Cassie Comes Through Page 10

Crystal Mountains: The most beautiful mountains on Starland. They are located across the lake from Starling Academy.

  Cycle of Life: A Starling’s life span. When Starlings die, they are said to have “completed their Cycle of Life.”

  Drifting moonbug: A storytelling device meant to mislead the reader. Starland’s version of a red herring.

  Druderwomp: An edible barrel-like bush capable of pulling up its own roots and rolling like a tumbleweed, then planting itself again.

  Featherwhisper: A Starland dessert.

  Floating Wisp: A Starland dessert.

  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.

  Glitterberries: A sweet Starland fruit.

  Globerbeem: Large, friendly lightning bug–type insects that are sparkly and lay eggs.

  Glorange: A glowing orange fruit. Its juice is often enjoyed at breakfast time.

  Glowfur: A small, furry Starland creature with gossamer wings that eats flowers and glows.

  Good Wish Orbs: Orbs that are the result of positive wishes made on Wishworld. They are planted in Wish-Houses.

  Gossamerwisp: A Starland dessert.

  Green Globules: Green pellets that are fed to pet glowfurs. They don’t taste very good to Starlings.

  Half-moon pie: A Starland dessert.

  Halo Hall: The building where Starling Academy classes are held.

  Holo-dice: A holographic version of dice.

  Holo-text: A message received on a Star-Zap and projected into the air. There are also holo-albums, holo-billboards, holo-books, holo-cards, holo-communications, holo-diaries, holo-flyers, holo-letters, holo-papers, holo-pictures, and holo–place cards. Anything that would be made of paper or contain writing or images on Wishworld is a hologram on Starland.

  Hydrong: The equivalent of a Wishworld hundred.

  Illuminated Manuscript Technology: Also known as IMT, a new technology allowing a reader to view the action in a holo-book as the book is read aloud.

  Impossible Wish Orbs: Orbs that are the result of wishes made on Wishworld that are beyond the power of Starlings to grant.

  Isle of Misera: A barren rocky island off the coast of New Prism.

  Lightning Lounge: A place on the Starling Academy campus where students relax and socialize.

  Little Dipper Dormitory: Where first- and second-year students live.

  Luminous Lake: A serene and lovely lake next to the Starling Academy campus.

  Luminous Library: The impressive library at Starling Academy.

  Meepletile: A Starland creature closest in nature to a Wishworld reptile. It frequently sheds its skin.

  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.

  Moonium: An amount similar to a Wishworld million.

  Old Prism: A medium-sized historical city about an hour from Starling Academy.

  Power Crystal: The powerful stone that each Star Darling receives once she has granted her first wish.

  Purple piphany: A Starland flower with a distinctive fragrance.

  Shooting stars: Speeding stars that Starlings can latch on to and ride to Wishworld.

  Silverbella: An orb-shaped Starland flower with tiny pink and white petals that radiate from its center.

  Silver Blossom: The final manifestation of a Good Wish Orb. This glimmering metallic bloom is placed in the Hall of Granted Wishes.

  Solar Springs: A hilly small town in the countryside where Tessa and Gemma are from.

  Sparkle shower: An energy shower Starlings take every day to get clean and refresh their sparkling glow.

  Star ball: An intramural sport that shares similarities with soccer on Wishworld. But star ball players use energy manipulation to control the ball.

  Starbounce: Starland’s version of a trampoline.

  Starcar: The primary mode of transportation for most Starlings. These ultrasafe vehicles drive themselves on cushions of wish energy.

  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 City: The largest city on Starland, also its capital.

  Starlicious: Tasty, delicious.

  Starlings: The glowing beings with sparkly skin who live on Starland.

  Starmarble: An attractive stone used for surfaces in Starland architecture.

  Starpillows: A Starland dessert.

  Star Quad: The center of the Starling Academy campus. The dancing fountain, band shell, and hedge maze are located here.

  Star salutations: The Starling way to say “thank you.”

  Staryear: A period of 365 days on Starland, the equivalent of a Wishworld year.

  Star-Zap: The ultimate smartphone that Starlings use for all communications. It has myriad features.

  Stellar School: A rival of Starling Academy in star ball.

  Stellation: The point of a star. Halo Hall has five stellations, each housing a different department.

  Supernova: A stellar explosion. Also used colloquially, meaning “really angry,” as in “She went supernova when she found out the bad news.”

  Time of Letting Go: One of the four seasons on Starland. It falls between the warmest season and the coldest, similar to fall on Wishworld.

  Time of Lumiere: The warmest season on Starland, similar to summer on Wishworld.

  Time of New Beginnings: Similar to spring on Wishworld, this is the season that follows the coldest time of year; it’s when plants and trees come into bloom.

