Starstruck

     "Not at all," Mira wisely cut him off, suppressing a small smile.

     Team Kreludor watched in silence as across the Function Pod their superior and the Space Faerie chatted about the ongoing festivities. Wegg was just bewildered. As the son of Xarthab's top Advisor, the younger Orange Grundo had heard countless legendary tales surrounding the defender of the galaxy fighting the forces of darkness. So seeing Mira at a party was a bit... odd. Kevix was struggling to contain his excitement. She was her. Actually her. The Blue Grundo never thought he'd get the chance to thank her in person for saving all of Grundo-kind. Jurin and Coco just looked at each other. Then at Derlyn. Who was frozen to the spot.

     The same five words circling through her mind.

     Do not say anything dumb.

     As the duo approached, the words kept getting louder and louder.

     "This is our Yooyuball Team... the one I mentioned in the dispatch," the Chairpet began a little sheepishly as the Purple Gnorbu's teammates formed an orderly line to the side of her before declaring with much ado, "Team Kreludor!" With a grin, the elder Orange Grundo pointed out each player and introduced them one at a time, "This is our Captain and left-sided defender, Derlyn Fonnet. Our goalkeeper and the team's second-in-command, Jurin T. Our right-sided defender and youngest member, Coco Metrone. Oh and of course, our 'Twin Grundo Terrors' as the media have dubbed them - right forward, Zenor Kevix and left forward, Qlydae Wegg."

     "Ah, yes," Mira smiled warmly, glad to at last put faces to the names that she had read about. Turning to the Purple Gnorbu, her empathic abilities activated and she could feel a wave of intense negative emotions emanating from the scared pet. But the Space Faerie kept smiling. As someone who often wandered the galaxy alone for long periods of time and for the most part enjoyed the solitude, she got it. She really did. Shaking Derlyn by the paw, she spoke kindly, "Your Chairpet, Rigel, has told me all about you all in great detail. You and your team have accomplished a great feat and should be incredibly proud of yourselves."

     Derlyn nodded. It was all she could do.

     That and feel her heart sink as Mira moved on to talk to Jurin.

     -----

     Leaving Wegg in deep conversation with the Space Faerie and the guests who had gathered around to witness the meeting of two very different minds, Kevix retreated from the fold with a full heart. Anypet who counselled against meeting your heroes had clearly never met Mira before. He was so happy that he almost stumbled straight into one of the empty chairs that had been laid out for the forthcoming meal. Spotting the table assigned to Team Kreludor - directly in front of the stage - and that his remaining teammates had already taken their seats, the Blue Grundo meandered around the place-settings towards his friends with a bounce in his step.

     Arriving at the table with a large grin on his face, the right forward just couldn't help but wax lyrical about Chairpet Rigel's special guest, "Okay so like this isn't the best day of my life because well, you know, and then you've got us winning the Cup and all but this is definitely a solid Top Five moment and probably third?" He was far from finished. "I just can't believe how nice she is! I mean, obviously she's nice. She was never not going to be nice. Like, duh. But she's just SO nice. And kind. And amazing. And..." Kevix trailed off upon noticing his Captain. And realising he hadn't quite read the room.

     Sat hunched over the table with her head buried in her arms, Derlyn was mortified.

     Placing a hand on her shoulder, a seated Jurin consoled, "It wasn't that bad, Dee."

     "Yes. It was," came the muffled reply. The Purple Gnorbu wasn't angry at herself... she was disappointed. She couldn't remember the last time something like that had gone that badly wrong. Though that was probably because in recent times she was far more likely to just say what she wanted - then be angry and/or disappointed at herself for what she said afterwards if the need arose. She hadn't had a meeting this seemingly important for some while... which explained why she wound up taking the other option. Derlyn groaned. "This is just what I was talking about before. I overthought. And I froze." The Red Ruki sighed before patting her on the back. He hated seeing her like this.

     As did the Blue Grundo. Placing his hands on the table, Kevix leant over to make sure that his Captain could hear him, "Seriously, Dee, I wouldn't worry about it. Mira is like the most famous Faerie in the whole entire galaxy. She probably has pets freeze up in front of her all the time." The left defender breathed in then slowly out. Her friend was right. The Space Faerie's mere presence caused wonder and awe wherever she went. And if the number of little kids Team Kreludor had signed autographs for over the years who had froze up was anything to go by then it probably was pretty common. Slowly sitting up, she smiled at the right forward for the epiphany.

     On cue, an Alien Aisha waiter arrived with a little trolley loaded up with all manner of food for the celebratory meal. Every place-setting was carefully served a large plate containing a main course of a Duck Neck alongside a heaping pile of Mashed Potatoes with Strawberry Sauce. So as not to make a second trip, everypet was also provided with an Octopus Ice Cream Platter as a dessert. To a decidedly mixed response. The thought of happily tucking into his meal caused Kevix to remember what was scheduled to come after. A thought that elicited a small jump as he remembered what he was supposed to be doing. "Oh, right, I totally forgot." Derlyn and Jurin looked at their teammate. "Uh..."

