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Wish Upon A Star
I didn't even realise the tears were streaming
down my face, making streaks in my blue fur, until Omni sat down on the balcony
next to me and wiped one away.
"What's up?" She asked, worry in her voice.
I leaned my head on her, and she put her arm
around me.
"Everyone knows I've always wanted to be famous,"
I whispered softly, telling her what I'd been thinking about the last two hours,
as I'd sat, watching the sunset, and the stars rise, "and so many people think
I'm just a copy. Just going with the flow. They don't understand."
"I know, Po--"
"No, you don't," I said harshly. "Let me finish."
I saw Tika poke her small head through the
door, I nodded and motioned my paw to the faerie Babaa, and she fluttered onto
my lap.
"I'm so tired of it. There are a million times
I've just wanted to change, to leave it all behind...but I know that there'd
be so much of the real me left that I would still be the real me. And as my
goal of fame becomes further away, not closer as I hoped, I wonder if I just
closed my eyes, I could fall into the world of the stars, and just dream...I
wonder if I could be famous there, famous for who I am and not discriminated
against. So I wonder if I could fall into eternal sleep and dream forever...that
there's a place for me."
"Oh, but there is!" She cried out, her arm
squeezing me a little tighter. "There's a place in my heart, and in Ev's, and
in everyone's you'll ever meet. And that place will always be there, a sanctuary
for you and me. And eventually you'll not only have those places, but you'll
have a place in life to call your own. One day all of Neopia will know you're
name," she smiled. "But there's a bit of waiting involved."
She stood up and yawned. "I'm getting to bed,
PO I'm tired. See ya in the morning."
They left me on the balcony, wind gusting and
rustling the badly placed ivy. The stars glittered above me, reminding me that
no matter what happened, I had to hold onto what I lived for-my dreams, my friends,
my family. And I thought about what Omni had said about me finding my place
in Neopia. I could imagine her saying, "You have a place in our hearts, and
eventually you will find that place in Neopia that is yours and yours alone.
It will take a while, that's for sure, but when you find it, it will be well
worth the wait."
I yawned and rubbed my paws around my shoulders,
shivering from the cold. I thought of my life-it was good, better than most.
But yet I always wanted more. It wasn't so much that I was spoiled, but that
I knew that it wasn't good to settle with what you've got. That you've got to
try and get more, even if you think you have it all...because somewhere out
there, there was more. Because even if you get to the top, you've got to try
and reach the stars...and since the sky's the limit, then there is no limit,
is there?
It's harder these days to make people see things
your way. There are so many people, who has time for me? I want to try and tell
people this, but nobody cares to listen. Neopia is different than it was a year
and a half ago, when Omni first joined, from what she's told me. There are more
changes than one, and I'm not saying they are all for the worst-which would
be a lie. Most of them are wonderful, changes that make Neopia so much better...but
then again, some of them aren't.
I know I've heard this saying so many times,
but I often wish that life was black and white, that there weren't too many
shades of gray to make it that simple. But one thing in my life was simple-the
fact that my friends and family would be there forever for me, till the end.
And past that.
I heard Omni laugh inside, probably on the
phone with Nova, as she made to mugs of hot chocolate, one for me, one for her.
She'd go to bed after hers, and then I'd come in for mine. Routines. I didn't
know if I could go back to living like I normally would.
And then I saw it. In flew across the sky gracefully,
sparkling, glittering, twinkling. Whatever people said about shooting stars,
that they were really asteroids, that was stupid. What was soaring across the
sky was obviously a star...and I held onto this moment for as long as I could.
I almost wasted the whole star by watching
it, but soon I realised what I had to do, and I threw my hands up as if to catch,
while thinking, and whispering softly, "I wish that one day soon I can find
my place!" I thought, and it was perfect. One day soon...one day soon.
This Isn't Where You Belong
"Wake up, PO," Omni whispered to me, jerking
me awake. "We're going on a trip!"
"Huh?" I asked groggily, turning to look at
her. She pulled her hair closer and began to chatter about the plans.
"You need a change of scenery, PO," she explained
matter-of-factly. "I could tell from last night. So we are going to take a vacation!
We'll start at Mystery Island and visit the other 9 worlds, too-not including
the destroyed Maraqua. And not only will it be a break from the real world,
it will also help you find yourself, which I can tell you want to do."
"But isn't that a little...expensive?" I asked
desperately, and sitting up now.
"Don't worry about it, PO Clear your mind.
