by Ahmet Zappa
Just as she raised her hand to knock on the door, she reached into her pocket and stole a glance at her Star-Zap. The red star around the image of her mother’s face was still there, a visible reminder of what a terrible daughter she had been. She resolved to call her mother on the way back to the dorm that evening. She’d make a plan for a visit home for certain.
Vega placed the Star-Zap back in her pocket, adjusted her collar, and knocked on the door. It slid open. The moment she stepped into the room, everyone jumped to their feet and started cheering. She stood there, grinning and feeling proud, slightly embarrassed, and totally wonderful. She’d had no idea that a standing ovation could feel quite so good. Even Leona was cheering.
When the excitement died down, Lady Stella called Vega forward and handed her the orb. It felt warm and substantial in her hand, and she liked the weight of it. It started to glow so brightly Vega wished she had on her safety starglasses. Then, before her eyes, it began to transform into a flower: first a stem sprouted; then the orb itself was surrounded with petals—deep blue giving way to icy blue. “It’s a bluebubble,” Vega breathed. “My favorite flower of all.” Glowing points of light orbited the blossom. “The petals open and close so regularly you can use it to tell time,” she told the others proudly.
Vega was even more delighted when her Power Crystal, a gorgeous queezle, emerged. It was stunning! Sparkling crystalline blue nuggets were held together by their own internal magnetic force. Vega held it up and took a closer look. “Is it…is it Eleanor’s Equation?” she asked Lady Stella in disbelief.
The headmistress nodded in affirmation. “Yes,” she said. She turned to the others. “The nuggets may seem to be arranged chaotically,” she explained. “But they actually represent a precise mathematical equation.”
Lady Stella took the flower, which was beginning to transform into a Silver Blossom, and placed it on her desk.
Clover shook her head. “I was only there to help,” she said. But Vega could tell that she was pleased.
To her chagrin, Vega noticed that Leona looked away and Ophelia gave her a quick, supportive hug. This couldn’t be easy on her.
Just then Vega remembered something. She had made a quick stop at the diner just before she left for home. “Tessa, don’t think I wasn’t listening,” she said. “I brought you back something chocolate—a hot fudge sundae!”
Tessa clapped her hands. “Startastic!” she said.
Vega reached into her backpack, pulled out the paper bag, and handed it to Tessa. Everyone oohed as it made a rustling sound. Licking her lips in anticipation, Tessa reached in and pulled out the container and a pink plastic spoon. Libby grabbed for it, admiring the color.
Tessa lifted the lid. “Ta-da!” she said.
Everyone stared at the sloppy brown mess inside.
“You brought me soup?” Tessa asked.
“Now you know,” Lady Stella said with a tinkling laugh. “Wishling food…often requires refrigeration!”
Vega laughed. “Here’s my last Wishworld observation—ice cream melts!”
Vega pressed the END HOLO-CALL button on her Star-Zap. Why wasn’t her mother answering? Was she mad at Vega for taking so long to call back? That seemed very unlike her. But Vega still felt a tiny bit worried. Her mission had opened her eyes to a lot of things, including the importance of being proud of where you came from. She wanted to call her mom and hear her voice and tell her she loved her and was grateful for all the sacrifices she had made. Ella had helped Vega see all that, and she felt that the mission had been eye-opening for them both.
She yawned. She was so sleepy! Traveling to Wishworld and granting a Wisher’s wish had certainly taken a lot of energy out of her! She didn’t feel like moving her feet, so she willed the Cosmic Transporter to pick up the pace. The sooner she was under the covers, the better. It didn’t work, of course.
It seemed like the slowest journey to her dorm room ever. Finally, she stood in front of her door and placed her hand on the scanner. “Welcome home, Vega,” said the Bot-Bot voice. “And congratulations on a job well done!”
“Star salutations,” Vega said automatically. She stepped inside the dark room and stopped in her tracks. She had been away only a couple of stardays, but she suddenly realized how homesick she had been. She placed her hand on her pride and joy—a large, beautiful secretary desk that had belonged to her great-grandmother on her mother’s side. It had a curved top that rolled up and down like a dream (despite its age) and dozens of perfectly labeled drawers and nooks inside. Vega’s mother told her that her great-grandmother had been just as organized and precise as she.
