Chapter Text

When someone you love dies, what do you do now that they’re out of your life? Will you carry on, not letting it affect you, or will you carry their legacy on? Or will you go down with them?

This was the question that Blackstar Starr pondered almost every day for an entire year. He was devastated when he learned that his father died. Though he was bedridden with a rare cancer, TinyStar was strong. But it seemed like some… feral thing ripped his heart out, and it made Blackstar’s sad spiral deepen. Countless nights were spent sobbing into pillows, hiding in his empty feeling house, and wandering the cliffs of the nearby sea. After his death,  TinyStar’s body was donated to science. He left so many items, and previously designated all his clothes and all of his hats to be burned, and the ashes buried. The ceremony to bury it was shoved aside, however, as the old house the detective and son lived in burned down, almost everything the Starrs owned in it. But the day finally arrived, a whole year later, when the ashes could be settled into the earth.

Chapter One

Blackstar watched as the ground beneath his shovel finally gave way. He removed the dirt and set it next to the hole he was making. The urn containing the ashes rested behind him, as his grandparents watched. He made no sounds as he dug, he didn’t cry, the sting was dulled to a gentle throb- a simple lump in his throat. Once he made a deep enough hole, he placed the urn inside. His grandparents walked up to the hole, and they looked at the golden orange urn nestled deep in the earth.
“I wove you.” His grandfather, Trackstar, softly muttered as he let out a soft sob. 
“I’ll miss you...” Trackstar's girlfriend, Ariel, said. She rested her head on Trackstar’s chest. Blackstar looked sadly at the couple. They had been going through many relationship troubles ever since TinyStar died, but they were peaceful for this reunion of father and son, at least. Blackstar couldn’t say anything, choked up. He looked down, and his grandparents placed their hands on his shoulders, and comforted him. No one said anything, but the whispers of the wind and splashing of the sea spoke volumes the older Starrs could never. Blackstar grabbed his shovel, and finally buried his past.

His grandparents left him to his thoughts. Blackstar stayed silent, not even acknowledging their departure. He sighed and looked up at the sky, where the planet’s blood red moon was rising. He hiccuped a quiet sob. Blackstar remained at the burial site, and he started to ‘talk’ to his dad. 
“D-dad… I wish I could have been with you in your-” He said as he kneeled down. His old phone began to ring, startling him. He jumped, his legs giving out and he fell onto his butt. He took it out and felt a little mad, being interrupted by the phone. The number was from an out-of-area code, not one he recognized. He answered it, curious.  But before he could say anything, a woman’s voice spoke.
“Hello? Is this the number for Blackstar Starr?” She asked. Blackstar nodded, stuttering his words but still spoke.
“Y-yeah… Who is this..?” The woman grunted from the other end.
“This is Tuo Zed. Just to confirm, TinyStar Starr is… dead?” She asked with a very sad note in her voice. 
"Y-Yeah. Uh...” He wet his lips as Tuo spoke again.
“Hmm… Okay. I will pick you up, then. I’ll call Trackstar to let him know.” 
“K-know what? A-and wh-why are you-”
“Son, this is your mother, your actual mother. I’m going to get you back.” Blackstar’s jaw dropped and he started to shake a little.
“A-aren’t you dead?! Y-you died a while ago!” He asked, fear ripping through his body. Laughter came from the other end.
“Oh God, no, the one who died was my double- you know how we all have a double, right?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I'm the true Tuo, the one your father fell for. Too bad I couldn’t marry him. But thank the stars that bitch got herself killed!” She said. Blackstar heard a door open. “Hello- Ah, okay. Blackstar, I'll be there on July 30th around 5 am. Pack up everything. You're coming to live with me.”
“W-wait! N-no! Why?” He asked in a ‘rebuttal’.
“Because? I’m your legal guardian. I know it’ll be weird living in a big city, but I know you’ll get used to it.” He could hear the smile that the woman wore from her voice. “We-” He heard people and a man howling loudly in laughter on the other end. She sighed. “Guys, I’m on the phone! Can you please-” The woman pulled away from the phone to talk to the people.
He also pulled away the phone and sighed loudly, out of frustration and sadness. “W-why do I have to le-leave…?” he grumbled lowly.
“Blackstar!” Said the woman, and Blackstar put the phone back up to his ear. “I have to go! I’ll see you soon, okay?” She said.
“Y-yeah, I-I guess… I’ll see you then..?”
“Mhm. I can’t wait.” She softly laughed and hung up. Blackstar looked at the number again, and decided to add it to his contacts. He labeled it as “Mom(?)”, and looked out to the sea. The gigantic red moon loomed over him, casting a glorious scarlet glow on the ocean’s waves. He sat there for what seemed like hours, listening to the soft splash of the waves on the beach and the leaves gently whispering a mourning song for the fallen detective. He found himself talking. 
“You can rest easy now, dad. I’ll take the torch, and carry on…” The world grew still, and Blackstar closed his eyes and listened. The wind continued to sing their song, the ocean crashing, and leaves hissing. He wished he never had to leave.

