by Ahmet Zappa
Vega stood over her bedside table, staring down at her Star-Zap. Her mother’s face surrounded by a red star still sat in the corner of the screen, indicating the unreturned holo-call. She briefly considered calling her back, as it would be comforting to see her mom’s face before her mission, despite the questions she would have to answer about scheduling a visit and the half-truths she would have to tell about her schooling. But then the sparkle shower room door slid open and Piper stepped out, a fresh glow on her skin.
“I feel much better,” she told Vega.
“Great,” Vega replied.
Vega abandoned her phone, grabbed her soft blue bathrobe, and stepped into the sparkle shower room. She glanced at the mirror. Her shiny blue hair was slightly mussed, and she smoothed it. Her bright blue eyes, the color of cloud-free skies, stared back at her. She was surprised to realize she still felt calm and relaxed. She took a long sparkle shower, even though she knew she would shortly be transforming her skin from sparkly to dull. It still was invigorating and good for the spirits. She slipped on a loose blue dress with a turquoise starburst on the front and a pair of pretty sandals. When Piper was ready, the two girls headed to the Celestial Café. The Star Darlings had all been instructed the day before to have a quick but nutritious breakfast and head straight to the private balcony of the Wishworld Surveillance Deck to see Vega off before classes began. As Vega approached the table, she was surprised to notice that the other Star Darlings looked more nervous than she felt. Leona appeared particularly out of sorts, staring down at her glass of glorange juice and not engaging in conversation with anyone—not even Ophelia, who looked more lost and lonely than usual. Maybe Leona was jealous of Vega’s mission? Resentful that Vega was likely to collect wish energy? Or just feeling sad that her mission had not gone well and she most likely would not get a chance at redemption? Vega wasn’t sure and she certainly wasn’t going to ask.
There was a tray of baked goods in the middle of the table, and Vega grabbed a fruit bun and sank her teeth into it, then licked her hand as a blob of ozziefruit jam leaked out. Yum. Glancing down at her Star-Zap, Vega realized it was already time to go to the deck. She stood, her chair making a loud scraping sound on the floor. Cassie nodded at her across the table. Vega left the room, knowing that the other eleven would soon be following her, drifting out casually in groups of two and three so as not to arouse any suspicion from their fellow students.
She walked a little more quickly than usual and hopped into an empty Flash Vertical Mover car and pressed the button. The doors slid shut and she took a deep breath, enjoying the solitude. The Wishworld Surveillance Deck towered ridiculously high above the campus, but the Flash Vertical Mover zoomed her up in mere starsecs. She swallowed hard to keep her ears from popping. Soon she was stepping out onto the deck. She had it all to herself, and she stood there for a moment, marveling at the view. It never ceased to amaze her that far below on Wishworld, Wishlings were living their lives, going to school, and making the wishes that kept life on Starland proceeding as usual. And soon she would be a crucial part of one Wishling’s life, if only for a short time. She took a deep breath and monitored how she felt again. Fine—no flutterfocuses in the stomach, trembling hands, or racing thoughts. She was ready and confident in her ability to take on any challenge she was given.
The door opened and Tessa and Gemma joined her on the private balcony. Gemma opened her mouth to begin her usual chattering, but her older sister shushed her. Vega gave Tessa a grateful glance. She was quickly realizing that the time just before you took off on a Wish Mission was sacred and special, meant to be savored.
Lady Stella appeared, almost out of thin air. “Hello, Vega,” she said. Her eyes were kind and warm. She squeezed Vega’s shoulder and leaned down to speak to her privately. “You have the skills, you have the brains, and you certainly have the drive, my dear,” she said. “Just make sure to see the forest for the trees. Don’t get too caught up in the details, and try to see the bigger picture. This mission is tailor-made for you.”
Vega felt warm pride rush through her. “Thank you for your confidence,” she said.
The door opened and the rest of the Star Darlings spilled onto the balcony and clustered around Vega, giving her effusive hugs and showering her with good wishes. It was a little disorganized, and just as Vega began to feel overwhelmed by all the attention, Cassie noticed and stepped in, lining everyone up to say their farewells in an orderly fashion. Vega smiled at her friend in thanks.