I have it all taken care of. You can't take a little time to just enjoy yourself,
can you?"
"Yes I can! Of course I can!" I exclaimed.
She simply raised her eyebrows at me. "Well, no..." I conceded. "But I just
feel like life's too short to waste time relaxing!"
"Part of life is relaxing, silly," she said,
as she dug through the mess that was my closet and tossed me a suitcase. "Get
packing. The boat leaves this afternoon."
***
The boat ride, I have to admit, was wonderfully fun. As you know, trips to
Mystery Island by boat are overnight, so, even though it was a short time, our
cabin became like our home. The captain, after some (er...a lot) of persuading
actually let me steer the ship for a small amount of time, and meeting pets
and discovering new flavours in the juice bar, and the brilliant sunset of the
golden sea-Omni was right, I was feeling better already.
But I was any closer to 'finding myself', as
Omni put it.
When we docked at Mystery Island, I breathed
in the air and stepped onto the tropical soil. I smiled as the warm wind whipped
my face and rustled the palm trees around me. The ocean lapped onto the shore,
and I clutched Omni's hand in one paw and Tika in the other. This place was
like a dream world: it was perfect.
When we got to our hotel, our bags were waiting
for us. In our room, I looked forlornly out the window as Omni unpacked. Suddenly,
I heard her voice behind me, and I was brought back to my sense when she spoke.
"We didn't come here to stay inside all day,
you know."
I turned and grinned at her, and we made our
way down to the hotel's private beach.
The warm sand slipped under my paws as we padded
onto the beach. It was nearly empty except for a few solitary pets. I ran into
the waves with Omni, laughing and splashing happily. Squinting against the sun,
I fell into her arms, sighing with happiness.
And that was how our week at Mystery Island
was-peaceful, serene and hysterically fun-until the day before we were supposed
to leave.
I stood on the pier, watching the sun sink
into the water, as darkness settled over the Island, bringing with it the coolness
of the evening. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face that had been there since
we'd arrived-there'd never been a dull moment. A voice startled the peaceful
silence, and I turned, surprised that someone would dare speak during such a
beautiful sight.
"Hello," said the Tiki Man.
"Hi," I replied, ripping my eyes away from
the sunset reluctantly.
"I've been watching you."
Uh...thanks...I guess?
"What are you doing here?" he asked, almost
sharply.
I was taken aback, looking at him oddly, I
replied, "Well, I am-er, was-watching the sunset..."
"No, I mean here. Mystery Island."
"I was--"
"But you're planning on staying."
"How do you know all this?" I exclaimed desperately.
He leaned on to the pier's edging. "I've met
more than my share of people in my life. You start to learn a bit about the
way they move and talk. You're planning on staying. I can tell."
I scowled, at him, lowering my eyes.
"Well, what if I am?"
"You don't belong here," he said quietly, barely
enough for me to hear.
"What?"
"You don't belong here." This time he said
it stronger. "Your heart isn't here. It's somewhere else. This isn't where you
belong."
I was hurt. On the outside. But on the inside,
although I couldn't tell it at that moment, I was happy someone else had told
me to pack my bags, and not just my real voice.
"You know what?" I began, about to criticise
him, but then I stopped, and a smile spread over my face. "You know what?" I
repeated. "Thank you."
"My pleasure," he bowed his head and pressed
a Coconut God chain into my palm. I smiled up at him, only to find his back
to me, making his way down the wooden planks.
I nodded, merely for my own pleasure, and turned
and walked off the pier. When I arrived back at the hotel room, I smiled at
Omni and announced regally, "Omni? Pack your bags! We're leaving a day early!"
Puzzled, she raised her eyebrows at me.
"This isn't...where I belong," I said the words
slowly, as if confirming them for the first time. "I don't belong here, and
I think we need to get out before I get anymore attached."
I stopped for a moment. "I don't belong here,"
I repeated softly.
***
On the boat, I finished watching the sunset, as if completing my circle at
Mystery Island. And as the boat left, I knew I wouldn't be coming back. The
Tiki Man was right-this wasn't where I belonged, and I shouldn't even try. He
could see it in me, yet I hadn't seen it in me-how did that work out?"
I didn't realise it, but I fell asleep on the
deck that night. I woke when Omni wrapped me in a blanket and brought me to
our cabin. The warmth and safety that surrounded me and Tika snuggled in with
me reminded me that although I hadn't found my place in life, I had found my
people.
To be continued... | 