     "Uh?" she queried in a concerned tone, narrowing her eyes.

     He gulped. "Rigel said something about wanting you to say a few words?"

     The duo's eyes widened in shock. That did not sound like the Chairpet one bit. The Chairpet who was adamant that Derlyn wasn't going to talk to any of the dignitaries so as not to jeopardise any important or pending sponsorship arrangements. The Chairpet who had made it clear that if he wanted to hear Derlyn's opinion on how the Federation was run he would ask for it. And the Chairpet who quite liked getting on any kind of stage and giving elaborate, self-congratulatory speeches all of his own. That Chairpet? As far as Jurin was concerned, there was only one possible explanation. "I think the Space Faerie broke his brain." All his Captain could do was facepalm.

     Kevix sighed. Before realising his other teammate had been unusually quiet throughout. Turning to the seated Spotted Ogrin, the Blue Grundo was taken aback. "Coco?" he spoke softly, his worried tone catching the duo by surprise, "Are you... are you okay?"

     Turning to the right defender, the Purple Gnorbu and Red Ruki were left in shock as they watched her face turn the same green hue as the Fish Pop that she had been eating earlier. Bending over, Coco held her stomach in her arms and let out a low, rumbling, "UGGGHHHH." She had been feeling queasy since meeting the Space Faerie, putting it down to maybe having the odd Lightmite in her stomach. But the strong, strawberry smell of the sauce slowly dripping down the fluffy white potatoes had tipped her over the edge. "I don't feel so good," she groaned loudly, closing her eyes in anguish.

     Dragging her chair closer to her friend, Derlyn then placed a paw on her shoulder. "Coco." Her fellow defender opened her eyes and turned to her Captain. "How many Fish Pops did you eat?" she asked gently, sure that was the source of her counterpart's discomfort.

     The Spotted Ogrin furrowed her brow in thought. "I-I don't know..." she conceded, having been enjoying them too much to keep track, "...three? Four, maybe?" Closing her eyes again, she couldn't stop herself from letting out another low, rumbling, "'UGGGHHHH."

     "That'll do it," Jurin muttered, wincing at the thought.

     His Captain frowned. She didn't disagree. "You're going to be okay," the Purple Gnorbu reassured her teammate, wrapping her arm around her shoulders, "I promise." Turning her head to her opposite side, she addressed her goalkeeper and second-in-command, "Jurin, you're in charge." The Red Ruki nodded. "If Rigel asks where we are, tell him that we've gone to the Medical Pod. And if he asks why, just tell him that the Octopus didn't sit well with me."

     "Right."

     "Kevix." The Blue Grundo stood to attention. "Talk to whichever Alien Aisha is in charge of the catering and tell them to pull the Fish Pops," Derlyn requested, "discretely. Grundos have a stronger metabolism than us Neopia-based pets so it's not worth causing a panic over but at the same time we have some pretty important folk here so it's better to be safe than sorry." The last thing she wanted was Team Kreludor's victory celebration to cause an intergalactic diplomatic spat between Faerieland and the Hegemony.

     "On it."

     "Coco?" she turned back to her fellow defender, "Can you walk?"

     "I... think so."

     Gently pulling her counterpart out of her chair and onto her feet, the Purple Gnorbu encouraged the Spotted Ogrin as best as she could as she supported her towards the exit of the Function Pod, "You've got this. Just take one step at a time." Much to her relief, the majority of the assembled guests were more interested in the food being served by the Alien Aisha waiters than the duo and they were able to somewhat gingerly slip away.

     -----

     Down the maze of orange rectangular corridors and blue spherical pods that made up the Orange Central Moon Base, the Medical Pod was where Grundos from all across the moon could come to have their ailments and injuries cared for until they were well enough to bounce atop the cratered surface once more. With Assessment Rooms, an In-Patient Ward and a fully stocked Pharmacy, it was well equipped to deal with anything from a nasty Moon Dust allergy to a meteorite wedged in an antennae after a hearty game of Spacerocked. When it came to dealing with pets not of Kreludor, the Staff made sure to liaise with their counterparts at the Neopian General Hospital in Neopia Central to deliver the best care possible. Even if they weren't exactly sure what an Ogrin was.

     Sat on the corridor floor outside of the entrance to the Medical Pod, Derlyn turned to her fellow defender who was sat beside her. Much to the Purple Gnorbu's relief, whatever was in the foul-smelling concoction the Doctor had given to the Spotted Ogrin seemed to have worked as the green hue had left her cheeks. Still though. She was concerned. "Feeling any better?" she approached the subject carefully, not wanting to make things any worse if her teammate did not.

     "Yeah," Coco replied a little shakily but sounding more like her usual self than she had earlier on, "thanks, Dude." The Lightmites in her stomach were well and truly gone - but they had been replaced by something else. The right defender sighed. Taking their place was a pang of guilt. "I'm just sorry you're missin' your big night because of me," she apologised, alluding to how at that very moment Qlydae Wegg was probably giving the grandiose speech that her Captain ought to have been.