Piper approached Vega, a slightly sleepy look still in her eyes. She grasped both of Vega’s hands in her own. “I was so worked up this morning I totally forgot about your mission,” she said, looking ashamed. “Good luck, Vega.”
Adora gave her a quick firm squeeze. “You’ll be a superstar,” she said. “There’s no doubt about that.”
Leona was next. “I hope you are able to collect wish energy,” she said sadly. “Keep your eye on your Wish Pendant.”
“I will,” Vega promised her.
Libby said, “Take it from me: make sure to double-check that you have the right wish!”
“And the right Wisher,” added Sage, poking her head over Libby’s pink shoulder.
“Star salutations to you both,” Vega said. She was touched that the girls were so willing to point out their mistakes to help her.
Gemma and Tessa stepped up to Vega together. “You’re going to be startastic,” Gemma told her. “Out of this world. The Wisher who gets you as their Wish-Granter is going to be absolutely starstruck! As a matter of fact—”
Tessa interrupted. “As a matter of fact, good luck from both of us,” she said, dragging her sister away. She called back, “Don’t forget to bring back some of that chocolate Sage talked so much about if you can!”
Cassie simply gave Vega a kiss on the cheek.
Ophelia was the last to approach Vega. “You don’t look scared at all,” she said shyly. Her large ochre eyes were wide with wonder. “Now how do you get down to Wishworld again?”
Before Vega could answer, Lady Cordial appeared and handed Vega her backpack. It was a pretty blue with a glittery star on it.
“Star salutations,” said Vega.
Lady Cordial, who was perhaps nervous she would start stuttering, as she often did when she was around large groups of Starlings, simply nodded.
“Vega! We need you!” Lady Stella called from the edge of the roof. “The Star Wranglers have spotted a shooting star!” The crowd parted as Lady Stella held out her hand. It was almost as if things were happening in slow motion for Vega. She stepped forward to join Lady Stella and watched in silence as the wranglers tossed out the lasso and just missed catching the star. It hurtled through the heavens and disappeared. “Awww!” everyone said. Luckily, the wranglers spotted another one almost immediately. They tossed out their lasso again and caught it. Sparks shot out as it strained against its restraints. Burning bright and beautiful, the star hovered in the air before them as the wranglers struggled to keep it steady.
Once Vega was safely attached, she paused to take one last look at everyone, their faces hopeful and concerned. “Good-bye!” she called. “I’ll do everyone pr—” Then her words were lost in a loud whoosh as she was released into the heavens, the wranglers no longer able to keep their grip on the star, which was desperate to continue its fiery arc.
Vega zoomed through the sky as whirling multicolored lights, intense fiery flares, and twinkling stars flashed by. But despite the distractions, she was somehow able to remain studiously focused on her Star-Zap. (She had made this journey once before, when she had helped Leona.) As soon as the screen began to flash COMMENCE APPEARANCE CHANGE, she was ready. She concentrated hard and could see from an errant wisp near the corner of her eye that her hair had changed from cerulean to a very dark brown—almost black. She pressed a button on her Star-Zap and was instantly wearing the outfit she had carefully picked out the night before—a skirt made out of a rough material the Wishlings called denim, a simple
blue-and-white-striped long-sleeved T-shirt, and a matching denim vest. On her feet she wore pretty blue woven shoes called espadrilles. She put her hand on her Wish Pendant, which was the sparkling buckle of her belt, and began to say the words that would begin the last step of her physical transformation: “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight: I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.” The Wish Pendant began to glow, and she gasped as the glitter was swept off her skin in a sudden rush of warm air.
PREPARE FOR LANDING, the Star-Zap read. Before she knew it, the surface of Wishworld was rushing up to meet her. She held her breath and landed gently in a grassy park. She blinked for a moment, taking in her surroundings, and let out her breath in one big whoosh. She hadn’t realized she was still holding it. It appeared that she had landed in a park at the bottom of a large landmass surrounded by water. The park was empty save a mother sitting on a bench next to a baby stroller, her back to Vega. The child, who had apparently witnessed Vega’s arrival, pointed at her and said, “Star.”
