The next day, I casually approached my mother. Luckily we both had nothing to do, so I figured it would be the perfect chance to have the discussion with her.

"Hey Mom, can we talk? There's something I would like to discuss with you." I asked kindly.

"Of course Sweetheart." Mom smiled.

A minute later, we were both sitting on the sofa together. I was trying to steady my nerves. "Is everything alright Sakura?" Mom inquired.

"Yes Mom, everything's fine." I replied.

"Are you sure? Because you seem a little off." My Mom could always tell if there was something on my mind, or if anything was bothering me. 

"You're not getting bullied again are you?" She asked with worry.

"No, no Mom! It's not that! Really!" I assured her. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something else."

She gave a small sigh of relief. "Alright then, I'm listening."

I took a deep breath. The time had finally come to tell Mom the whole truth. I knew I couldn't keep this from her forever and I didn't want to lie to her any longer. This was it, no turning back now.

"Mom...You're aware of my powers right? How I can turn into a fox and everything?" I began.

"Yes Honey." She confirmed.

"I remember when it first happened. I'll never forget that day...." She stared off into space as she said that. Then she began to bring up about how I had my first transformation.

FLASHBACK:

I was around five or six years old and I was happily playing in the garden. Mum smiled as she watched me from the kitchen window. I was so busy chasing a butterfly. When all of a sudden, there was a POOF! I was surrounded in orange smoke. When it cleared, I looked down and I saw that I saw transformed into a little, furry, orange fox cub. I gasped and looked at my hand, which was now a paw. Then I looked behind me and saw a big fluffy tail. I wagged it and chased it a little. 

Next thing I knew, my mom was running out towards me. It was clear she had just witnessed the whole thing. I won't ever forget the alarmed expression she had on her face.

"SAKURA!" She called out in shock.

She stared at me and and I looked back up at her. I was just as confused as she was. "Mama?" 

"What happened?!" She demanded.

"I... I dunno" I stuttered.

"You just turned into a fox!" She cried out.

"I know." I replied simply.

I noticed she had turned pale as a ghost and was shaking like a leaf.

"Mommy are you okay?" I asked innocently, while looking up at her.

She looked anything but okay. She appeared as though she was about to collapse, but she was using all of her willpower not to do so. "Yes....I'm fine...I think I just need some water." She stuttered.

BACK TO THE PRESENT

"I was so shocked, I almost fainted." My Mom murmured. "I tried researching on why it had happened, but in the end I found nothing related to it. I was so worried, I had no idea what was going with you or why you had that ability." She continued.

"But thankfully, it didn't seem to cause you any harm and you seemed to be able to control your transformation. So I decided that we would just carry on as normal and let you live with it. As long as you promised not to transform in from of other people." She finished. Just then, her eyes widened in alarming realisation. 

"Wait! No one at school saw you did they?!" She worried.

"No of course not! You know I would never let that happen Mom!" I reassured her.

She sighed in relief again. "Thank goodness. So then, why are you bringing this up now" she questioned.

"Well.....about a week ago, I had a strange dream." I told her. "I was standing in the middle of what looked like stardust and then I saw a fox. I followed it and it led me to this shrine-like place. That's where I saw all types of different animals and they changed into people, just like me. I believed that dream was trying to tell me...that there were others like me. I couldn't stop thinking about it, I had to find out if that place was real. So I looked it up and it turns out it is very real!"

Mom's eyes widened in surprise. "What? How did you find out?!"

I sighed. "You remember when I told you...that I was going to a new dance class that day?"

"Yes...." Mum said in a slow, wary tone.

"Well that day... I actually went to look for a certain shrine and I found it in a forest." I admitted.

"What?! All by yourself?!" She blurted out. "Why didn't you tell me about this?! Or the fact that you went on your own!?"

"I'm sorry!" I apologised. "I was afraid you wouldn't let me. Plus, I had to find out for myself, if it was really real not. Please forgive me Mom. I didn't want to worry you."

"Well it does worry me!" She exclaimed. "That you lied to me! And you went off on your own! What if something had happened to you?!" She stopped to catch her breath, before she started to calm herself down. "I can understand why you would want to do this, but please don't lie to me again." She pleaded.

"I'm really sorry Mom. It won't happen again, but please hear me out for the rest of it." I begged.

She sighed again. "Alright."

"When I found that shrine.... I met the people who lived there! And they're just like me Mom!" I said with excitement.

Mum blinked a couple of times. "What do you mean 'just like you'?" She questioned.

"They can turn into animals! Exactly like me!" I answered excitedly.

"What?!" She yelped in surprise.

