The Star in My Eye

Chapter One

Six Slender Points

"Get over here!" Scorpion roared, harpooning the Joker and dragging him across the battlefield.

I worked frantically, looking for the combo to get off of Scorpion's line, before the ninja sent me soaring through the air with a mighty kick.  Scorpion raised his hands to the sky, and a column of fire erupted from under my priceless shoes.

"FINISH HIM!" the game roared, prompting Scorpion to simply clone himself and beat me around the arena for a few more seconds before stopping, spearing the camera, and screaming "Come here!", drop-kicking the camera back to a distance.

"God dammit," I muttered, Zane sitting on the other end of the couch smugly.

"SCORPION WINS!"

I tossed my controller over to him and stood.

"Later broseph.  I'm sapped."

My brother's jaw dropped, and he got up as well.

"But duuude, I'm not finished whupin' your haunky white clown-ass."

I laughed.

"You're whiter than I am."

"Not in the game!"

I shrugged, and started walking back to my room.

"Play DCUniverseOnline or something.  I'm done."

He waved me off, moving to turn off the PlayStation 3.

"Well, if you aren't gonna play then it won't be any fun.  I might as well go to bed too."

I shrugged again, and continued to bed.  I picked up my several sketchpads, adding them to my unruly pile of papers next to my bed, and straightened out my fleece blanket.  A few minutes later, Zane came into the room, shut off the light, and laid on his cot(he had decided that he was too good for a bulky mattress).  Once the light was off, I realized that the window blinds were open.  This picked at my OCD, but I was too lazy to get up and fix it.

"Zane."

"Mmm?"

"Close the blinds."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Now."

"Nooo..."

"Argh.  Rainbow Dash.  Close the blinds."

"... No."

I burst out laughing.  I hadn't expected Zane to answer to that.  I quieted myself, and ignored that mental itching to fix the abnormality in the room.  Instead, I looked out the window and up at the moon, appreciating the fact that we didn't live in a city.  Suddenly I frowned.  I don't know why, but something also seemed off about the sky... it was when my gaze shifted back to the moon that I realized why.  You know that star, always the first one out, always closest to the moon?  The one you wish on?  I noticed, that night, that that star had points.  Six slender points, oddly familiar, though I was unable to place it.  I shook off the deja vu and rolled over, only to look back out the window again a few minutes later.

I mean... why not?

So I looked into the star, the very center, narrowed my eyes, and I wished.  Rolling back over I laughed to myself, although deep inside, I felt that pang of sadness when you realize...

What am I saying?  That'll never come true...

... Of course, Luna just loves to prove people wrong.

I woke on my back.  My failure to close the blinds the previous night left the sun to illuminate the room harshly, enough so that I didn't need to open my eyes to know how bright it actually was.  I prepared myself for the light and let my pupils crack through.  Big golden irises stared back, curious as Lyra Heartstrings froze where she stood just below my collarbone.  I blinked, my eyes wide, and gasped.  She rocked unsteadily on my chest, and I stopped breathing.

"Sorry!" I breathed harshly, and she grimaced.

She hesitated, then carefully stepped closer to my ear.

"Your breath stinks."

I started to speak again, but thought better of it and slowly turned away first.

"Sorry again.  If you can get off then I can fix that."

She cocked a brow.

"You mean I'm standing on you?"

I glanced to her hooves, currently situated on the collar of my Godsmack t-shirt.

"Uh, actually yeah."

"Oh..."

She leapt down next to my torso on my mattress and watched me curiously.

I hesitated, figuring I would probably make her trip again on the soft surface.

"You should probably lay down."

She cocked her brow again, but complied after a moment.  I stared for a moment, just watching her posture and the way she moved.  It was when she shot me a questioning look that I slowly rose out of bed and stood up.

"Holy--"

Lyra stood again, eyes wide at my enormous size.

"You're the size of a hill!"

I absentmindedly checked my watch.  6:57.  Glancing at Zane's cot, he was still wrapped in an unceremonious bundle of comforters.

Wait...

I looked closer, near his neck.

Is that...?

Indeed, Bon Bon sat curled comfortably next to his collarbone, asleep.  I looked back at Lyra.

"I'll be right back."

I stepped over a pile of duffel bags into the bathroom, and brushed my teeth.  Returning, Lyra looked a little nervous, shifting back and forth on her hooves.

"What's wrong?"

Her eyes widened, and her face reddened.

"Is there like, a bathroom around here?"

"Uh... yeah, but..."

She's gonna fall in the toilet...

"Do you mind going outside?"

Her brow cocked, again.

"Why would I have to go outside if there's a bathroom?"

...Shit.

"I... well, the uh, toilet is kinda my size, so..."

Her jaw dropped.

"Is everything here your size?!"

I laughed.

"Yeah, actually.  Here,"

I lowered my hand next to her.

"curl up in my hand.  I can get you outside."

Of course, she hesitated.  I mean, if you were a 50th the size of an unfamiliar creature that was offering to give you a ride, wouldn't you wonder?  Anyway, she stepped gingerly into my palm and laid down, visibly tense.  She was a surprisingly perfect fit, completely filling my cupped hand.  I slowly stood, opened the bedroom door, and left the house.  Doublewide.  Whatever.  I stepped into the yard and laid my hand on the ground.  She stepped off, looked back at me, and trotted under a dry leaf, reemerging a moment later looking relieved.  She remounted my palm and laid down, her attention on her surroundings.

"It isn't very bright here," she muttered.

"I know."

Standing up, I heard what I'd been dreading since I saw Bon Bon.

"OH MY GOD!" rang through the walls of my house, Zane obviously having awoken.

"Hold tight," I said, quickly cupping my free hand over Lyra and dashing into the doublewide.

Zane stood tensed and wide-eyed on one end of the bedroom facing the closet, Bon Bon nowhere to be seen.  His bedhead and the fact that he isn't a morning person made him more intimidating than me, not to mention that he's 17 and has facial hair.  Lyra pushed my hand up and looked out, spotting Bon Bon in a matter of seconds.

"Bon Bon!  You're here!"

I only saw the pony when she stuck her head out from around the closet door, slightly ajar.  Oh, she was scared.  Lyra had been given a decent greeting, but I can see why Bon Bon would be so terrified right now.

"It's cool!  These guys're cool!"

Lyra glanced at Zane, then gestured to me.

"At least, this one is!"

Bon Bon's eyes flicked from Lyra, to me, to Zane, and back.

"You sure?"

Lyra turned to face me.

"Set me down."

I raised my brows, but complied and lowered her gently to the hardwood floor.  She closed most of the distance, slipped, caught herself, and kept going until she disappeared behind the closet door.

"Brady... what the hell?"

I turned to Zane, who was panicked, amazed and surprised all at the same time.  Well, the last one's obvious, but still.  I grinned.  I couldn't help myself, but I felt really, really smug right then.

"Zane..." I said, leaning against the doorway into the living room.

"Have you ever wished upon a star?"