Read Leona''s Unlucky Mission Online
Authors: Ahmet Zappa,Shana Muldoon Zappa & Ahmet Zappa
Leona''s Unlucky Mission (3 page)
NAME
: Scarlet
BRIGHT DAY
: November 3
FAVORITE COLOR
: Black
INTERESTS
: Crystal climbing (and other extreme sports), magic, thrill seeking
WISH
: To live on Wishworld
WHY CHOSEN
: Scarlet is confident, intense, passionate, magnetic, curious, and very brave.
WATCH OUT FOR
: Scarlet is a loner and can alienate others by being secretive, arrogant, stubborn, and jealous.
SCHOOL YEAR
: Third
POWER CRYSTAL
: Ravenstone
WISH PENDANT
: Boots
NAME
: Sage
BRIGHT DAY
: December 1
FAVORITE COLOR
: Lavender
INTERESTS
: Travel, adventure, telling stories, nature, and philosophy
WISH
: To become the best Wish-Granter Starland has ever seen
WHY CHOSEN
: Sage is honest, adventurous, curious, optimistic, friendly, and relaxed.
WATCH OUT FOR
: Sage has a quick temper! She can also be restless, irresponsible, and too trusting of others' opinions. She may jump to conclusions.
SCHOOL YEAR
: First
POWER CRYSTAL
: Lavenderite
WISH PENDANT
: Necklace
You take a deep
breath, about to blow out the candles on your birthday cake. Clutching a coin in your fist, you get ready to toss it into the dancing waters of a fountain. You stare at your little brother as you each hold the end of a dried wishbone, about to pull. But what do you do first?
You make a wish, of course!
Ever wonder what happens right after you make that wish?
Not much
, you may be thinking.
Well, you'd be wrong.
Because something quite unexpected happens next. Each and every wish that is made becomes a glowing Wish Orb, invisible to the human eye. This undetectable orb zips through the air and into the heavens, on a one-way trip to the brightest star in the skyâa magnificent place called Starland. Starland is inhabited by Starlings, who look a lot like you and me, except they have a sparkly glow to their skin, and glittery hair in unique colors. And they have one more thing: magical powers. The Starlings use these powers to make good wishes come true, for when good wishes are granted, it results in positive energy. And the Starlings of Starland need this energy to keep their world running.
In case you are wondering, there are three kinds of Wish Orbs:
1)Â Â GOOD WISH ORBS. These wishes are positive and helpful and come from the heart. They are pretty and sparkly and are nurtured in climate-controlled Wish-Houses. They bloom into fantastical glowing orbs. When the time is right, they are presented to the appropriate Starling for wish fulfillment.
2)Â Â BAD WISH ORBS. These are for selfish, mean-spirited, or negative things. They don't sparkle at all. They are immediately transported to a special containment center, as they are very dangerous and must not be granted.
3)  IMPOSSIBLE WISH ORBS. These wishes are for things, like world peace and curing diseases, that simply can't be granted by Starlings. These sparkle with an almost impossibly bright light and are taken to a special area of the Wish-House with tinted windows to contain the glare they produce. The hope is that one day they can be turned into good wishes the Starlings can help grant.
Starlings take their wish granting very seriously. There is a special school, called Starling Academy, that accepts only the best and brightest young Starling girls. They study hard for four years, and when they graduate, they are ready to start traveling to Wishworld to help grant wishes. For as long as anyone can remember, only graduates of wish-granting schools have ever been allowed to travel to Wishworld. But things have changed in a very big way.
Read on for the rest of the storyâ¦.
Dear Mom and Dad,
First, star salutations for the care package! How did you know I needed a new toothlight? (Why are they so easy to lose?) And, Mom, your gamma-chip clusters are out of this world! I've already eaten half the box. They're soooooo starlicious I just can't stop! I know you said to share them with my roommate, Scarlet, and I would have, but guess what? She had to move out. Long story. (Don't worry, it wasn't my fault.) The good news isâyou remember how she used to skateboard down the walls? Well, she won't be doing that anymore, at least in my room! So for now I've got the whole room to myselfâand it looks soooo much better without all that black! I'm hoping to get a new roommate soon, though, and I'll let you know when I do. Stars crossed she's into a color that goes a little bit better with goldâand that she's a lot more relaxed and not so hard to talk to.
Oh, and guess what! More big news! I formed a new band!!!!! It's called Star Darlings! And I'm the lead singer (of course)! We haven't played a gig yet, but I know we will, and I'll send you a holo-vid as soon as we do. We even have a manager, so it's the real deal! Remember Clover? Her color is purple and she wears the hat? Anyway, her family is the Flying Molensasâas in the circus we used to go to every year! So she knows all about show business and she writes great songs. I know you keep saying that becoming a pop star is a moon shot, and that chances are a hydrong to one, but I have a starmendous feeling about us! And I might as well shoot for the stars, right? Isn't that what they're for?
Speaking of stars, I was looking at Grandpa's the other day, and I swear it winked at me!
Tell Felix congratulations on his promotion to assistant manager of the shoe shop. (I won't mention that Dad is his boss.) And tell Garfield I'll believe he has a girlfriend when he sends me a holo-pic. I'm waitingâ¦! (Ha-ha!)
Finally, tell Duchess and Francesca I'll holo-call them tonight if I have the chance. There's a first-year student here named Cassie who reminds me so much of Duchess, by the way. She has the same thick black lashes and soft rosy eyes. She's like a little doll you just want to pick up and hug!
I miss you and I love you.
Your superstar,
Leona
P.S. Send more clusters when you can!
Leona read over her holo-letter quickly, trying to think of what else to say. She tried to send one to her parents weekly, though sometimes she forgot. Sometimes, too, it was nearly impossible to write anything without giving her Star Darlings identity away. For instance, how could she explain Scarlet's moving out without mentioning that Scarlet had been dismissed from the group? She mailed her letter with a flick of her wrist. Hopefully, one day they'd all be able to share their secret with their families, but who knew when that would be?
Twinkle, twinkle.
Twinkle twinkle. TWINKLE TWINKLE.
That was the sound of a Star-Zap that had been trying to get its owner's attention for quite some time. Leona, who was getting ready for bed in the blissful peace of a roommate-less dorm room, had stopped singing into her hairbrush for a moment to actually run it through her hair, and she finally heard the insistent sound. She grabbed her Star-Zap eagerly, willing it to be news of another Wish Mission, hopefully hers. But her brow wrinkled in confusion as she read the message:
PLEASE COME TO MY OFFICE IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE A MATTER OF GREAT URGENCY TO DISCUSS WITH YOU. LADY STELLA.
Leona, already dressed in gold brocade pajama bottoms and a golden tank top, threw on a dressing jacket made of the softest glimmerworm silk, shoved her feet into a pair of golden flats, and raced out the door, feeling a heady mix of excitement, anticipation, and dread. As she hurried along on the Cosmic Transporter, she thought of what it could be. Would Scarlet be reinstated as a Star Darling (and be her roommate once more)? Maybe it would be Libby's Wish Blossom presentation (which had been postponed due to the Scarlet situation). Or what if someone had caught wind of their secret trips to Wishworld? She shook her head, clearing it. No, she decided, it was none of those. Then she had another thought, which made her heart beat double time: maybe she was going to be awarded some honor. Possibly Most Popular Starling Academy Student or Most Likely to Be a Shining Star. Leona arrived at Lady Stella's office door with a big smile on her face, in case any holo-pictures were to be taken. She chided herself for not changing her outfit into something a little less slumberrific.
