Starstruck

     A celebratory air had swept through the thin atmosphere of Kreludor, the inhabitants of the Orange Central Moon Base in particular being ready to party like it was Y10 all over again. Neopia's moon just hadn't been this jubilant since the end of the Kreludan Civil War and the defeat of the Doctor who had triggered the whole torrid affair to begin with. The cause? After finishing in the Top Four of the Altador Cup for the past couple of seasons, Team Kreludor finally came out on top and won Altador Cup VII. To the delight of their fans both on and off-world - and the annoyance of those who believed that the new brackets system had dented their own teams' hopes.

     Not that Chairpet Rigel's hope could ever be dented. The Orange Grundo who led the Kreludan Yooyuball Federation (alongside his personally appointed Board, hence his title change since the early days of the Cup) had never once wavered in his fervent belief that his team would win the Altador Cup. It wasn't so much an expectation but a requirement. And so, of course, he had a party all ready to go.

     Down one of the many orange corridors of the Moon Base, the Spaced Inn had been greeting travellers from near and far long before contact had been established with the surface of Neopia. With the peace of the past few years and the guaranteed income from the Federation bulk-renting out its quarters for use by its players and staff, the hotel had expanded from one blue pod into many. It was in their Function Pod that the festivities were well underway. With a small stage at the far end of the orb-like structure for the later speeches surrounded by tables and chairs for the victory banquet, the rest of the room was full of staff members and dignitaries all congratulating themselves on a job well done as bow tie-clad Alien Aisha waiters circulated with platters of exotic delicacies.

     It was all a bit overwhelming for Jurin T., Team Kreludor's goalkeeper and second-in-command. He almost wished that he had four arms rather than four legs to keep up with all the Grundos who wanted to shake him by the hand. Surrounded on all sides by well-wishers, the Red Ruki's eyes darted in all directions to find an exit - only to spot in the distance a downcast Derlyn Fonnet leant against the wall of the blue pod with her arms tightly crossed. Her teammate frowned. Only to be snapped back to reality by yet another autograph request. Having signed the Referee in a Box, Jurin managed to wriggle free from his fans and head over to his black tuxedo-clad Captain to make sure that she was doing okay.

     "Snazzy," the Purple Gnorbu remarked with a smile as he approached.

     "Huh?" He stopped before blinking twice and looking down. "Oh. Yeah," Jurin chuckled softly, having momentarily forgotten that he hadn't had a chance to show off his new outfit to his best friend yet. "When I wrote to my Mum telling her all about our Altador Cup victory and this bash," he explained, grinning, "she insisted on sending me some new robes." The Red Ruki was wearing a white, long-sleeved ankle-length robe from his homeland of the Lost Desert, coupled with a black, long-sleeved ankle-length cloak with golden banding that twinkled under the artificial lights of the Moon Base.

     "Well, they look great," Derlyn grinned back, happy to see him so happy.

     "Thanks!" her deputy replied cheerily before changing the subject back to his Captain, "What are you doing all the way over here though?" Her grin quickly faded. "This is your party too. You should be out there with us." Jurin gestured towards the crowd that he had only just escaped from, causing Derlyn's eyes to be drawn to the sight of the Twin Grundo Terrors. A black tuxedo-clad Zenor Kevix was just about managing to enjoy all of the attention his exploits had earned him despite his generally quiet nature but Qlydae Wegg was very much in his element. Donning a custom-made, deep orange three-piece suit, the Orange Grundo was having the time of his life. And would be impossible to live with from now on.

     "Yeah... no." The left defender wrinkled her freckled nose. "You know that's not really my thing." Her goalkeeper sighed softly. He knew. He just didn't want her to miss out on the acclaim that she deserved. As overwhelming as it was. "Besides..." Derlyn trailed off, a frown appearing as her eyes drifted to the blue floor below.

     Jurin frowned too. This was different. "...Dee? What's up?"