“Blackstar!” A voice called out from behind, breaking the lull he was in. He recognized it as Ariel’s voice. “Blackstar, come here please!” He got up, dusted off his pants, then walked the path to his grandparents’ backyard, leaving the blood-washed cliff to its enchanting grief.

Ariel stood on the back deck, shivering as Blackstar walked up to her. She had a worried expression on her face. “Your grandfather got a call from your mom. Looks like you’re going… there… huh?” She said, softly. He nodded, a little sad.
“I-I guess… I barely re-remember being there… B-but do I really have to go back?” He said with a sad sigh. Ariel frowned, and nodded.
“Unfortunately, yes. It’s the law. But you can still see us. Don’t let this be the end of your happiness, it’s… like the start of a new adventure!” She chuckled, smiling softly. Blackstar softly smiled and nodded. She was always optimistic, but as of late she never shone her brighter side around Trackstar OR Blackstar.
“Y-yeah… I guess it is!” He said as he went inside to pack his things.

A month and a few weeks passed, and it became the day Blackstar’s entire life would change. Blackstar sat on the front porch, his several suitcases resting at his feet. He sighed and he looked at his small phone, waiting for another call from his mom.  He heard the front door open, and turned to see his grandpa coming out. His face was drawn into a worried glare.
“I’ll miss yowu.” He said as he sat down. “I hatwe seewing yowu weave, I-I wish I couwld take custody of yowu.” He leaned onto Blackstar, a semi-hug, and looked to the twilight hazed horizon. Blackstar sighed and put his arm on the older Runner's shoulder, completing the hug.
“I-I know… I’ll see you again, alright? I’ll call you when I get there, okay?” Trackstar nodded. His face looked skeptical.
“Okay.” Blackstar gave him a tight squeeze.
“I love you, pop-pop.” He said, eyes misty. They stayed like that, silent and waiting.

After a few minutes, a blue-green van pulled up to the house and the passenger window rolled down. There sat a beautiful woman, with sunglasses obscuring her eyes. The top of her head was covered in a light blue scarf, and her glasses looked like it reflected stars. She smiled at Blackstar and Trackstar, and got out. Blackstar felt hurtful nostalgia pierce his heart, like she was a scarred over wound that had been opened again. She looked vaguely like Ariel, but more… beautiful. She was short, but very strong- her biceps gave Blackstar the impression she could destroy Mr. Strength in a single punch. Despite that, she was fairly stout. Blackstar felt she looked pregnant. Her hair, though partially covered, went all the way down her back, almost touching the dirt. It was dark brown, just like Blackstar’s tangled mess of hair. Her mouth was all smiles. Blackstar’s heart hurt more and more as he looked at her, she was almost an exact replica of Blackstar, minus his Runner features.
She walked to the two men on the porch and spoke. “Hello, Blackstar, and… Trackstar, is it?” She presented her hand, and Blackstar shook it. Trackstar nodded and stood. 
“Y-Yeah. Youw were actuwally TinyStawr’s wife?” His voice was laced with a genuine shock Blackstar had never heard from his grandfather. He put his only hand up to his mouth, covering it. “Youw look nothing like I expected…” The lady nodded. 
“Ah… Yes, I was.” Her voice was deceitful, and Blackstar knew she was lying. “I was so… lucky, to have such a nice man as a… husband.” She frowned. “But, now isn't the time to mourn. Blackstar, we’re so excited to have you live with us, but I hope it isn't too big of a change.” She said with a sweet, motherly voice. 
“W-we..?” Blackstar asked.
“Yes..? My husband and I, You have a foster brother, a-and your half-brother, from your dad’s side. Well, that’s what he said, anyway… They are in the car.” She said. She gestured to the door of her van. Blackstar’s head was spinning.
‘I have a half-brother?’ A thought echoed in his mind. He nodded, confused, but grabbed his bags. With the help of his mom, he placed them into the trunk of the van and he got in.