She placed her Star-Zap on top of the desk.
“You remind me so much of her sometimes,” said someone with a familiar voice. Vega spun around. The room seemed empty. Was she hearing things?
She gasped as a figure stepped out of the shadows. Vega recognized who it was immediately and raced across the room, then fell into outstretched arms. She inhaled the comforting and oh-so-familiar smell of gossamer perfume, boingtree needles, and hospital disinfectant.
“Oh, Mama,” she said. “I’m so happy to see you. But how…”
“Piper called me and suggested I come for a visit,” she said. “And I’m so glad she did. I’ve missed you so much, starshine.”
Tears filled Vega’s eyes as she heard her childhood nickname. She concentrated her wish manipulation energy and the light switched on. She looked up and saw the tiny crinkles around her mother’s violet eyes, the curve of her chin, her striking cheekbones. Her mother’s thin, graceful hands, equally capable of holding a child’s hand and lifting a heavy patient, stroked her blue hair. That was what Vega had been missing. The empty space she had been feeling was filled.
Vega lay in bed, content. Her mission had been a resounding success, both for her and for her Wisher. She and her mom had parted with big hugs and a plan to spend the upcoming holiday relaxing and playing games together. She sighed with happiness.
Just then her Star-Zap buzzed. She was so sleepy she considered ignoring it, but her curiosity got the better of her and she reached out for it.
Sure it had been strange to have to say “Not much” when her mother had asked her what she had been up to lately. Only the most incredible adventure of her entire life, that’s all! And it had been so tempting to brag (a little) about how she had saved her Wish Mission, just in the nick of time. To say nothing about the Wish Blossom and Power Crystal she had just received. It had been hard to dim the wattage of her huge smile when that happened, but she managed to tone it down a bit, for Leona’s sake. Vega would have liked nothing better than to have been able to pull the Power Crystal out of her bag and show it to her mother. She sighed. Maybe someday…She pressed a button and a holo-text appeared in front of her.
She read it, read it again, and then gasped. Piper murmured in her sleep but didn’t wake up. Vega read the holo-text again to make sure she wasn’t mistaken. But there it was, clear as day: MEET ME IN THE HEDGE MAZE TOMORROW. WE NEED TO TALK. SCARLET.
Age of Fulfillment: The age when a Starling is considered mature enough to begin to study wish granting.
Astromuffins: Baked breakfast treat.
Bad Wish Orbs: Orbs that are the result of bad or selfish wishes made on Wishworld. These grow dark and warped and are quickly sent to the Negative Energy Facility.
Bloombug: A purple-and-pink-spotted bug that goes wild during the full moon in warm weather.
Bluebeezel: Delicate bright blue flowers that emit a scent that only glitterbees can detect.
Bluebubble: Vega’s Wish Blossom. Deep blue gives way to icy blue in the petals of this compact illuminated flower. Glowing points of light illuminate the blossom. Its petals open and close with such regularity that you can set it to tell time.
Boingtree: A shrublike tree with tickly aromatic needles.
Bot-Bot: A Starland robot. There are Bot-Bot guards, waiters, deliverers, and guides on Starland.
Bright Day: The
date a Starling is born, celebrated each year like Wishling birthdays.
Calliope: A glittery yellow flower with ruffly petals and a magenta center.
Callistola: A tiny green bell-like flower that emits a faint tinkling sound when shaken. They smell a lot like ripe ozziefruit.
Celestial Café: Starling Academy’s outstanding cafeteria.
Cocomoon: A sweet and creamy fruit with an iridescent glow.
Cosmic Transporter: The moving sidewalk system that transports students through dorms and across the Starling Academy campus.
Countdown Clock: A timing device on a Starling’s Star-Zap. It lets them know how much time is left on a Wish Mission, which coincides with when the Wish Orb will fade.
Crystal Mountains: The most beautiful mountains on Starland. They are located across the lake from Starling Academy.
Cyber Journal: Where the Star Darlings record their Wishworld observations.
Cycle of Life: A Starling’s life span. When Starlings die, they are said to have “completed their Cycle of Life.”
Dododay: The third day of the starweek. The days in order are Sweetday, Shineday, Dododay, Yumday, Lunarday, Bopday, Reliquaday, and Babsday. (Starlandians have a three-day weekend every starweek.)