     She looked up. And was characteristically blunt. "Rigel wants me to keep my mouth shut." Noting the Red Ruki's surprise at her words, the Purple Gnorbu gestured vaguely at the many Moon Balloons and Nova Lights garlands dangling from the Function Pod's domed ceiling as she elaborated further, "He's using this whole... soiree to attract new sponsors for the team and thinks that I'll scare them off." Before sighing heavily and leaning back on the blue wall once more.

     Her teammate wrinkled his brow. That sounded like the Chairpet alright. Which was why that wasn't what had caused Jurin's surprise. "Since when did you care what he thinks?" he responded pointedly, alluding to his Captain's notoriously fraught relationship with the higher-ups who ran the Kreludan Yooyuball Federation like their own miniature galactic empire, "Or, like, listen to him... at all?"

     Derlyn's frown wasn't budging. "We need sponsors, Jay," she replied plainly, refusing to be drawn into any conversation regarding the competency or otherwise of their superiors. He knew very well what side of the debate she was on. "I want a purpose-built training base. I do not want to use Grundo's Gym forever. The only way the Federation will ever be able to afford one is if we get some real sponsorship deals through the door. And..." She trailed off again, crossing her arms whilst doing so.

     "And?" He persisted, wanting to know what this was really all about.

     "He's not wrong." The left defender paused then muttered, "For once."

     The goalkeeper wasn't having it. "Come on!"

     "Don't 'come on' me!" the Purple Gnorbu snapped before grumbling something about proving her own point, much to the Red Ruki's amusement. Her eyes dropping back to the blue floor, Derlyn adopted a far more sombre tone. "You know I don't have a... filter." Jurin's levity faded as he listened closely to his Captain and best friend. "It all just... comes out. Which, yeah, is fine on a Yooyuball pitch or even in Training but the rest of the time?" She shook her head. "It either all comes out or I overthink every little word and nothing comes out at all. It's been that way since I was a little kid. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, it just... stays the same."

      "Well," Jurin replied, with a small smile, "I, for one, have always appreciated your honesty."

     Derlyn glared at him. That was something she could control.

     "Seriously." His smile wasn't shifting. "Dee, your candour is one of your best qualities."

     Her expression softened. It wasn't the first time her second-in-command had said something along those lines. Something about it being a good thing that she was such an open book as it meant that they were always on the same page? The Purple Gnorbu couldn't quite remember. She wasn't good at taking compliments. She sighed gently, much to her teammate's relief. "Thanks, Jay," the left defender finally responded with a smile after gathering her thoughts, "but I can't imagine anypet else agrees with you on that."

     "DUDE!!" interjected a loud voice from across the room, its owner bounding over towards her two teammates with her usual high levels of enthusiasm. However in his element, Wegg may have been with his newfound adulation, Coco Metrone was equally unfazed. The right defender though wasn't interested in the plaudits. It was just that she was pretty much unfazed by just about anything. The only cloud on her horizon in recent times had been the injury she had picked up whilst skateboarding ahead of Altador Cup VII and her fears it would affect the team's performance. Fears that had proven to be completely unfounded. Meaning her sunny disposition was very much back.

     "Oh, hey Coco," Derlyn acknowledged nonchalantly, having grown accustomed to the Spotted Ogrin's exuberant nature over the many years that they had played together. Having personally recruited the youngster from the Neopian Central Leagues after the departure of Vignacio following the inaugural Altador Cup, the Purple Gnorbu was proud of how far she had come in her Yooyuballing Development. Even if her play was a little... unorthodox at times. But, then again, so was Coco.

     Having greeted her Captain with a warm embrace, the right defender realised her goalkeeper was present too. Visibly impressed by his attire, she beamed, "Heya, JT! Lookin' good."

