by Ahmet Zappa
As Libby spoke, Leona saw the orb’s glow getting brighter…so bright that instead of lighting up just Lady Stella’s and Libby’s faces, it lit every Star Darling face in the room. Then it happened, just as it had for Sage after her Wish Mission mere stardays before: the orb transformed before Libby’s eyes and theirs from a ball of light into a flower—a delicate scallop-edged bell-shaped blossom the same pale pink as a cloud at the end of a Starland sunset, just before lightfall, when the planet seems to awaken and begins to brighten and give off light of its own.
“It’s a blushbelle! My favorite!” cooed Libby, leaning in for a deep, blissful sniff. As she did, stardust drifted out from the flower’s feathery center, adding extra sparkle to Libby’s face. “Ooh! That tickles!” She rubbed her nose and brushed the loose stardust off her cheeks and chin. “It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?” Libby went on.
“Indeed, very beautiful…” Lady Stella agreed, staring at the flower in Libby’s hands. Normally, that would have been the end of the wish granting process; Libby would have had a Wish Blossom to call her own forevermore. But Leona could tell from the way the headmistress seemed to be holding her breath as she gazed into the center of the blushbelle that she was looking for something else….
“Look inside!” Sage called out. “Do you see anything, Libby? Does it have a stone, like mine did?”
Libby peered into the long cup formed by the petals. “I don’t think so….” She shook her head. “I just see more stardust.” Then, as if to answer, the pearly pink petals opened wider, trembling teasingly as they did. “Wait. What’s happening?”
The petals burst wide open and fell back completely, and where there’d been only stardust, a gleaming stone appeared. It was an angular, multifaceted electric-pink jewel that pulsed with an intense inner light. Libby held it in her hand, a quizzical look on her face. “It looks rugged, but it’s as light as air,” she said in wonder.
“Another stone!” exclaimed Adora.
“It’s just like mine!” said Sage. “How do you feel?” she anxiously asked.
Libby thought for a moment. “I feel…perfectly wonderful!” She closed her eyes and sighed.
“So…what’s with the stones?” asked Leona finally.
Around the table, the other Star Darlings nodded and murmured similar questions. Every face, including Libby’s, turned to Lady Stella as they waited to hear.
“That I cannot tell you…yet,” she added as eleven faces fell. (Ophelia’s, the twelfth, was still stuck in its gaping, bewildered stare.) “All in due time,” Lady Stella went on with a benevolent smile and a sweep of her hands.
“But that’s what you said the last time,” said Leona.
A few Star Darlings turned to her, surprised.
“What?” Leona said. “I mean, that was then and this is now, right? I’m just wondering how long ‘due time’ takes.”
With an almost sad smile, Leona thought, Lady Stella reached for the star-bright stone and plucked it effortlessly from the Wish Blossom’s heart. “Due time,” she said slowly, “in due time, I fear, Leona. And it is in due time that you will know. Until then…” She held out the stone for Libby to take, and she took the Wish Blossom from Libby in exchange. “Libby, you performed your mission admirably. You mistook the wish at first, but not in the end. Your mission now is to guard this precious stone with your life. And, of course, continue keeping this secret you’ve been keeping so well. Now everyone watch.” The Star Darlings stared as the blushbelle transformed into a Silver Blossom. Lady Stella nodded. “I will save this in our own private Hall of Granted Wishes.”
As Libby took the stone and clutched it to her chest, looking rather overcome and overwhelmed, the headmistress turned her full attention to the others. “As I was saying before, a wish has been spotted, correct, Lady Cordial? And it will be ready to grant soon, we think?”
Her tiny colleague replied with an unusually natural smile and a friendly dip of her head. “Yes, Lady Stella. Very soon. You are absolutely right.”
“So please, Star Darlings, be on high alert for a holo-text summoning you to return. Sage’s and Libby’s successful missions brought us a lot of positive energy. But there’s more work to be done.” Lady Stella paused to look around the table and meet each Starling’s eyes. Hers were like kaleidoscopes, full of colors, and as soon as they locked on Leona’s, Leona felt a surge of confidence and trust.