“That’s right,” said the mother in a loud sunny voice, pointing to a nearby yellow vehicle driving by on the street. “Car!”
Following the instructions she had been given, Vega waited until the star had sputtered out, then picked it up and began to fold it. When it was the size of a wallet and could not fold any more, she placed it in the front zippered portion of her backpack. She looked at her Star-Zap for further instructions. PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE GEORGE ROBERT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, it said. Detailed directions followed, along with an estimated walking time of thirty starmins. Vega looked at her pretty shoes and immediately accessed her Wishworld Outfit Selector. She switched to a pair of blue sneakers and was off!
The farther uptown Vega walked, the bigger the buildings became and the more crowded the streets got. She stared openly at people and no one seemed to care or notice. She passed stores, gaping doorways that led to deep stairwells labeled SUBWAY, small parks filled with what looked like the youngest and oldest Wishlings and their respective caretakers, and lots of vehicles of all shapes and sizes, none self-driving. This part of Wishworld was noisier, dirtier, and stinkier than the first Wishworld place she had visited during Leona’s mission. It was also much busier and more vibrant, she had to give it that.
Finally, she arrived at the school. The large, impressive white stone building stood in the middle of the city block. She admired the tall steps, the supporting columns. It reminded her a bit of Halo Hall. The street in front of the school was packed with idling cars, waiting to pick up students, she assumed.
She stole a glance at her Star-Zap and noted the time: 3:01 P.M. Just then, the doors burst open and students began to trickle out. Within moments the trickle became a flood.
Vega, who had just begun to climb the stairs, was pushing against the tide. A girl, her eyes glued to her phone, came straight toward her, and Vega stepped neatly out of the way, bumping right into someone else. “Starscu…I mean, excuse me,” Vega said, but the girl didn’t seem to hear. Forcing her way through the onslaught of students, she squeezed inside the door and found herself in the crowded school vestibule. She blinked, trying to get her bearings. A sign on the wall caught her eye. AFTER-SCHOOL CLUBS, it said, with an arrow pointing up. She looked down at her Wish Pendant, which was beginning to glow very faintly.
After-school clubs, here I come, she thought, taking the stairs marked up, which were empty, two at a time. (The stairs marked down were bustling with students.) She reached the second floor and pushed open the heavy door. There she found a woman in a navy jacket sitting behind a table, a clipboard in front of her. She was speaking to a boy holding a potted plant. “The Venus Flytrap Club is in room 222,” she told him. She turned to Vega. “Welcome!” she said, looking over her glasses at her. “How can I help you?”
“I am Vega. I am a new student.”
The woman nodded. “You are Vega. You are a new student,” she said automatically.
“Which club are you headed to?” the woman asked. That question stumped Vega. What kinds of clubs did Wishlings have? Was there a star-ball club? A wish energy manipulation club? Probably not.
“Oh,” Vega said, smiling. She made a guess. “Puzzle Club?”
The woman’s brow furrowed and she scanned her list. She looked up. “No, no Puzzle Club. Though that does sound like fun,” she said. “Are you sure that’s the right club?”
Vega thought again. “Ahhh, ahhhh…”
“Acrobatics Club?” the woman suggested helpfully.
It was as good as any. “That’s it!” said Vega.
“Room 212,” the woman said. “Right down the hallway.” As Vega turned away, she heard the woman say, “Mmmmm, I smell pound cake!” So it’s true, Vega thought. To Wishling adults, Starlings smelled like their favorite baked good from childhood. Maybe to put them at ease or something, Vega thought. It was odd but kind of nice when you thought about it. Her very presence brought back pleasant childhood memories.
Vega glanced down at her belt buckle Wish Pendant and noticed that the glow was a bit brighter than before. She paused in front of room 212. What were the chances that her Wisher would be in this club? She shrugged and opened the door. At least it was a start.
The floor of room 212 was covered with thick padded mats. Girls wearing tightly fitting shirt-underwear combinations were sitting on the mats, doing splits and stretching. Vega found their costumes to be very odd and was a little taken aback that no one was wearing pants.