A Runner-hybrid boy was sitting in the middle of the seats, a small grin on his lips. He had two different colored eyes, the right eye a light teal and the left a dark blue, and had a faded scar under his right eye. He had long, wavy hair, which was a dusty gold. Blackstar understood what his mom meant by ‘half-brother’.
‘He does look like dad, a bit…’ He thought. The Runner said nothing, just looked back at him.
A second boy sat next to the Runner, a huge grin on his cheery and freckled face. His hair was a fluffy black-and-orange mop, two small locks sticking up from the back of his head. The boy had bright blue eyes, a white shine making his pupils look like pie-wedges. He had fair, pale skin, but not the white that Blackstar or his half-brother had. It was clear he was a human. Blackstar stared at the two for a good minute while the van drove away from his old home.
“Well, uh, hello brother!” The human finally said. “I’m Izikeal Hollie! You can just call me Hollie, though. I’m your big brother now!” He said with a happy voice. Blackstar smiled nervously and nodded. “This is Homeboy!” He said, patting the other boy on the shoulder. “Well, he hasn’t actually told us his real name, so we call him Homeboy.” He said with a defeated sigh.
“Guess. Entertainment.” Was all ‘Homeboy’ said. Blackstar looked at him, and thought a while. His mind knew the name, almost instantly, though he paused on whether to say it so quickly.
“HoneyStar.” Blackstar muttered, looking over Homeboy with slit eyes. He paled, even more so than his normally off-white color. He coughed and looked away, looking spooked.
“Correct… How..?” He asked.
“Your hair is honey colored! And D-dad never was good with names…” Blackstar said. Homeboy looked baffled, but didn’t press Blackstar more.
“Well, let’s uh… talk about the city! It’s a huge place, just full of amazing sights and cool places to hang out. When I get the chance, I'll take you around!” Hollie said. “And! And, We can show you off to my friends! They’ll love you, especially Bectro!” He said with a cheery tone.
“... W-who is Bectro? They sound f-familiar.” Blackstar asked. Fear pricked his heart with twin swords.
“Bectro’s a dog-kid we know, he lives in our apartment building with his dads. He's a real loud mouth, but a hoot to be around.” Hollie explained. “He’s a bit of a poet, but he’ll play nice, I promise.” Homeboy laughed, and looked at Hollie.
“He’s soft. Cried at cats.” He simply said, with not a mocking tone, but one a boyfriend would use when talking about their lover. Hollie nodded and laughed. 
“Yeah. That was so cute! He sobbed over the fact he got licked by a kitten!” Hollie laughed a little more. 
“Alright kiddos, we’re getting to the gates~.” The driver said. “Soon we’ll be home, Blackstar~.” He purred in a confident manner. Blackstar looked to the man and saw it was someone strangely familiar.
‘Coach Bee?’  

The van passed through a large tunnel and a toll booth, where the city opened up. They drove through the crowded streets, alight with life and cars. Blackstar marveled at the sights, there had to be more people on the street than there was in the whole of Plainstown! Two people stood out of the crowd-- a short Runner in a dark suit, wearing sunglasses, talking to a taller human, clad in red. The man had a huge mane of hair, longer than Tuo’s tangled mess. Blackstar saw the red-dressed man slip a hand over the Runner’s shoulder. The Runner looked to be luring the guy into an alley, but the van turned a corner before Blackstar could be sure.