Double starweek: Sixteen stardays.
Flash Vertical Mover: A mode of transportation similar to a Wishling elevator, only superfast.
Florafierce: Glowing stardust rises from the middle of this flower’s fiery red petals.
Flutterfocus: A Starland creature similar to a Wishworld butterfly but with illuminated wings.
Galliope: A sparkly Starland creature similar to a Wishworld horse.
Garble greens: A Starland vegetable similar to spinach.
Glion: A gentle Starland creature similar in appearance to a Wishworld lion, but with a multicolored glowing mane.
Glitterbees: Blue-and-orange-striped bugs that pollinate Starland flowers and produce a sweet substance called gossamer.
Globerbeem: Large, friendly lightning bug–type insects that lay eggs.
Glorange: A glowing orange fruit. Its juice is often enjoyed at breakfast time.
Glowin’ Glions: Starling Academy’s champion E-ball team.
Good Wish Orbs: Orbs that are the result of positive wishes made on Wishworld. They are planted in Wish-Houses.
Gossamer: A sweet and fragrant liquid made by glitterbees, often used in baking.
Halo Hall: The building where Starling Academy classes are held.
Holo–diary: A book used for jotting down thoughts and feelings that is a hologram. There are also holo-billboards, holo-cameras, holo-letters, holo-journals, holo-cards, holo-communications, holo-flyers, holo-texts, holo-videos, and holo-pictures. Anything that would be made of paper on Wishworld is a hologram on Starland.
Holo-phone: A Starland game much like the Wishworld “Telephone” where a phrase is passed on from one Starling to another and the last Starling says it out loud. The final message is often markedly different from the initial one, much to everyone’s amusement.
Hydrong: The equivalent of a Wishworld hundred.
Impossible Wish Orbs: Orbs that are the result of wishes made on Wishworld that are beyond the power of Starlings to grant.
Jujufruit: A large purple fruit with thick skin and juicy flesh. It is bouncy and sometimes used as a ball before being peeled and eaten.
Kaleidoscope City: Where Vega is from. Its colorful downtown is a tourist destination. A factory town, it is well-known for its metal production. Its motto is “If it’s made right, it’s made in Kaleidoscope City.”
Lallabelles: Tiny turqoiuse flowers that grow in clusters. They do not fade and are often used in dried flower arrangements.
Lightning Lounge: The place where students relax and socialize.
Little Dipper Dormitory: Where first- and second-year students live.
Mirror Mantra: A saying specific to each Star Darling that when recited gives her (and her Wisher) reassurance and strength. When a Starling recites her Mirror Mantra while looking in a mirror, she will see her true appearance reflected.
Mooncheese: A mild, tasty cheese often melted in sandwiches, it is made from the milk of the moonnut tree.
Moonfeather: A common material used for stuffing pillows, coats, and toys, moonfeathers are harvested from the moonfeather bush.
Moonium: An amount similar to a Wishworld million.
Moonmoth: Large glowing creatures attracted to light like Wishworld moths.
Moonshot: A very slight possibility.
Noddlenoodle: An extremely long, thin noodle often used in Starling soups, one single noodle can fill an entire bowl.
Ozziefruit: Sweet plum-sized indigo fruit that grows on pink-leaved trees. It is usually eaten raw, made into jam, or cooked into pies. Starling Academy has an ozziefruit orchard.
Queezle: Vega’s Power Crystal. Sparkling crystalline blue nuggets held together by their own internal magnetic force. Their seemingly chaotic arrangement actually represents a precise mathematical equation.
Roxylinda: A coral-colored flower with a large blossom.
Safety starglasses: Worn by Starlings to protect their eyes when close to a shooting star.
Serenity Gardens: Extensive botanical gardens set on an island in Luminous Lake.
Shimmering Shores: The sparkly beach located on the banks of Luminous Lake.
Shooting stars: Speeding stars that Starlings can latch on to and ride to Wishworld.
Solar metal: A common, inexpensive kind of metal.
Sparkle Meal: A premade meal.
Sparkle O’s: A sweet, fruity cereal, not usually considered a healthy breakfast.
Spill the stars: To tell someone everything.
Starcake: A Starling breakfast item, similar to a star-shaped Wishworld pancake.