"Isn't that amazing?!" I rejoiced.

"Is this really true?!" Then she gasped in realisation. "Hang on, are these the new friends you were talking about Sakura?"

"Yes" I responded. 

"I don't believe this." She stood up and paced back and forth a little. "I seriously thought there was no one else, who could turn into an animal like you. Yet you went and found people who can!" 

"Hold on Mom. I'm not finished." I grabbed her hand and gently pulled her to sit back down.

I started to feel a tiny bit nervous. If she was this surprised to hear what I had just told her, then how would she react when I tell her the next part?

"That's not the only thing I found out about them. There not just animal shapeshifters...they're protectors." I uttered.

She gave me a confused expression. "Protectors? Of what?" She inquired.

"Mom.... These people are the 'REAL' Celestial guardians." I breathed.

She stayed silent for a moment, before speaking up again. "Wait....Are you telling me....that the Celestial Guardians actually exist and that you went to meet them?!"

"Exactly! Isn't it incredible!? They're really out there! Protecting people!" I proclaimed.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing." She put a hand to her head. "I always thought those stories were myths, but here you are telling me they're real. Does that mean monsters are real too?!"

I looked down, I didn't really want to tell her this but I had to. "Yes" I admitted. "I know because I saw it."

"What?!" She yelled.

"The other week, when our town had that blackout..... It was a real monster of darkness. I saw it with my own eyes." I shuddered.

"Oh my goodness!" She cried out as she put her hands on my face. "You didn't get hurt did you?! Please tell me you didn't!" 

"No Mom, I was fine. I didn't get hurt I swear." I gently pulled her hands off my face. "And that's not the only thing I saw. I saw the leader of the Celestial Guardians: Leo the Lion. He was magnificent! You should've seen him! He wiped out that monster in one hit!" I told her. She was surprised when my expression of fear turned to one of excitement.

"When I went to the shrine, I met him again. He told me his actual name was Raiden. I met all the other guardians too! There are twelve of them! And they're actually normal people, just like we are!"

"What do you mean normal people?" She queried.

"They were just regular people, before they were chosen to become guardians. They received powers and had dreams similar to how I did." I explained. "That also brings up the next subject I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay..." She had a anxious feeling that she knew where this was going.

"They said that I was summoned there, just like they all were. Then they told me that..... I was also destined to be a Celestial Guardian." I waited for her reaction.

"Alright Sakura, tell me you're joking.." She laughed nervously.

"It's no joke Mom." I responded firmly. "They told me that I was chosen. Though they said I could have sometime-" Just then, Mom put her hand up in front of me.

"Please stop right there Sakura." She interrupted. "I think I've heard about enough." 

"But Mom!...."

"No, No, No! I know what you're going to say and I'm sorry. But I can't let you." She said firmly.

"What?! Why?!" I demanded.

"I won't let you become some monster slaying crime fighter!" She responded decisively.

"Mom this is a huge opportunity!" I argued.

"I'm sorry Sakura! But I am not allowing my daughter to be put in danger! I already lost your Father! I am not gonna risk losing you too!" She affirmed.

"I understand Mom. I know you're scared for me, but this could be my purpose in life! Maybe this is what I am meant to do." I stated. "My whole life, I have felt different from everybody else and having these abilities didn't make it feel any easier. But as soon as I met those people, I suddenly felt hope and possibly found a dream worth fighting for." I expressed.

Mom's glare softened. "Sakura...."

"I have always wanted to do more with my life and help the people around me. I want to prove that I can be someone great. I want to be braver and stronger so I can stand proud." I continued. "Plus, I want to get to know these people more, they accepted me for who I am. If anyone can help me, it's them. Please Mom this is my chance to make actual friends and to find out what else I can do!" I begged.

She stared at me with concern and empathy. She was clearly afraid for me and I could understand why. She loved me so much. She didn't want me to be sad and lonely, but she also wanted to keep me safe. By the look in my eyes, she could tell how much I wanted this, badly.

She sighed. "Let me meet with these people, or at least the leader first." She spoke firmly, but gently. My eyes lit up. She was actually considering it! 

"Really?!"

"Don't get excited. I want to talk with them first to see if this is really okay." She repeated.     

"Okay" I replied. I then got out the star pin and showed it to her. "Here, they gave me this pin. All I have to do is activate it and they'll come for me." I explained.

"Seriously?! Is that magic too?" She inquired.

"Maybe?" I guessed. "Shall I try it out?"

"Erm...let's wait till tomorrow sweetheart." She suggested. "I think I need finishing processing this whole situation and I want to prepare myself."

"Alright I'll wait." I sighed.