They pulled into a parking garage next to a large skyscraper, where the family got out and helped Blackstar with his things. They made their way to the front of the building. The steps to the building were blocked by a group of slick haired, black coat wearing, delinquent looking humans. ‘Coach Bee’ approached them, talking to the largest man. 
“Thanks for meetin’ us here~.” The man nodded, guestering to the building.
“Stay safe.” He gruffly said, looking at Blackstar, before jutting out his hand. Coach Bee’s lookalike shook hands with the man, and the group left in an idle car.

The family went into the building, and to the lobby. There, Tuo explained to Blackstar of the apartments; Whole floors were dedicated to a single housing unit. When they caught the elevator, the Coach Bee lookalike pressed the ‘8th’ floor, and the loud mechanics began their ascent. When the doors opened, Blackstar was in awe. The living room was bigger than the ground floor of his old home, and richly decorated too. A couch faced the doors, where a short, chubby, white dog man was sitting. He had a black shadow over where his eyes should've been, and two sharply upright ears. His tail, thin and pure white, was thumping against the couch multiple times, until he started talking.

“Oh! Y'all are back!!” He joyfully barked, wagging his tail faster. The family funneled in, Blackstar the last to enter. Homeboy beelined to the couch. The dog-boy leaped off of the couch and over to Tuo, like a puppy would when his owner returns home.
“Heya, Langley.” Blackstar’s mom said. “Thank you for watching our house while we were gone. Here’s your money.” She said as she handed him 15$. He smiled and pocketed the money and went over to Homeboy. They silently chatted while Hollie helped Blackstar with his bags. “You two, help Izikeal please.” Tuo called as she walked out of the room, into what looked to be the kitchen. The two boys, making fake groans of protest, got up and ushered Blackstar deeper into the house.

“So! Who’s the new guy?” Langley asked while the band of brothers made way to the bedrooms. He was behind Blackstar, sniffing at his clothes and frowning. “He looks mighty frail to be Desert City material.” He said quietly to Hollie.
“Oh, hush! This is Blackstar! He’s my baby brother! And he was born here, dumbass.” Hollie said, lightly poking Langley's face. 
Langley 'rolled' his eyes and followed the three young adults to Blackstar’s room, which was a guest room. It was a huge room, larger than any room Blackstar had in Plainstown. There, all 4 men helped organize Blackstar’s clothes, place miscellaneous objects, and helped him set up his bed. He pushed it into a corner, despite Hollie’s protests. They all took a small break, and Blackstar opened a small suitcase on the floor. 