Ophelia must have felt one even stronger, thought Leona, because after her turn, her eyes shut.
Lady Stella bowed. “Star salutations, Star Darlings.”
“Star salutations, Lady Stella.”
The Star Darlings rose to go.
“So.” Leona waited for Ophelia to circle the table. Now that she was standing next to her, Leona was reminded of how slight Ophelia was. Leona had to bend her neck to meet her eyes. “I guess we’re roommates, huh?”
Ophelia nodded.
“Well, come on. Let me show you your new room. What room were you in before?”
“Two fifty-nine? That’s on Cassie’s floor. How come I’ve never seen you before?”
Ophelia sighed and shrugged, her yellow pigtails bobbing. “Maybe it’s because I’m quiet. No one seems to notice me.”
Leona laid her arm across Ophelia’s back. There was something about this little flutterfocus of a Starling that brought out the glioness in her somehow. “I’m sorry, but there is just no excuse for not being noticed. Things are going to change.”
Ophelia looked up with her wide eyes. “Because I’m a Star Darling now?”
“No,” said Leona, tossing her mane. “Because you’re my roommate now.”
“So…is it okay if I ask you something?” said Ophelia in a tone that still sounded as if she expected Leona to say no.
“Of course!” said Leona. She squeezed Ophelia’s shoulder. “Ask whatever you like.”
“Okay…” Ophelia took a deep breath. Her eyes slid to Leona, then darted away. “So…what exactly happened back there just now?”
Leona squinted. “What happened? I don’t get it. Star apologies. What do you mean?”
“I mean…did that first year, and that other one, did they really grant wishes?” Ophelia asked.
Leona shrugged. “Well, yeah. After all, that’s what we do now. That’s what this whole Star Darlings thing is. They told you about it all, right? We, young Starlings, go grant young Wishers’ wishes and get, like, a hydrong times the positive wish energy. That’s Lady Stella’s theory, at least.”
Ophelia nodded meekly. “Yes. They told me. I guess…I guess I still don’t understand how it actually works. How are you ready?”
“You mean, how are we ready?”
“How are we ready…” Ophelia looked down, wringing her hands. “How do you know how to grant wishes when we haven’t even graduated yet?”
“I don’t know.” Leona shrugged again, this time more loosely. “Don’t worry about it. We just are. I mean, obviously, right? I could go grant a wish today if an orb chose me. I can’t wait for my turn to come!”
She smiled at Ophelia but could see her enthusiasm wasn’t shared. “And you know we do get extra lessons,” she went on. “You know about that, don’t you? Our special class, last period, each day?”
“Special class?” Ophelia looked up slowly, seeming slightly less anxious at last.
“It’s a secret, too, of course,” Leona added. “You can’t actually tell anyone what it’s for or anything about the things we learn. Which is why you might get comments from some Starlings…like Vivica….” Leona growled the name bitterly through clenched teeth. “I’m just saying,” she went on, “that ‘officially’”—she made quotation marks with one hand—“as far as most Starlings know, it’s a study group we go to.”
“Oh, that’s no problem for me,” Ophelia said matter-of-factly. “I don’t mind.”
Leona looked at her. The little Starling appeared to be serious. “Well, that makes one of us, at least. Now, come on.” She steered
the freckled Starling toward the exit. “Let’s go get you moved into our dorm room. Our stuff’s going to go together starmendously, I can tell. Hey, have you ever considered a makeover, by any star chance? I bet I could really do something with that hair….”
The Star Darlings left Lady Stella’s office and followed Leona and Ophelia to their room. They were all eager to get to know their new teammate better and answer whatever questions about their mission she might have.
When they reached the door, however, Leona herded them back onto the Cosmic Transporter and shooed them on their way.
“I need a little time alone with my new roommate, if you don’t mind,” she said.
“Moonbeams!” gasped Ophelia as they stepped through the door to the room. “Is that—is that a stage?”