Star Caves: The caverns underneath Starling Academy where the Star Darlings’ secret Wish-Cavern is located.
Starf!: A Starling expression of dismay.
Star flash: News bulletin, often used starcastically.
Starland: The irregularly shaped world where Starlings live. It is veiled by a bright yellow glow that from a distance makes it look like a star.
Starlight: An expression used to mean public attention. When all eyes are on a Starling, she is said to be “in the starlight.”
Starling Academy: The most prestigious all-girl four-year boarding school for wish granting on Starland.
Starlings: The glowing beings with sparkly skin that live on Starland.
Starmin: Sixty starsecs (or seconds) on Starland; the equivalent of a Wishworld minute.
Starriest: As in “I don’t have the starriest idea.” Used to express lack of knowledge or understanding.
Star salutations: A Starling expression of thanks.
Starsec: A brief period of time, similar to a Wishworld second.
Star Wranglers: Starlings whose job is to lasso a shooting star, to transport Starlings to Wishworld.
Star-Zap: The ultimate smartphone that Starlings use for all communications. It has myriad features.
Stellation: Point of a star. Halo Hall has five stellations, each housing a different department.
Toothlight: A high-tech gadget that Starlings use to clean their teeth.
Violina: A pale blue cone-shaped flower with clusters of shiny, dark blue leaves.
Wharfle: A round metal disk used for Winkedly Wharfles, a game similar to tiddlywinks where you flick disks into a container.
Wish Blossom: The bloom that appears from a Wish Orb after its wish is granted.
Wish energy: The positive energy that is released when a wish is granted. Wish energy powers everything on Starland.
Wish energy manipulation: The ability to mentally harness wish energy to perform physical acts, like turning off lights, closing doors, etc.
Wisher: The Wishling who has made the wish that is being granted.
Wish-House: The place where Wish Orbs are planted and cared for until they sparkle.
Wishlings: The inhabitants of Wishworld.
Wish Mission: The task a Starling undertakes when she travels to Wishworld to help grant a wish.
Wish Orb: The form a wish takes on Wishworld before traveling to Starland. It will grow and sparkle when it’s time to grant the wish.
Wish Pendant: A gadget that absorbs and transports wish energy, helps Starlings locate their Wishers, and changes a Starling’s appearance. Each Wish Pendant holds a different special power for its Star Darling.
Wish-Watcher: A Starling whose job is to observe the Good Wish Orbs until they glow, indicating that they are ready to be granted.
Wishworld: The planet Starland relies on for wish energy. The beings on Wishworld know it by another name—Earth.
Wishworld Outfit Selector: A program on each Star-Zap that accesses Wishworld fashions for Starlings to wear to blend in.
Wishworld Surveillance Deck: Located high above the campus, it is where Starling Academy students go to observe Wishlings through high-powered telescopes.
Zeldabloom: Large, fragrant purple flowers with yellow centers.
Zing: A traditional Starling breakfast drink. It can be enjoyed hot or iced.
Zoomberries: Small, sweetly tart berries that grow in abundance on Starland.
It is impossible to list all of our gratitude, but we will try.
Our most precious gift and greatest teacher, Halo; we love you more than there are stars in the sky…punashaku. To the rest of our crazy, awesome, unique tribe—thank you for teaching us to go for our dreams. Integrity. Strength. Love. Foundation. Family. Grateful. Mimi Muldoon—from your star doodling to naming our Star Darlings, your artistry, unconditional love, and inspiration is infinite. Didi Muldoon—your belief and support in us is only matched by your fierce protection and massive-hearted guidance. Gail. Queen G. Your business sense and witchy wisdom are legendary. Frank—you are missed and we know you are watching over us all. Along with Tutu, Nana, and Deda, who are always present, gently guiding us in spirit. To our colorful, totally genius, and bananas siblings—Patrick, Moon, Diva, and Dweezil—there is more creativity and humor in those four names than most people experience in a lifetime. Blessed. To our magical nieces—Mathilda, Zola, Ceylon, and Mia—the Star Darlings adore you and so do we. Our witchy cuzzie fairy godmothers—Ane and Gina. Our fairy fashion godfather, Paris. Our sweet Panay. Teeta and Freddy—we love you all so much. And our four-legged fur babies—Sandwich, Luna, Figgy, and Pinky Star.