Langley rushed over. “Ooh~! What's this?” He chirped as he snatched a gross looking, olive stained notebook. Blackstar stiffened and he felt his heart sink. “Is this a secret diary~?” He taunted, while Blackstar frantically tried to take it back.
“N-no! That was my dad’s!” He yelled as Langley pushed him away. “Please don't ruin it! Tha-that's one of the only things I have left of him…” He weakly said, his eyes stinging with tears. Langley frowned. He shoved the book back into Blackstar’s arms, and rolled his eyes.
“Whatever. I heard your dad was a pretty shitty detective.” Langley smiled. Blackstar softly smirked, remembering how his dad joked repeatedly about his incompetence. “He was so bad, he was only put on one official case! Even then, he fucked up an interview, beating poor our Coach Zed.” Hollie stood up and threw an empty suitcase at Langley, not using his hands. He playfully yelped and dropped to the floor, despite the suitcase missing him by three feet. Blackstar froze, mystified at the act.
“Langley! That’s enough! Now please apologize.” Hollie sighed. Langley, on the floor, snarled with a giggle at Hollie.
“Don’t apologize. You-you’re right, Langley.” Blackstar laughed, tracing the warped pages. “He always said he was never supposed to be a detective. I-I think he once said he wanted to be a bartender.” Everyone was silent, listening to his words with bated breath. He held up the book, opening it to the first page. Langley scrambled over to see the writings.
“What’s it about?”
“It’s about his case, the o-only one he did. It’s p-pretty interesting to see the shift a-after he realized The Ugly One was abusive! He went f-from being overly peppy- he used so many exclamation points and tiny drawings- to being somewhat cynical and overly harsh! He-he e-even… wrote when he w-wa-was high an-and or drunk.” He gave a shy smile. Hollie drew in a sharp breath, while Homeboy cleared his throat.
“D-did he ever… do anything-”
“To me? N-no. He, u-uh, he did go out and swim in the ocean wh-when he needed t-to clear his head.” Blackstar smiled, seeing old images of his dad drunkenly swimming, while he yelled at him to come inside. “He gave this to me when he died. Left it for me in his will. I-It’s the only thing I have left of, w-well anything, because a fire in our house destroyed everything else.” Blackstar explained. 
“Tragic. Sorrow.” Homeboy said, getting up and hugging his half-brother. “Apology.” Blackstar chuckled softly. Hollie also gave Blackstar a hug, Langley giving him a soft leg punch.
“I’m sorry, dear brother.” Hollie said, nuzzling his face into Blackstar’s back.
“D-don’t apologize! You d-didn’t cause it… A-and I do have to ask, h-how’d did you throw the suitcase w-without touching it?” Hollie giggled from behind Blackstar, patting him on the head.
“Telekinesis! I was born with it! Many humans in this city have mysterious powers like that, so try not to be surprised when you see something odd!” He cheerfully explained, squeezing his brother tighter.
“T-that’s pretty cool!” Blackstar smiled, to which Homeboy nodded.
“Time travel better. First hand experience.” He plainly said, voice monotone. “Very fun.” Blackstar nodded, eyes wandering down to the notebook in his hands. He opened to the first page, and heard Langley shuffle closer.
“W-would you all l-like to hear his s-story?” A chorus of ‘yes’s rang out, to which Blackstar began to read.

With the final page over, the Pack was silent. Nobody said anything. The door to the room suddenly creaked open, and they all looked up.
“My, my… I never knew he wrote… like that.” Tuo stood there, hands over her stomach and tears threatening to spill over. She had removed her sunglasses, in favor of regular glasses. Her eyes were a bright white, her sclera black. She had Black Eye Syndrome, just like Blackstar! He smiled at this, instinctively yet only slightly.
“I can't believe what he went through,” She finally growled, “I should've never left…” Blackstar cleared his throat.
“W-well, if it’s anything, I forgive you. I-it wasn't actually your fault…” He mumbled, looking at his mother. She grinned, sadly, and walked over to his bed and sat down.
“Thank you, my little love..” She smiled sadly. She cleared her throat, and smiled softly. “I have something to say to all of you, if you don't mind.” She said. They all eagerly nodded.
“Oh! What is it?” Langley asked, his tail wagging fast. He was shushed by Hollie, who nodded to his foster mom to carry on.
“Well, Coach and I have been thinking and planning, and we’re having a baby. They’re due in a month or two.” She announced. The boys gasped and Hollie cheered, while Langley congratulated the woman.
“Baby..?” Homeboy asked. “Gladness. Congratulations, birth giver.” He said.
“Oh, don't be so formal!” She laughed. “You can call me mom, you know.”
“W-wait… A new baby..? A-and so soon after I-I’m here..?” Blackstar asked, worried.
“We were planning way before we knew about… all this. But, don't worry! We have room and money to spare!” She said. “We have the entire eighth floor to ourselves, remember? This place was built for comfortable living, even with large families.” She explained, placing a soft hand to his cheek. Blackstar nodded and yawned. Everyone yawned in response.
“Well, I’ll be heading off! Have a good night, y’all!” Langley said as he walked out of the room and house. Tuo left the room, Hollie and Homeboy going to their separate rooms. Blackstar laid, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours. He lowly hummed along with the songs that softly played from an old record player he had. He closed his eyes for a second before the world went dark.