“It sure is!” replied Leona, stepping onto the star-shaped golden platform in the center of the room. Instantly, the floor lit up beneath her. Lights blinked in sequence around the base. The words You’re a star! and Leona! took turns flashing behind her on a massive floor-to-ceiling holo-screen. Above, a disco ball covered with tiny star-shaped mirrors dangled from a crystal-studded chain. Stars of light danced over Ophelia and across the entire dorm room as it twirled like a rotating planet overhead.
“This is kind of the performance side of the room,” explained Leona. “That’s the dressing room side, over there.” She pointed past her bed, which was large and round and piled high with silk pillows and set on a pedestal. Around it hung a lacy curtain made of strings of twinkling lights. On the other side of the bed stood a full-length three-sided mirror. This, too, was framed by lights. An antique steamer trunk, overflowing with glamorous costumes in every possible shade of gold, stood open next to it.
“I guess they haven’t had time to finish your side of the room yet,” said Leona, turning to what used to be Scarlet’s side, which was much more empty and much less interesting than before.
There now stood a plain solar-metal bed with a basic white moonfeather comforter and a single pillow of modest size. Each was trimmed in thin yellow ribbon, but Leona had to squint to make that out. A simple chest of drawers crouched in the corner as if it wasn’t sure yet that it wanted to stay.
“No, this is everything,” said Ophelia.
Leona laughed, thinking it was a joke.
“Really, I don’t need very much, you know.”
Leona stared at her. Ophelia was serious. It took a starmin for that fact to sink in.
“You mean you don’t have a desk? Or a cozy chair?” Leona gestured to her own desk and chair.
“No.” Ophelia shook her head. “I just sit…and work…on my bed.”
“No holo-screen?”
“No. I use my Star-Zap.”
“No mirror? Not even one?”
Ophelia shrugged apologetically.
“What about personal items?” She smiled, remembering some of Scarlet’s more “interesting” things—like her rather gruesome collection of globerbeem egg cases and her old moonmoth-eaten top hat and black velvet cape.
“Well, I have the Wish Pendant Lady Cordial just gave me….”
“Ooh, let me see!” Leona said.
Ophelia pulled up her plain yellow sleeve to reveal a thick metal bracelet studded with yellow star-shaped jewels.
“No way! I have a cuff, too!” exclaimed Leona. She showed Ophelia hers. “Startacular, no?” she said. “So…what else?” she asked eagerly.
“What else?” Ophelia looked puzzled, so Leona explained by scooping up a cute little stuffed glion from her star-shaped beanbag chair. She tickled its chin and it purred. Then she ran her hand down its golden back. “Shine like the superstar you are!” it roared.
Leona hugged it close. “This,” she said proudly, “is my Glionny. I’ve had him since I was a baby. He never says anything more than once.”
“Ooh! May I see him?” Ophelia asked. She held her hands out and Leona passed him to her. “Hello, Glionny,” she said, gingerly petting its star-studded mane.
“Glow like you mean it!” the toy purred.
“See?” Leona said. “You must have some special things from home, too…?” Her voice trailed off.
“No…not really.” Ophelia kept her head down.
“Where are you from, anyway?” Leona asked.
“I’m not exactly sure,” said Ophelia. “But I’ve lived in Starland City for as long as I can remember.”
“Okay, first lesson,” said Leona. “Be proud of who you are—and that includes where you’re from! That’s one way to stand out. How amazing that you live in Starland City! I’m sure you’ve had so many incredible adventures. Unlike me—who’s from little old Flairfield.” She closed her eyes and pretended to snore. “Not that I’m not proud of it,” she said, her eyes popping open again. “Naturally, I am. But listen to this: can you believe I never once traveled farther than Flairfield Lake until I came here, to Starling Academy? For real! I know!” Leona groaned. “It’s my parents. Ugh.” She sighed. “They’re homebodies.” She rolled her eyes. “What can you do?” She smiled.