A girl in a red, white, and blue underwear suit turned to her. “Hey,” she said. “You must be new. Welcome!” She looked Vega up and down. “Where’s your leotard?”
“My what?” asked Vega. Mission 4, Wishworld Observation #1: Some Wishlings wear a legless article of clothing called a leotard. Function: unclear at this point.
The girl laughed, apparently assuming Vega was kidding with her. “No worries,” she said.
“Oh, I wasn’t worried,” Vega assured her.
The girl laughed again. “We usually start with some headstands,” she informed Vega. “Then we move on to forward rolls, bridges, handstands, back flips, and then we end with a pyramid!”
Vega raised her eyebrows. “Oh,” she said. It sounded very busy. She watched as the girl dropped to the ground, placed her head on the floor, and balanced her knees on her elbows before extending her legs straight up into the air. Once she was certain of her balance, she began bending her legs in different poses. The other girls followed suit.
Vega was game. After several attempts, she was able to shakily stand on her head. She felt very proud of herself in the split second before she spilled onto the floor. She put her head back down and was face-to-face with her middle, about to balance her knees on her elbows, when she realized that her belt, mere inches from her face, was no longer glowing. It’s been fun, Acrobatics Club, she thought as she got to her feet. But I have to move on. With an apologetic grin, she headed toward the door. The girl who had first welcomed her looked at Vega as if she had betrayed her. “We were going to put you on top of the human pyramid!” she said.
“Maybe next time,” said Vega. She shuddered at the thought, relieved to be dodging that experience.
Once she was back in the hallway, her Wish Pendant began to glow faintly again. Her Wisher was near. There was no question about it. She just needed to be patient.
Vega decided to try the classroom next door. She opened the door, and the teacher and two students looked up eagerly from the bucket they were inspecting. Vega stared. What could possibly be going on there?
“Welcome to Composting Club!” the teacher said.
“Is everyone here?” Vega asked.
“Um, yes,” the teacher said. She laughed sheepishly. “We’re a small club.”
Vega looked down at her pendant. No glow at all.
“Sorry!” she said, starting to close the door. The students looked disappointed for a moment but immediately returned to examining the bucket.
Vega never found out exactly what was inside. Mission 4, Wishworld Observation #2: Composting Club does not seem very popular. Look into this.
She watched with interest as several students parried in the Fencing Club, their faces obscured by strange masks. Her eyes widened as students pantomimed being trapped in invisible boxes, pulled ropes she couldn’t see, and walked into a nonexistent gust of wind in Mime Club. And the smells coming from Cooking Club were tantalizing. But she was on a mission. Until the light glowed on her pendant, she had to keep looking. Just how many clubs does this school have, anyway? she wondered.
“Forty-seven,” someone said.
Vega spun around. She hadn’t realized she had said the words out loud. A girl stood in front of her, her orangey hair cascading down her back in rippling curls. Her eyes were bright blue and her pretty face was covered in freckles that reminded Vega of constellations.
“How many clubs did you say?” Vega asked.
“Forty-seven,” the girl repeated.
“That’s a lot of clubs,” Vega said shakily.
The girl grinned. “There’s something for everyone,” she said. “And then some.” She cocked her head at Vega. “So let me guess. You’re new and haven’t found the right club yet?”
“That’s right. I’m Vega, by the way.”
The girl stuck out her hand. “Katie.”
Vega recalled immediately that she was supposed to grasp and pump the hand, otherwise known as “shaking.” Libby had certainly made a mess of that on her Wish Mission! While Vega made contact, she took a quick glance at her Wish Pendant, which told her that this girl was not her Wisher. Too bad. She seemed nice.
Katie smiled at Vega. “You want to join a really fun club? Come with me,” she said. She set off down the hallway. Not knowing what else to do, Vega followed her.
Katie pushed open the door to room 261. “Come right in,” she said. About ten students sat in a circle. Vega stared at them. They had large balls of thick string in their laps and long sticks in their hands. They moved the sticks back and forth. It was very strange.
