Leona''s Unlucky Mission by Ahmet Zappa, Shana Muldoon Zappa & Ahmet Zappa Read Free Book Online

starmin for that fact to sink in.
    â€œYou mean you don’t have a desk? Or a cozy chair?” Leona gestured to her own desk and chair.
    â€œNo.” Ophelia shook her head. “I just sit…and work…on my bed.”
    â€œNo holo-screen?”
    â€œNo. I use my Star-Zap.”
    â€œNo
mirror
? Not even
one
?”
    Ophelia shrugged apologetically.
    â€œWhat about personal items?” She smiled, remembering some of Scarlet’s more “interesting” things—like her rather gruesome collection of globerbeem egg cases and her old moonmoth-eaten top hat and black velvet cape.
    â€œWell, I have the Wish Pendant Lady Cordial just gave me….”
    â€œOoh, let me see!” Leona said.
    Ophelia pulled up her plain yellow sleeve to reveal a thick metal bracelet studded with yellow star-shaped jewels.
    â€œNo way! I have a cuff, too!” exclaimed Leona. She showed Ophelia hers. “Startacular, no?” she said. “So…what else?” she asked eagerly.
    â€œWhat else?” Ophelia looked puzzled, so Leona explained by scooping up a cute little stuffed glion from her star-shaped beanbag chair. She tickled its chin and it purred. Then she ran her hand down its golden back. “Shine like the superstar you are!” it roared.
    Leona hugged it close. “This,” she said proudly, “is my Glionny. I’ve had him since I was a baby. He never says anything more than once.”
    â€œOoh! May I see him?” Ophelia asked. She held her hands out and Leona passed him to her. “Hello, Glionny,” she said, gingerly petting its star-studded mane.
    â€œGlow like you mean it!” the toy purred.
    â€œSee?” Leona said. “You must have some special things from home, too…?” Her voice trailed off.
    â€œNo…not really.” Ophelia kept her head down.
    â€œWhere are you from, anyway?” Leona asked.
    â€œI’m not exactly sure,” said Ophelia. “But I’ve lived in Starland City for as long as I can remember.”
    â€œOkay, first lesson,” said Leona. “Be proud of who you are—and that includes where you’re from! That’s one way to stand out. How amazing that you live in Starland City! I’m sure you’ve had so many incredible adventures. Unlike me—who’s from little old Flairfield.” She closed her eyes and pretended to snore. “Not that I’m not proud of it,” she said, her eyes popping open again. “Naturally, I am. But listen to this: can you believe I never once traveled farther than Flairfield Lake until I came here, to Starling Academy? For real! I
know
!” Leona groaned. “It’s my parents. Ugh.” She sighed. “They’re homebodies.” She rolled her eyes. “What can you do?” She smiled.
    â€œAll I can say,” Leona went on, “is thank the lucky stars I got into Starling Academy! Best day of my life—so far. My parents made it
very
clear that if I didn’t, it would be Flairfield High for me. Even when I got accepted, they asked me to think about giving up my place and staying home. Can you
imagine
? Pass up this chance? Has any Starling ever even done that before? Never once—I asked. Not that wish granting is my one goal in life, of course. Some Starlings could settle for that, but not me. As you can probably tell, I have lots of other talents.” She nodded toward her stage. “I’m kind of on my way to being a superstar, which is why Starland City is
the
place for me! Still…” Leona picked up a holo-picture from her bedside table and blew each member of her family a kiss. The people in the picture each blew one back. “I do miss my family a lot. Aren’t they cute?” She turned the picture so Ophelia could see her two little sisters, her two older brothers, and, in the middle of them all, her mom and dad. “But enough about me, already! I want