“All I can say,” Leona went on, “is thank the lucky stars I got into Starling Academy! Best day of my life—so far. My parents made it very clear that if I didn’t, it would be Flairfield High for me. Even when I got accepted, they asked me to think about giving up my place and staying home. Can you imagine? Pass up this chance? Has any Starling ever even done that before? Never once—I asked. Not that wish granting is my one goal in life, of course. Some Starlings could settle for that, but not me. As you can probably tell, I have lots of other talents.” She nodded toward her stage. “I’m kind of on my way to being a superstar, which is why Starland City is the place for me! Still…” Leona picked up a holo-picture from her bedside table and blew each member of her family a kiss. The people in the picture each blew one back. “I do miss my family a lot. Aren’t they cute?” She turned the picture so Ophelia could see her two little sisters, her two older brothers, and, in the middle of them all, her mom and dad. “But enough about me, already! I want to know more about you!” Leona set the holo-picture down. “What do you like to do for fun?”
“I don’t know….”
“Like music?”
“Well, um—”
“Want me to sing for you? Startastic idea!” Leona leapt back onto her stage and stuck a hand out toward a rack of gleaming golden microphones. A large one blinked, rose, and floated to her. Leona grabbed it with both hands. “Let’s turn the lights down, shall we?” she said with a nod. Immediately, the room dimmed. At the same time, two gold spotlights blinked on and converged, capturing her in their beams.
“Sit! Please!” Leona nodded toward her beanbag chair, and Ophelia obliged her by plopping down. Still cradling the stuffed glion in her arms, she tilted her chin up and smiled at Leona.
“Here. Want a gamma-chip cluster? My mom made them. They’re soooo good!” Leona said, offering her one. “Just watch the flowers, if you would.” She nodded toward a vase of delicate coral-colored blossoms on the crystal table by the chair.
“Oh, they’re so pretty. Where did they come from?” asked Ophelia.
“You know, I’m not really sure….They just showed up one day—in all our rooms. It’s a Star Darlings thing, we think. Maybe I should move them….I’d hate for you to applaud and knock them over,” she explained. “That’s better for now, don’t you think?”
The rest of the starday flew by—for Leona at least—as she performed her repertoire in its entirety…plus a few encores for fun. She was frankly stunned when the landscape began to brighten outside her windows as the sun sank behind the Crystal Mountains and the moon began to rise. All of Starland, and Starlings, too, shone brighter in the evening, at lightfall, when the halo of energy surrounding the planet reached its most glorious peak.
Just then, Leona’s Star-Zap flashed. Ophelia’s did, as well.
“Dinnertime? Already?” Leona let her mic drift back to its place on the stand and nodded the spotlights a
way. “Star apologies, Ophelia! We hardly talked about you at all! But don’t worry! We will. We have plenty of time!” she assured her with a wink.
As Leona’s eye reopened, she noticed the flowers sitting in the corner of the room. She walked over and took them, pausing to smell them. It was hard not to; their fragrance was so very sweet. She sighed with pleasure, then turned to give her new roommate a chance to smell them…but changed her mind suddenly.
“Well? Are you ready?” She sent the flowers to her dressing table and crossed her arms over her ribs.
“Um…yes.” Ophelia jumped up from the chair and left Leona’s stuffed glion on the seat.
“Hey! Careful!” Leona snapped. “Have a little respect for my things!”
“Star apologies!” said Ophelia. She hurried over to hand Leona her toy.
“Give me an S! Give me a T! Give me an A! Give me an R!” the glion roared while Ophelia’s wide eyes began to fill with liquid glitter—otherwise known as Starling tears.
Instantly, Leona wished she could take her words back or at least tame them a bit. She sounded…she sounded like Scarlet! What’s wrong with me? she asked herself.
She took a deep breath, let it out, and tried to find a smile somewhere within. “It’s fine,” she finally growled. As she heard herself, she winced. “Let’s just go to dinner.”
As they left the room, Ophelia used her wrist to wipe her eye. “I was careless with your things, but I’ll be more careful next time.”
“And I guess I was a little hot-tempered,” Leona admitted. “Star apologies. I think I was just hungry….” Leona gulped. What’s wrong with me? she wondered.
After dinner, Leona felt much, much better. And because of that, Ophelia did, too. Oddly, though, a delicious meal did not have the same effect on the other Star Darlings, who left the café seeming more irritated than ever before.
Breakfast the next morning wasn’t much different, though some arguments had changed.