     'JT' wasn't so used to it. As laid back as the Red Ruki was most of the time, Coco seemed to have the unique ability to make him jump. Which was saying something as he'd played with the Purple Gnorbu for far longer. "Thanks, Coco," he replied, a little breathless, before alluding to her own outfit, "you too." The Spotted Ogrin was wearing a black tie-less black tuxedo, just like her teammates. Having got wind of Chairpet Rigel's planned festivities before leaving Altador, Derlyn had taken both the youngsters on her team to the tailors Prigpants and Swolthy in Neovia on the advice of her penpal 'Brains' Mortigan in order to get some formalwear made. Regardless of their misgivings. "Uh..." he muttered, noticing a 'treat' in her paw, "...what's that?"

     The right defender looked at the frozen tuna perched atop a brown wooden stick before grinning. "A Fish Pop!" Her teammates looked perplexed, so she waved at the caterers before continuing, "The little green guys are handing them out to everypet!" Their concerns were not allayed. "It's sooo yummy!" she insisted, oblivious, "I can go get one for ya, if you want?"

     "No... no, I'm good," Jurin winced, his Captain also declining the offer with a polite shake of the head.

     "More for me then!" Coco snortled before taking a chop out of her ordoeuvre, causing her teammates to look at each other from the corners of their eyes.

     -----

     Zenor Kevix looked up at the domed ceiling of the blue pod, his scarlet eyes transfixed on the Nova Lights garlands that were stretched between the hexagons that made up the room's structure. The Function Pod was windowless. There was no view of the Virtupets Space Station in sight. And yet. He felt at home. The Blue Grundo smiled at the glistening decorations. He had long since drawn weary of his best friend's showboating. There were only so many times he could hear Qlydae Wegg recount his title-winning goal... even if the huddled crowd seemed to get even more excited with each retelling. So he had taken a step back. And had decided to just take it all in instead.

     "Hey Kev," called out Derlyn to her right forward as she, Coco and Jurin approached from across the room. With most of the Federation's staff and the invited dignitaries in deep conversation with each other or swept up in the Orange Grundo's grandiose anecdotes, the trio arrived without any fanfare.

     "Hey guys!" Kevix greeted them warmly, even if he was slightly surprised that his Captain would risk being inundated by a wave of good wishes. He couldn't help but smile nervously. His inner introvert empathised greatly. "Uh... great party, eh?" the Blue Grundo attempted small talk, his voice only slightly breaking with the unease he felt at the scale of the festivities. Racious crowds of Yooyuball fans he could quite happily contend with, having become accustomed to boisterous background noise with growing up on the Virtupets Space Stations both in times of peace and... otherwise. Being in the raucous crowd though? It didn't bring back the best of memories.

     The Purple Gnorbu could sense his discomfort and was glad that she could change the subject for him. Crossing her arms yet again, she struck a solemn silhouette in stark contrast with the jolly atmosphere all around. "What have you heard about this surprise Rigel has planned for us?" the left defender spoke in a careful tone so that only the four of them would hear her. Though she wasn't a fan of surprises herself, Derlyn was well aware that this party wasn't for her but for the wider Federation and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin it for anypet else. She was just... concerned. Given what the Chairpet was capable of and his... occasionally over-the-top demeanour.

     He was taken aback. "Surprise?"

     Coco nodded before gesturing in Wegg's general direction and elaborating on her Captain's behalf, "Yeah, a surprise. I was talkin' to Grun-bro earlier on and he mentioned it? 'Never said what it was about but said that the Chairpet told him. Figured I'd ask the Cap about it but that was the first she'd heard of it." The Spotted Ogrin shrugged. She loved surprises so didn't share her fellow defender's concerns. Even if she did find it a little odd Rigel hadn't run it past the Purple Gnorbu first.

     Tilting his head to the side ever so slightly, Kevix was perplexed, "First I've heard about it too." Despite his quiet manner, he loved surprises too. Especially the bad ones. Or more precisely, the ones that were meant to be good but went really badly wrong. Yeah, those. Deep down, he had a terribly impish sense of humour and may have gotten into more than one prank war with his fellow youngster. All good-natured, of course. Though aware of Derlyn's displeasure at them, he knew what he had to do. Turning around and slipping between members of the crowd that Wegg had garnered for himself, the Blue Grundo grabbed his best friend by the arm and pulled him out of the spotlight.