  Time of Shadows: The coldest season of the year on Starland, similar to winter on Wishworld.

  Toothlight: A high-tech gadget that Starlings use to clean their teeth.

  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.

  Wisher: The Wishling who has made the wish that is being granted.

  Wish-Granters: Starlings whose job is to travel down to Wishworld to help make wishes come true and collect wish energy.

  Wish-House: The place where Wish Orbs are planted and cared for until they sparkle. Once the orb’s wish is granted, it becomes a Wish Blossom.

  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. There 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.

  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 on their Wish Missions.

  Wishworld Surveillance Deck: Located high above the campus, it is where Starling Academy students go to observe Wishlings through high-powered telescopes.

  Zing: A traditional Starling breakfast drink. It can be enjoyed hot or iced.

  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.

  The incredible Barry Waldo, our SD partner. Sent to us from above in perfect timing. Your expertise and friendship are beyond words. We love you and Gary to the moon and back. Long live the manifestation room!

  Catherine Daly—the stars shined brightly upon us the day we aligned with you. Your talent and inspiration are otherworldly; our appreciation cannot be expressed in words. Many heartfelt hugs for you and the adorable Oonagh.

  To our beloved Disney family. Thank you for believing in us. Wendy Lefkon, our master guide and friend through this entire journey. Stephanie Lurie, for being the first to believe in Star Darlings. Suzanne Murphy, who helped every step of the way. Jeanne Mosure, we fell in love with you the first time we met, and Star Darlings wouldn’t be what it is without you. Andrew Sugerman, thank you so much for all your support.

  Our team…Devon (pony pants) and our Monsterfoot crew—so grateful. Richard Scheltinga—our angel and protector. Chris Abramson—thank you! Special appreciation to Richard Thompson, John LaViolette, Swanna, Mario, and Sam.

  To our friends old and new—we are so grateful to be on this rad journey that is life with you all. Fay. Jorja. Chandra. Sananda. Sandy. Kathryn. Louise. What wisdom and strength you share. Ruth, Mike, and the rest of our magical Wagon Wheel bunch—how lucky we are. How inspiring you are. We love you.

  Last—we have immeasurable gratitude for every person we’ve met along our journey, for all the good and the bad; it is all a gift. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you for touching our lives.

  Keep reading for a sneak peek at Star Darlings: Piper’s Perfect Dream!

  In her Little Dipper Dorm room, Piper finished her last holo-text. Then she swiped the screen on her Star-Zap to queue up all the messages. Star Kindness Day was the next day. A ceremony would be held in the morning, at precisely the moment the nighttime stars and the daytime sun could all be seen in the color-streaked sky.

  It happened in the morning only once a staryear. And all over Starland, Starlings met in open areas to gaze at the sight. Light energy flowed. Everyone smiled. They exchanged positive messages then and for the rest of the day—to loved ones, to strangers, and to everyone in between. Thoughtful compliments. Meaningful praise. Heartfelt affirmations. It was definitely Piper’s favorite holiday.

  At Starling Academy, all the students’ messages would go out at once, while everyone gathered in the Star Quad before class. Piper checked her holo-texts one last time. She had her own holiday tradition: styling her compliments into poetry. What better way to get a loving message across, she felt, than using language that lifted the spirit, too?

  That staryear, she’d worked especially hard on the poems. There had been many ups and downs for the Star Darlings. So much had happened already that year. All the SD missions—some successful, some not. So that day, of all days, Piper wanted her friends to feel good.

  Finally pleased with her efforts, Piper tossed her Star-Zap onto a neat pile of pillows on the floor. She’d played around with poetry ideas for starweeks. Should I use lightkus? she’d wondered first.

  That poetry originated from Lightku Isle, an isolated island with sandy, sparkling beaches, where the local Starlings spoke solely in those kinds of poems, spare and simple with only three lines of verse and seventeen syllables total.

  How they managed this without even trying was a wonder to Piper. She herself strove for an effortless state of being on a stardaily basis. But the lightkus proved too difficult and limiting. So Piper went with sunnets, rhyming poems that could be any length and meter but needed to include a source of light.

  The last staryear, when Piper was a relatively new first-year student, the holiday hadn’t gone quite the way she’d wanted. She had labored long and hard over those holo-texts then, too. She’d wanted to reach out to every single student at Starling Academy. She’d wanted each student to feel good after reading her text; appreciated, even loved, she’d hoped.

  She wrote one epic poem but it turned out to be so long and so serious no one bothered reading it. A hot flash of energy coursed through Piper, just remembering it. She’d felt like crying for stardays after.

