SOME TIME AGO, AT NOZOMI'S HOUSE

Nozomi trudged up to her room, her exhaustion outweighing her hunger. She could always eat later when she felt less drained.

Once inside, she dropped her school bag on the floor and grabbed her plush blue rabbit, Samson, before collapsing onto her bed. The mattress embraced her tired body instantly. Just a quick rest... just a tiny bit...

Less than a minute later, she began to drift off to sleep until...

"Hey, wake up!" An unfamiliar voice called for her. Nozomi slowly opened her eyes, scanning her room for the source of the voice.

"Down here!" the voice repeated, sounding slightly annoyed. She looked down to see the same dog with the golden star birthmark on its forehead—but it seemed smaller.

"There you go. First things first, thank you for taking that band-aid off my forehead. Now let me—Hey! Don't go back to sleep!" the dog said urgently as he saw Nozomi's eyes closing again.

A talking dog? Pfft. What a weird dream, Normally, she played along with her dreams, but this time she felt too tired to care. I wonder what happens if you fall asleep in a dream? Well, now’s a good time to find out!

She would have fallen asleep if a sudden, sharp pain in her leg hadn't jolted her awake. She tumbled off her bed. "Ow! What just happened?!" she exclaimed, massaging her leg.

"Will you please listen?" the dog, now on her bed, demanded. "My name is Seiza, and I need your help. Here, take this." As Seiza spoke, a bright light flared from his birthmark. Nozomi reflexively shut her eyes. When she opened them again, a star-shaped bronze pendant with a bull insignia floated in front of her.

"Wow..." she murmured, getting up to examine the pendant in the mirror.

"Listen, the world is in danger. Creatures of darkness are committing crimes unnoticed, and I need your help to protect this world and stop them from obtaining the Crystal of Darkness!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." Nozomi dismissed him. This wasn't her first dream where she "saved" the world, and she found it hard to take it seriously.

As she admired the pendant, Seiza's words fell on deaf ears. She rubbed her finger over the intricate engravings until a bright light from the pendant caught her by surprise.

"W-what's going on?!" she asked to herself, before turning to Seiza. Seeing the dog’s smile made her feel bad for ignoring him, even if this was just a dream.

"The pendant is reacting to you!" Seiza explained, raising a paw towards it. "Now say, 'By the power of the constellations, transform!'"

Nozomi looked at him, confused, but decided to humor the talking dog from her dream. She raised her right hand towards the ceiling, clutching the pendant to her chest. "By the power of the constellations, transform!"

Light enveloped her in a radiant embrace, a dazzling spectacle that seemed to momentarily suspend time itself. When the brilliance finally subsided, Nozomi found herself standing before a mirror, her breath catching in her throat as she took in her transformed reflection. Her once messy, short blonde hair had grown into cascading waves of shimmering white-silver, each strand glowing with an ethereal light that framed her face like a halo.

Her school uniform—formerly a stark black emblem of mundane normalcy—had been utterly transfigured. Now, her attire gleamed in pristine white, interwoven with subtle hints of silver that caught the light with every movement. Even her shoes had undergone the same transformation, completing the ensemble with a touch of, almost, divine elegance.

The pendant, which had once hung modestly around her neck, had morphed into an exquisite bronze tiara. Delicate, yet regal, the tiara featured small, curving horns that lent her an almost otherworldly presence. Nestled between them was a luminescent white gem, its surface glowing as if imbued with power.

Her eyes, previously a mere aspect of her humanity, now sparkled with a white-silver brilliance, emitting a gentle, captivating glow. They were windows to a newfound inner power, shining with a light that seemed to reach out and touch the soul of anyone who gazed into them.

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Nozomi's transformed self radiated a mystical elegance and strength, each detail a testament to the extraordinary metamorphosis she had undergone.

"W-what?" Nozomi muttered to herself, hardly recognizing her reflection. She touched her smooth, white hair, amazed at her transformed self. Is this... really me?

Her admiration was cut short as the gem on her tiara shone red, projecting an image of a humanoid feline creature approaching her friend, Yoshino, on a familiar street.

"W-what's that thing?!" she recoiled. "And is that Yoshino?!" she exclaimed, pointing at image.

Seiza gasped and turned to Nozomi, eyes filled with urgency. "These are the creatures I warned you about! If we don't act quickly, it might be too late!"

