Disclaimer: Nope. Nothing changed.

Fourteen years later...

"Firefly Lumor Dillamond!"

Oh, great. What did I do this time? Firefly thought. The fourteen year old human had gotten into her fair share of trouble, and didn't always keep track of it. "Yeah, mom?"

"Come here this instant, little missy. You're in big trouble." Mom said.

Oh, joy. Firefly thought as she ran downstairs. Maybe she'll go easy on me, though. I mean, it is my birthday. Technically, it wasn't her real birthday, as far as she knew. But, fourteen years ago today, she had been left on the doorstep with nothing but a small note that said Take care of my little girl. She needed something to calculate how old she was, so her mom decided that it should be the day she was left here. Firefly knew nothing of her birth mother, and didn't really mind. She had her mother, and was brought into a family that had three siblings and ten nieces and nephews already. So, she was content with her life. Except when her mom was mad, like she was right now.

"What did I do, mom?" Firefly asked when she got into the room. "Something bad? Did I forget..."

"Surprise!" Almost all of her friends and family jumped out from the various furniture in the room. "Happy birthday, Firefly!"

Firefly jumped. She was not expecting that. "A surprise party? For me?"

"Of course." Mom said, running over to her. "You didn't think we'd let your fourteenth birthday go unnoticed, did you?"

"Well, no, but..." Firefly started.

"Butts are for sitting on, Firefly." Tia said. "Besides, Liir, Averic, and I have only one human sister, so I think your birthdays have the right to be a little extra special."

Firefly groaned. Tia could be a such second mother sometimes. "Speaking of Liir, where is he? I don't see him anywhere."

"What? I'm not good enough for you?" Averic teased.

Firefly smiled, but in her mind, she had to admit Averic was halfway right. Liir and Averic were both her brothers, of course, and she loved them both very much, but, well... Liir was the closest thing to a father she had. She loved him as a brother, but he acted like a father with her sometimes. (Usually when she got in trouble.) Averic was just fine, but he was too...too... Averic to really be a father to her.

"Dad's at work." her niece, Lia, spoke up.

"Ugh, again?" Firefly tried not to look too disappointed. Liir was a college professor, so he almost always missed her late autumn birthday. The only time he didn't was when she was ten, because he "wasn't about to miss the double digits." She sighed. It looked like that birthday was a one time only deal. "Well, if he's not here, he's not here. Now, come on! Is this a party or what!"

So the party started. It went by in a whirlwind of laughter and games. Looking back, the only thing that she really remembered from that party was the cake and what happened afterwards.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Firefly..." she heard them sing as a giant birthday cake was brought down the hall. Her mouth dropped. That cake had to have two months worth of sugar rations in it. Plus one month for the frosting. Of course, only Animals had to ration their supplies, one of the many restrictions that made Firefly and her mother choose to flee to the safety of the Animal Community they were at. Their "house" was actually a hole in the ground, quite literally. "Happy birthday to you."

Firefly smiled. There was even a few candles at the top. "Make a wish." she heard her mother whisper.

I wish the Animal Restrictions would be repealed. she thought. And that Liir could be here. She blew out the candles, knowing that both were unlikely to happen anytime soon. Still, they were fun to wish for. The crowd cheered.

"So, what did you wish for?" her best friend, Christy, asked.

"Christy, you know as well as I do that if you say a wish, it won't come true." said Firefly.

This was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Now, who could that be?" her mother said, her eyes twinkling a little.

"I'll get it." Firefly said. "Worse case senario, I have a new brother to babysit."

"Hey!" A small shout of protest came from Averic.

Firefly rushed to the door. She opened it quickly, expecting a new arrival to the Community. Instead, she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her and toss her into the air. She landed bridal style into his arms.

"Liir?" she asked, awestruck.

"Oh, come on, how many other college professors have a fourteen year old sister?" he asked.

"Liir!" she said excitedly, wrapping her arms around him in a big old bear hug.

"Didn't you know I was coming? I sent mother a letter months ago to let her know I was coming to visit for a few weeks..." he started.

"Must have slipped my mind." Mom said in false innocence. Firefly was slightly annoyed that her mother hadn't told her sooner, but was way too happy to care.

Liir took sight of the singed candles and frowned. "Did I miss your wish, Firefly?"

"It just came true." Well, half of it, anyway. she thought.

"I'm glad." Liir said.

"Ahem." Tina, Firefly's five-year old little grand-niece, said. "What about cake?"

Firefly laughed. "Yes, lets not forget about cake."

It was the last time in a long time she would worry about such small details.

A week later, Firefly was relaxing on the couch when something caught her eye. She looked again. Yes, her eyes weren't tricking her. Slowly, ever so slowly, she crept up, as if expecting the object to disappear. When it didn't, she picked it up.

It was a pearl. A small, shiny, and smooth little pearl that was absolutely perfect in every way. She smiled when she held it, because felt good to hold it.

"Hey, Liir! Check this out!" Firefly said.

Liir walked in, and, upon seeing the pearl, looked confused. "Where did that come from?"

"I don't know. It just...came." she said. "Wanna hold it? It feels really good to hold it."

"I don't see how..." Liir started, but Firefly put it in his hoof. He smiled as soon as she did. "Wow."

"Feels good, huh?" she asked.

"It's like...every good feeling I've ever had, rolled into one, coming at me at the same time." he admitted. "But why?"

"I don't know, but I felt the same way." Firefly said. "Hey, mom! Check this out! It's a pearl that makes you feel good."

Mother ran in, looking quite worried. "WHAT?!"

"Here, let me show you..." Firefly took the pearl out of her brothers hoof and tried to place it into her mothers, but instead of sitting there, as it did with her and Liir, it hovered and flew straight too Liir.

"Huh?" said Liir. "Here, let me try..."

"No." said their mother. "It won't work." She took a deep breath and sighed. "I always knew this day was coming. But it's so soon..."

"What do you mean, Mom?" Firefly asked.

"Well...that's the Quadling Pearl, Firefly. It will only let its Guardian and an Ozma hold it." their mother said.

Firefly sighed. She knew all about Oz's Gems and who would hold them. "But it let Liir and me hold it."

"That's because he's the Guardian, Princess." Mother said.

"But what about..." Firefly started. Then it hit her. If Liir was the Guardian, that made her...

Ozma.

Princess Ozma.

Cliffhanger? YES! Please review. But no flames please!