     Much to the Orange Grundo's annoyance.

     "Seriously?!" the left forward snapped at his counterpart as he watched his legion of fans quickly dissipate, some towards the meandering Alien Aishas and their mouth-watering morsels with the rest deciding to head over to their tables as it wouldn't be too long before their meal would be served. Coming to a halt and spotting his Captain, Wegg's mood fouled further. Not even victory in the Altador Cup had managed to mend the strained relations between the left defender and her teammate. They were just incompatible. "Hrm." And it would take a lot more than a shiny trophy to build a bridge between the pair. "What now, Fonnet?"

     Derlyn lowered her eyebrows. "Surprise. Spill."

     He rolled his yellow eyes. She never changed. "If I knew, it wouldn't be a surprise then would it?" Wegg retorted sharply, enjoying the freedom the off-season brought. She may have been his Captain and the de facto Head Coach of Team Kreludor but it would be a good few weeks at least until the Orange Grundo was going to be forced to pay any attention to what she had to say again. Spotting a glaring Kevix in the corner of his vision though caused him to soften his tone ever so slightly. Upsetting the Purple Gnorbu was one thing but regardless of how many fans the Blue Grundo pulled him away from, he wasn't one to cross his best friend. He sighed. "All he'd say was that it was a special guest."

     "Huh," she responded, somewhat relieved that it wasn't a glowing statue of the team made out of unstable Kreludite or something equally out there. Still. Now her curiosity was piqued. "It can't be Xarthab," the Purple Gnorbu reasoned, placing her chin on the back of her paw whilst in deep thought," as he's still in Altador with your father talking to the King and his Council. I wonder if it's Zorlix?" Now that was a thought. Having been established by the council of the Orange Central Moon Base during the height of the Kreludan Civil War, Team Kreludor's popularity in the moon's southern hemisphere and amongst Purple Grundos in general had taken a little while to grow. By Cup VII though things were going well and a public event with Zorlix was arguably overdue.

     All this pondering caused Wegg to wrinkle his brow. "Can't you just relax for once?" he interrupted, unable to believe the conversation that they were having, "You're acting like we came last!" She should have been happy. She should have been celebrating. But no. She was ruminating. As always. One of the many, many words of wisdom that his father had told him over the years was that you should never let success change who you are. Which, yeah. Sure. But boy did the Orange Grundo wish that it had changed Derlyn. He could tell next year's training was going to be just as painfully long and boring as this year's. But this was the off-season. "Have some fun for a change!"

     His Captain scowled in response. Team Kreludor's success was down to good strategy and just how well-drilled the players were. Her inability to 'just relax' arguably played a large part in that and it was not something that she was willing to apologise for. Some of the indirect consequences of it yes but generally no. The way the left defender saw things, as long as she was on the moon she was the face of the Federation and therefore on duty. Placing her hands on her hips, she responded angrily, "I'll 'relax' when I'm on a quiet mountain trail somewhere." An awkward silence descended as her teammates all looked at her. Not even Jurin had expected her to say that. "What?" she mumbled, taken aback at the stares, "I like hiking."

     "Ooo!" Coco grinned as she clasped her paws together in excitement, "Dude, we should totally go bouldering together sometime!"

     "Now, see, that sounds like fun," Derlyn replied with a chuckle before directing a smirk at Wegg to wind him up further. The left forward rolled his eyes again, refusing to take the bait. To Kevix and Jurin's shared relief.

     Suddenly, the room went silent.

     Eyes darting around, the members of Team Kreludor wondered what was going on.

     The Orange Grundo was the first to spot the Chairpet's special guest.

     "Whoa."

     Wrinkling her freckled nose, his Captain turned around to face the entrance.

     And gasped.

To be continued…