     The left defender wrinkled her freckled nose before shaking her head. "Don't be sorry!" she insisted, her upbeat tone taking her friend by surprise, "It's not your fault." Derlyn wasn't sure who had thought it was a good idea to allow the catering Alien Aishas free reign on designing a bespoke menu for the celebrations but she did know there was a reason why their delicacies were often seen as being gross back on Neopia. "And besides," she conceded, trying to further reassure her recovering colleague, "you did me a favour, really. I didn't want to make that speech anyway."

     Confused, the Spotted Ogrin wrinkled her own nose. "Why not?" she chirped up, catching her Captain off guard, "You're an excellent public speaker?" As far as Coco was concerned, the Press Room was always a blast when Derlyn was on Interview Duty. For better or worse.

     It was the Purple Gnorbu's turn to be confused. "I'm really not," she sighed, turning away and fixing her focus through the ceiling-length window opposite to the endless black void beyond, "I always end up saying something..." The left defender trailed off for a moment. "...dumb." Her eyes fell to the corridor's riveted floor. She had heard that word one too many times that evening.

     Coco was aghast that she could think such a thing. She wasn't having it. She was getting to the bottom of this. "And who decides it's dumb?" she pried, narrowing her eyes trying to think of a culprit, "JT?" There weren't many pets that her Captain felt comfortable opening up to. Everypet knew that the Red Ruki was her oldest and closest friend. Maybe he had been the one to plant this Bad Seed in the back of her mind before it had grown out of control?

     "No," Derlyn dismissed out of paw, "Jay never thinks it's... dumb." Much like on the Yooyuball field, off it her goalkeeper and second-in-command always had her back. His loyalty was the thing that she valued most from their many years of friendship. With how loyal the Purple Gnorbu was by nature, it had taken a long time to find pets that reciprocated that feeling. But she had that at Team Kreludor. And it was something that she would always be grateful for. Even if it didn't always feel deserved. "Though," she mumbled to herself but still just loud enough for her friend to overhear,"I think he's become immune to it over the years..."

     Somewhat relieved, the right defender unnarrowed her eyes. "So..." she queried softly, having realised this was more of a deep rooted problem, "...other pets think it's dumb?" Her Captain nodded solemnly. "But you never care what other pets think about you... like, ever! And you always tell us not too either." Derlyn sighed. That last part was true at least. "You know, life's too short to let the haters get in the way. You can't change who you are so be proud of it. Make your weaknesses your strengths. I mean, I know I'm paraphrasin' and all but..."

     "That's different."

     "Dude, it's not!" Coco implored, causing her teammate to look back over towards her, "How you talk is just as much a part of who you are as your freckles or your red hair or your giant heart." And raise an eyebrow. "Whenever you say summit rude or mean you always apologise because you're a good pet but dumb? Who's to say it's dumb? You shouldn't care. Just say what you want." The Spotted Ogrin shrugged as she added, "And if the Press have a field day then fine. Gives them summit to write about." She meant every word of it. She wasn't having her Captain doubt her own eloquence. As... unpredictable as it could be at times.

     There was a short pause.

     "Profound," Derlyn responded with a wry smile.

     "I try," her teammate snortled, before poking her with her elbow.

     The Purple Gnorbu sighed softly. Coco was right, of course. She had heard something similar from Jurin on more than one occasion but hearing it from the Spotted Ogrin as well helped her realise that it was true. It's just... it was easier said than done. At least she had a shiny Altador Cup Winners Medal that she could point to if anypet doubted what she had to say again. And she could almost feel an invisible weight lighten a little bit from her shoulders. But still. "You will live to regret that advice though," Derlyn pointed out, with a smirk, "you do realise?"

     "Probably," she snortled again.

     Spotting a flash of blue out of the corner of her eye, the left defender turned her head and watched in silent shock as the Space Faerie walked down the orange corridor towards them. Her light blue wings and navy tights twinkling under the Moon Base's artificial lights. Another sharp jab in her ribs snapped Derlyn back to reality just in time for Mira to greet them both with a kindly smile, "Hello there." Turning to the youngster, she remarked, "Coco Metrone, I sensed that you were in great discomfort earlier on. Now, though, I feel that has changed. Please tell me that you are feeling well again?"

     "Yeah," the right defender replied with a grin, jumping up from the floor, "I'm fine now, thanks!" Still a little wobbly from the events of the evening, she quickly found herself being held up by her now-standing Captain. Derlyn unwilling to allow her friend to land on her tail.

     Finally finding her voice in front of the Space Faerie, the Purple Gnorbu just about managed to ask their most esteemed guest, "H-How did you know where we were?" Empathic abilities or not, the Orange Central Moon Base could feel labyrinthine at times.

     "Qlydae Wegg kept me informed," responded Mira, impressed with his diligence.

     Derlyn couldn't help but smile. She was too.

     The End.