Nozomi slowly nodded. She hadn’t paid attention to Seiza earlier, but now understood the urgency. "Okay, let’s go!"

They rushed from her room, Nozomi glancing to ensure no one saw them. The only light in the hallway came from under her brother's door, indicating he hadn’t heard her conversation with Seiza.

Downstairs, she slipped on her shoes, which turned white like her outfit. They dashed outside, Nozomi leading the way to Yoshino's usual route home, with Seiza at her side.

"Stop, this isn’t fast enough. Hold me!" Seiza demanded after a few seconds of running.

Nozomi complied, and Seiza concentrated, lifting them both off the ground. As they soared over the city, Nozomi marveled at the view below.

"I have a few tricks like this, but I need to concentrate. Don’t let go," Seiza instructed.

Nozomi, snapping out of her daze, nodded and held him tighter. "Okay, I know where Yoshino might be. Follow me!"

Approaching their destination, they saw a black, dome-like barrier. Descending, Nozomi touched the barrier, only to be repelled by an invisible force.

"What is this? Why can't I enter?" she asked Seiza, confused.

Seiza examined the barrier. "This was created by that creature. I might be able to make an entrance. Give me a minute." He closed his eyes, concentrating until an entrance appeared, allowing them to see the pitch-black interior.

"Okay, the path is clear," Seiza said, sighing in relief.

Nozomi stared into the darkness, feeling a sense of foreboding. "Hey, Seiza... could I... hold onto you while we're inside?"

Seiza tilted his head. "Sure."

Clutching Seiza tightly, Nozomi took a deep breath, steeling herself, and stepped into the darkness. It's just a dream... there’s nothing to fear.

The gem on her tiara illuminated the path ahead. Ask and you shall receive, neat!

After walking for a minute, Seiza's ears perked up. "Wait!"

"Hmm? What’s wrong?" Nozomi asked, but was interrupted by the ground trembling beneath her. Before she could react, she fell into the darkness below, closing her eyes in fear. It’s just a dream... it’ll be okay!

She felt herself slowing down. Opening her eyes, she saw Seiza had slowed their fall. "Phew, that was close. Thanks for not yelling."

As they descended, two figures became visible. Nozomi gasped upon seeing Yoshino, injured and lying against a dumpster. The feline creature from before was nearby, perched on a lamp post edge, looking irritated.

"What the—what is this?!" the creature growled.

Nozomi touched the ground, her eyes widening in dread at Yoshino's condition. "Yoshino..." she muttered as Seiza left her arms.

Thanks to her tiara's light, the scene was vividly illuminated, casting a soft, yet penetrating glow over the tragic tableau before her. Nozomi's gaze traveled with growing dread as the ethereal beam revealed the full extent of Yoshino’s injuries. Her leg bore the savage evidence of a vicious attack—deep, jagged claw marks ran from thigh to ankle, each laceration a grotesque testament to the ferocity of the assault. The leg itself was bent at a ghastly, unnatural angle, the bones clearly displaced beneath torn, blood-soaked skin.

A dark, viscous pool of blood was steadily expanding around Yoshino, its deep crimson hue contrasting starkly against the pale earth. The sight was almost surreal, the smooth surface of the pooling blood rippled faintly as fresh rivulets spilled over from the open wounds, merging into the larger mass.

The pungent, metallic scent of blood permeated the air, assaulting Nozomi’s senses with an almost tangible force. It was overwhelming—sharp and cloying, filling her nostrils and stirring the primal depths of her fear. As the reality of the scene crashed down upon her, Nozomi found herself instinctively stepping back, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. The combination of visual horror and the overwhelming scent was unlike anything she had ever experienced, leaving her reeling, her mind struggling to process the brutal reality of her friend’s condition.

This can’t be real... it’s just a nightmare... She’s fine, she’s fine, she’s fine... Nozomi repeated to herself, her breathing becoming erratic.

"Hey, are you listening?!" Seiza's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "I can save her, but you need to protect us!"

Nozomi blinked, looking at Seiza as he concentrated on healing Yoshino. Okay, this is just a dream. I need to protect them.

The feline creature, irritated by Nozomi's silence, demanded, "How dare you interrupt? Who are you?!"

Nozomi was about to reveal her name but then stopped. No, using my real name could cause trouble. I need a new name.

Thinking quickly, she struck a dramatic pose, pointing at the monster. "I am... Guardian Taurus Light, and I will stop you!"