."

"Have you two seen her yet?" Star asked.

"No," Emilia answered. "It seems like we were always somewhere else when she popped up."

"Well, I have some news for you; you finally get your chance to meet her! She's here, in Northern Light!"

"Well, why would she come all the way here?" Avor asked. "It's not like this city has too many problems..."

"I don't know. Why don't you ask her yourself?" said Star, gesturing behind them.

"Wha-?" they both muttered as they turned around. Before them was the blue-haired, pink eyed half-genie that they had heard so much about. But there was something about her so familiar...

"H-Hi," Embra stammered. "I-I'm Embra."

Avor and Emilia realized it at the same time. There was no one else this could be but...

"My... Little girl?" Avor whispered, barely believing it.

"Is that really you?!" Emilia exclaimed.

Embra could only nod. She wasn't capable of saying anything, too choked up by her parents recognizing her, even after all this time and her transformation. As soon as her parents took off to hug her, Embra did the same. They met in the middle with one great big warm embrace!

"We missed you so much!" Avor exclaimed.

"We've been traveling the world looking for you!" said Emilia.

"I know, thanks to Star and the Mayor. I thought you were gone forever..."

"It's okay sweetie..." Emilia reassured her. "You couldn't have known. We're just glad you're okay."

"You came all the way here... You wanted to figure out what you left behind, didn't you?" Avor asked.

Embra nodded. Tears were streaming down her face from all sorts of emotions.

"Well, we're here for you now! You don't have to be alone anymore," Emilia said gently.

"We loved you and we always will!" Avor added.

"I loved you two so much!" Embra said through her sobbing. "I am so happy to see you again!"

"And look at you! You're a real half-genie now, the girl you always wanted to be," Avor noted. "Lumina's blessing finally came to pass! That's where you got your powers from, isn't it? That's why you suddenly appeared two months ago; you finally got your powers!"

"Yup!" Embra said as she tried to wipe away the tears that kept coming. "I know Lumina was my godmother... I was happy then to know I had someone looking over me."

Avor and Emilia looked at each other. The had always discussed what they would do should the day come that they reunited with their daughter.

"Embra, we have to ask you something..."

"Yes mom?"

"If we were to leave the caravan and settle down here, would you stay with us?"

"I would like that, but I have commitments I made in Sequin Land..."

"Oh..." Emilia started, sounding disappointed.

"Wait!" Embra yelped, hearing the disappointment. "Sorry, let me explain. I would love to live with you! I want to catch up, make up for lost time. And it's entirely possible with my new powers to live here and do things in Sequin Land!"

"Wait, how?!" they both asked, stunned.

"Embra has been staying with me the past couple of nights as we waited for you to arrive. She's shown me some of her capabilities, including being able to warp with shadows! She just needs a shadow or a dark place where she is and where she wants to go, and she can teleport there!" Star explained.

"That is absolutely amazing!" Avor said.

"So that means..."

"Yes! If you want to stay here, I would live with you!" Embra answered gleefully. They started to hug again. This time though, Embra felt something. "You know, this doesn't feel quite right. It feels like we're missing something..." She looked over to Star, standing off to the side. "Oh! That's right, I'm missing my sister!"

Star pointed to herself, a bit startled.

"Yes, you! Get over here!" Embra said playfully. Star joined them in their group hug. "Alright, NOW the whole family is together!" They shared this embrace for several minutes. It was a long time coming, and it felt so much better than any of them had ever imagined...

=======

It took time for everyone to catch up. Embra explained what happened to her. Her parents finally understood why she had been so hard to find, but they were glad she turned out so well despite all that had happened. And they were happy to hear that Embra considered Star as much of a sister as they considered her their daughter. Star explained how Embra taught her how to solidify light, using her knowledge of solidifying darkness to give her insight, among other discussions about their powers in the nights before.

It had always been the plan for the Huntsmans to take care of Star should Lumina leave for the Genie Realm, given her real father died before she was even born. It did not turn out as well as they expected, but Star was okay with what happened. She enjoyed her limited time with them every year, and the townsfolk took very good care of her.

She even had a plan of her own in place, knowing Avor and Emilia would want to settle down; she offered her spacious home for everyone to live in! After all, they shouldn't have to live in that old creaky log cabin anymore. This was made all the easier when they accepted her into the family. She was so happy, she knew she was going to take the name of Star Huntsman from this day forward...

They decided it would be best to rejoin the rest and made their way back to Starlight Inn. By the time they got back, about the first wagonful of soda cases was about to be sent to the caravan.

"Hey, everyone! We're back!" Star announced.

Everyone looked at the quartet. It was clear there had been some amount of crying and hugging - but it was also clear they had smiles on their faces.

"Something happen?" one of the zombies asked.