  This staryear, she was determined to get it right. She decided to focus only on students she knew well, and that meant mostly the Star Darlings. She tried to make the poems fun and light, too. Zippy, you might say. No one would think Piper particularly zippy, she knew. She tended to move slowly and unhurriedly, taking in her surroundings to be fully in the moment. But of course she had her own inner energy. And maybe this year she managed to get that across in her poetry.

  Piper leaned back against her soft pillow, closed her eyes, and visualized each of her friends’ smiling faces as they read her special words of encouragement. Well, maybe Scarlet and Leona wouldn’t exactly be smiling. Even with her failed mission well in the past and band rehearsals on again, Leona was just beginning to bounce back.

  As for Scarlet, she’d had an amazing kind of mission. After being booted out of the Star Darlings, she’d brought back wish energy and basically saved her substitute SD, Ophelia, in the bargain.

  Still, it was hard to get a read on Scarlet. Piper wasn’t sure what the older Starling was really thinking. One thing was crystal clear, though: Scarlet didn’t like rooming with Leona. And Leona felt the same about Scarlet. Even when those poisonous flowers were removed from the girls’ dorm rooms so they couldn’t spread negativity, those two just couldn’t get along.

  Yes, there was a lot happening at the academy, and on Starland itself. That recent blackout after Cassie’s mission, for instance, had thrown everyone off balance. Even the teachers weren’t immune. Headmistress Lady Stella, usually so calm and serene—and an inspiration to Piper—seemed a little edgy. And the head of admissions, Lady Cordial, was stammering and hemming and hawing more than usual.

  Now, more than ever, everyone needed to be centered and positive. So really, this was the perfect time for Star Kindness Day.

  As Piper thought about everything, her stomach did an unexpected flip. Maybe she should send a positive poem to herself! She stretched to pick up her Star-Zap without lifting her head, then tapped the self-holo-text feature.

  Piper’s picture popped up in the corner of the screen: a serene, faraway expression on her face, thin seafoam-green eyebrows matching long straight seafoam-green hair, and big green eyes looking into the distance.

  For the holo-photo, Piper had pulled her hair back in a ponytail. The ends reached well below her waist. Her expression was as calm as when she swam in Luminous Lake. And that was how she wanted to feel now. Centered and peaceful and wonderfully relaxed. What poem would bring her that mind-set?

  Like the calm at the center of the storm… Piper began writing. Then she paused. What rhymed with storm? The Little Dipper Dorm, where first and second years lived!

  Like the calm at the center of the storm,

  Floating like a breeze through the Little Dipper Dorm.

  Again, Piper stopped to think.

  With dreams as your guiding light…

  (Piper was a big believer in dreams holding life truths.)

  Your thoughts bring deep insight.

/>   It wasn’t her best work, Piper knew. But it was getting late and she was growing tired. Piper liked to get the most sleep possible. After all, it was the startime of day when the body and mind regrouped and reconnected. Sure, she’d had her regular afternoon nap, but sometimes that just wasn’t enough.

  Piper focused on dimming the lights, and a starsec later, the white light faded to a soft, comforting shade of green, conducive to optimal rest. Piper shared a room with Vega, but each girl’s side was uniquely her own.

  Piper knew Vega was getting ready for bed, too. But it felt like she had her own secluded space, far removed from her roommate and the hustle and bustle of school. Everything was soft and fluid here. There wasn’t one sharp edge in sight.

  Piper’s water bed was round; her pillows (dozens of them) were round. Her feathery ocean-blue throw rug and matching comforter were round. Even her leafy green plants were in pretty round bowls. And each one gave off a soothing scent that calmed and renewed her.

  “Sleep tight, good night, don’t let the moonbugs bite,” Vega called out.

  “Starry dreams,” Piper replied softly. She heard Vega opening and closing drawers, neatening everything into well-organized groups, and stacking holo-books in her orderly way. Everyone had their own sleep rituals, Piper knew, and she did admire the way Vega kept her side neat. A place for everything, and everything in its place.

  Piper reached to the floor, scooping up another pillow—this one had turquoise tassels and a pattern of swirls—and tucking it behind her head. Then she realized with a start she was still wearing her day clothes: a long sleeveless dress made from glimmerworm silk. It could, in fact, pass as a nightgown. Piper’s day clothes weren’t all that different from her night ones. But Piper believed in the mind-body connection—in this case, changing clothes to change her frame of mind.

  Piper slipped on a satiny nightgown, with buttons as soft as glowmoss running from top to bottom. Then she misted the room with essence of dramboozle, a natural herb that promoted sweet dreams and comforting sleep. Next in her bedtime ritual came the choosing of the sleep mask. That night she sifted through her basket of masks, choosing one that pictured a stand of gloak trees. It was a wonderful balance of strength and beauty, Piper thought.