After a good two hours of poking, prodding at my face, while ripping, and pulling my hair I was finally done. I stepped in front of my mirror and couldn't believe my eyes. I looked like a complete different person.

"Oh wow, I look sexy and sophisticated at the same time. You have done a spectacular job on my hair and makeup Shauna. I look like I could be famous, I absolutely love it." I am in awe over my new look, I quickly give Shauna a hug as she pulls her stuff out to get herself ready.

I can't take my eyes off how flawless my skin looks, or how bright my eyes look, hell even the dress brings out my curves and makes me look sexy. I absolutely love it! It took my parents hollering from the living room to break me out of my trance.

"Lauren honey are you still home? Its almost time for everyone to gather and present you at the stones." my mother calls out.

"Shauna is getting ready, we will be right there." I called back as I turned to see Shauna putting on her makeup. I grabbed my cell phone and went to the living room, my mom gasped loudly when she saw me while my brother just stared with his jaw hanging open.

"Close your mouth Lance, you don't want to catch fly's." Lance quickly closes his mouth and clears his throat in embarrassment, my dad smiles widely at me as he comes closer extending his arms for a hug.

Immediately I am surrounded by a familiar warmth that only my dad has, his light old spice scent is so familiar I wrap my arms around him and just enjoy the loving hug from father to daughter. He kisses the top of my head and slowly pulls away.

"You look beautiful baby girl. You have grown into an amazing young woman. I am so proud of you, you know I wish you nothing but happiness." my dad pulled me closer again and wrapped me into another bear hug, the kind only a father can give.

Once he let me go my mom pulled me into a hug and she sobbed into my shoulder, constantly using a Kleenex to wipe her eyes as to not ruin her makeup, well any more then the crying would.

"You look amazing my dear, this dress fits you perfectly. You look so grown up...." she hiccuped and pulled away from the hug still wiping at her eyes. My father pulls my mother into an embrace to try and calm down her crying, she keeps muttering something about her baby.

My brother pulls me into an embrace as well, its more stiff and awkward but I can tell he is trying to show how he feels. I smile and pull out then punch him on the shoulder.

"No you do not hug me ever again, that was just awkward. You are my brother, you beat me to show your affection." I smile at his shocked face as he slowly smiles at me. Just to be a pain he pulls me into another hug, only this one isn't so awkward and stiff.

"I love you little sis, I'm proud to call you my sibling...." he pulled back and paused as he looked at me with a confused look to his face, "although I think you were adopted because you don't match up to my awesomeness." he smirks at me as I pull away and smack him, but I'm smiling none the less because I don't expect anything less from my brother.

"Okay I am ready we can blow this Popsicle stand people!" Shauna storms out of my room in a flurry of fluff and netting, rushing out the door and towards the car. Everyone bursts out laughing and we all slowly evacuate my apartment. I lock the door and stick the key in my boob, the one place I know I won't lose it tonight.

The car ride is full of energy, the happy exciting kind. It eases my nerves at what is to come tonight, the start of ascension is painful. That is how they predict how much power someone is going to come into. The more pain the more power the body must absorb, in a messed up way the pain is how the body prepares its self for the absorption of powers.

"Your going to be just fine dip dob, quit worrying." Shauna grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze.

"I'm not a dip dob and I am not worrying." I squeeze her and give her a dirty look. She raises her eye brow and smirks at me.

"Really now, so your not going to freak out when I say that we are here?" I lift my head and quickly look around, realizing we are still on the highway I slap Shauna on the knee. 

"OWWW!' she cried out as she rubbed the sore spot on her knee. I just smirked and crossed my arms, pouting because she can totally see through my acting skills.

"Be nice, or I won't share my drinks with you tonight." I stuck my tongue out at her as her face morphs into one of horror. You would think I had told her that there was no more chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream left in the world.

"Girls quit fighting. I swear some days it seems as if you two are sisters instead of best friends." my mom cheerfully chirps from the front seat smiling at us. I throw my arm around Shauna's shoulders and smile at my mom.

"We may not be sisters by blood, but we are definitely sisters mom." Shauna copies my motion and throws her arm around my shoulders as well and nods in agreement.

After that we all go quiet again, I turn to stare out the window trying to keep myself from getting nervous, but its not working. With Shauna holding my hand its not so bad but I am still scared.

We pull up to the path to the traditional stones, I see lots of vehicles already here, I steel myself and take a deep breath then get out of the car and say good bye to my parents and Shauna. They head towards the stones and I head up the mountain a little ways to meet with the chancellor.

The way its going to work is that everyone is going to surround the rocks at the valley, where the waterfall meets the ocean. The chancellor is going to lead me into the middle of the circle and say the prayer to the goddess of the moon and he will join the others in the circle. 

Once midnight hits and the moon is directly above the stones, the moon and stars align to gift powers to the person who is turning into an adult. The body can only take so much power at a time so any excess power is then blocked in by the circle of family and friends so the body can absorb the power at ease.

I take another deep breath and head to the platform to meet with the chancellor, may as well get the show on the road. I look up to the sky and see the moon is full, the stars are extra bright and my first thought is about Beau and what he is doing at this moment. Shaking my head I continue my trek to the platform.