"Well..." Avor started. "We would like to introduce our daughter, Embra!" he said as he put his hands on Embra's shoulders.

Many of the zombie groups' jaws dropped to the ground (literally, in one case). "She's the one you two have been searching for?!" One asked. "I wouldn't have thought for a second that she was the one..."

"But you have to admit, the resemblance is there..." another remarked.

"Miss Embra, I have a question;" a zombie man started, "Would you happen to know the half-genie Shantae... Or this wild-child over here?" he asked, pointing to Rottytops.

"Of course she does!" Rotty chimed in. "She was the one we were getting the Genie Crystal for! That's the reason she's a half-genie in the first place! How's that weird squishy wheel doing for you, by the way?"

"I have to admit, I would like to find a few more of those! That wheel takes bumps in the road rather well."

"Embra, why didn't you tell me you had zombie parents?" she asked.

"I didn't know they were alive - undead?" Embra said, a bit befuddled. "That's going to take some getting used to..."

"What do you think?"

Embra turned to look at her parents. "This is more than I could have ever asked for!" she said gleefully. "I don't care if they're zombies. They're the same people I remember them being, and that's good enough for me."

Avor and Emilia smiled. It warmed their hearts (so to speak) to hear their daughter cared for them. They worried for many years whether their daughter would be terrified of them once she knew they had become zombies. They didn't admit it to Embra, though. Not yet, at least.

"So, your plans still stand?" one of the zombie crew asked. "You talked about potentially living in Northern Light again when you found out what happened to your daughter?"

"We have agreed to stay here, all of us," Emilia responded. "I trust that is okay with everyone?"

"Of course. You told us many years ago this might happen. I don't think anyone is going to say we should stop coming here just because the Huntsmans stayed in Northern Light."

"Embra, you too?" Rottytops asked. "It was fun spending time with you... You have been really nice to me, even though you haven't known me for that long..."

"I will be coming back to Sequin Land, Rotty! I just got my parents back, though, and I want to catch up. Besides, you know I can just show up in a dark corner wherever I want to go, right?"

"Oh! Of course!" Rottytops said, happy to hear her shadow-bending friend was still going to be around.

Embra came up and leaned in closer to Rottytops. "Besides, you're the reason I'm not afraid of zombies anymore. You're a nice and fun person to be around, Rotty! Things are livelier with you around!" Embra whispered to her. Rottytops could only smile.

"Wait, was Embra the one you were talking about earlier, the half-genie friend you were trying to be good for?" Star asked.

"Uh huh! She's been really nice to me since we met!"

"It might have been because she wasn't immediately afraid of my Shade Magic like everyone else..." Embra explained. "She was fascinated by it, but not afraid. I found myself liking that... Besides, she makes things fun!"

"... Or a mess." Star muttered quietly. "Well, if she's your friend, who am I to argue? Clearly, you trust her, and that's something I've come to learn you don't do lightly."

Mayor Shelly and a couple of people from Northern Light came up to them. "It looks like things have gone well for you?" she asked.

"It has," Star responded.

"Good to hear! We're about to send the first batch of cases to the caravan, but we will still have a few more to load up. We made a lot more this year for them, so it will take two or three more trips. Do you think you can lend us a hand?"

The four of them nodded and began to help. It still took several hours to make all the trips. The conversations between the Huntsmans, the townsfolk, and the zombies proved much livelier than they had ever been before. The rumor of the reunion spread quickly, and everyone was excited.

Later in the day, Mayor Shelly asked everyone to come to the plaza. There, she confirmed that the Huntsman family had indeed been reunited. The family basked in the cheers and congratulations from everyone in town and in the caravan. Everyone wondered what it would look like to see the end of this story, and they were relieved to find it had a happy ending!

The day came to a close long after the sun had set. Avor and Emilia gathered their gear from the caravan and prepared to finally put their feet down in one place once again. They appreciated Star let them live with her, given her home had a lot more space for four adults than the old cabin they still owned... Not that they weren't already thinking of how to put the place to use now that they were back...

Embra gave Rottytops a friendly hug before she set off back to Sequin Land. Embra reassured her that she would probably be back in a week. She was likely going to keep her place in Scuttle Town as a second home for when she was doing deeds in the area, and as a safe way to transport herself back to the area.

As much as Star had friends all around her, she admitted the nights were sometimes lonely. Now, her home bustled with activity as her adoptive parents and her sister all now were living with her. Now she could care less that she didn't have a partner to share the space with. She had people she knew cared about her.

So did Embra. She didn't know what she was going to find when she decided to return her frozen homeland. Finding her family was the best thing she could have ever hoped for!

Embra Huntsman was home.

THE END.

By CrystalSeaDragon44