Teamers: A story of dreams, faith, friendship, love, and teamwork

Once upon a time, there was a land not very different from ours. But instead of people, there were creatures-  Chararanas. So many Chararanas, it would take years to tell you about all of them.  There were Cealas, Aellas, Socceras, Sapphiras.  Half had good intentions, half not.
The good Chararanas were all in teams of six, with different names,describing the team's intentions, or their personalities: Team Courage, Team Solar, Team Sport.  But they all came together and vanquished all evil, and this is how:

                                                         *****                                        
In the city, some Chararana teams bumped in to each other(literally) and decided to vanquish all evil.  Little did they know, their real battle, intertwined with personal destiny and fate, had only begun...

"In a world of good and bad,
Only one thing to be said,
One must defeat the other, 
Friend to friend,
Sister to brother, 
Fill with love for one another,
If we're smart,
The good will win..."  Team Courage sang, cleaning up their little room shared by all the teams, which at times got very messy.  Everyone was singing now...
"If we all decide we want to know,
Soon the battle will be done,
For if we stick together,
No matter what the cost,
Soon the good side will have won,
And the evil side has lost."  
"Wow," said a Tennara named Dentin.  "Look at this place.  Clean as a whistle!  What do you think, Joe?  Joe?  Joe! I said what do you think!"
"Perfect," breathed Joe, a Soccera.
"Glad you think so, Joe," said Dentin. "Only I think it would be better if there was wallpaper-" Joe cut him off.
"What are you talking about?"  Asked Joe.
"What are you talking about?" Dentin answered.
"You first."
"The room, silly."
"I was talking about her," Joe said softly, a dreamy expression coming onto his face as he gazed at Sapphira.  "She's beautiful!" He sighed.  Sapphira walked right by the bed they were sitting on, causing him to faint.
"Ah, Joe," Grinned Dentin. "Silly old guy."


                                                            *****
In a world of good and bad,
Only one thing to be said, 
One must defeat the other,
Friend to friend,
Sister to brother,
Fill with love for one another,
If we're smart,
The good will win," sang Joe as he emptied the trash.  "I wonder why everyone thinks doing all this is necessary.  All I ever dreamed of is elsewhere.  Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma.  Santa Fe, here I come!"  Joe sang the chorus:
"If we all decide we want to know,
Soon the battle will be done,
For if we stick together,
No matter what the cost,
Soon the good side will have won,
And the evil side has lost."


                                                   *****                                     
You  know, I think Sapphira's got herself a boyfriend," Whispered Emralid with glee.
"You evil-  Don't poke fun at her!"  Starlia exclaimed.
"Look," giggled Emralid.
Starlia looked and saw Joe with that dreamy expression on his face again, staring at- you guessed it- Sapphira.  Ceala glanced over and scowled.
"If he hasn't anything better to do than empty the trash, I'll give him something to do."  And with that, she strode over to Joe with great authority.  Glancing at Joe and chuckling to herself, Sapphira resumed sweeping.
"In a world of good and bad..."

The whole world will know!  The whole wide world, Joe- Joe?  RRRRRR!"
Joe was in his dreamy state again, and Dentin didn't like it.  He was leading a big strike with all the teams, and his team was starting it!  And Joe was
3rd-In-Command in Team Sport, Dentin's team!
"JOE!  GET UP, YOU LOUSY DREAM HEAD!  GET UP, CURSE YOU!  BLAST IT ALL, GET UP NOW, Y-YOU!!!!!!!!"  Poor Joe.  Dentin's not going to appreciate this when Joe does get out of his dream state.
Later...




What will it take to stop this?  Are we ready?" Asked Dentin on top of the fountain in the middle of the now deserted inn the Teams had been living in.
"YES!!"  Came the outcry.
"Even if the odds are against it, will we do it?"
"YES!!"
"Now say this oath:
I,                                        ,  (your name) promise to carry on with this strike until we win."
"I promise..." (Et cetera) Echoed the rest.
"After all, if you've got 100 voices singing, who can  hear a lousy whistle blow?"
Challenged Joe.
"Hear, hear!"  Starlia said.


                                                     *****            

Santa Fe Train:   $3,598,698 per ticket?  This is ridiculous!  I need $2,594,432 more for just one ticket!  Ah well.  I can't take Sapphira with me then," marveled Joe, looking at travel papers.

                                                   *****

    6/29/33      Sapphira      

"In a world of good and bad,
Only one thing to be said,
One must defeat the other,
Friend to friend,
Sister to brother,
Fill with love for one another,
If we're smart, 
The good will win.
If we all decide we want to know,
Soon the battle will be done,
For if we stick together, 
No matter what the cost,
Soon the good side will have won,
And the evil side has lost," Sapphira wrote in her journal.
"Ever since I made that old prophecy into a song, if our teams had a theme song, it wuold would be this.  Joe is falling in love with me, and I must say I am doing likewise.  In 2 days we will go on the strike.  If this sounds crazy, you're right.  Quote: 'There is no such thing as an organized life'.  Sadly, Miestra Fablo is right.  Life is a crazy ordeal, there is no escape." 


                                                   *****
This is the day!  We'll get those thieves!"  Dentin proclaimed.  "Even if we get hurt, will we stop?"
"NO!!!"  Everyone shouted.
"In a world of good and bad,
Only one thing to be said,
One must defeat the other,
Friend to friend,
Sister to brother,
If we're smart,
The good will win.
If we all decide we want to know,
Soon the battle will be done,
For if we stick together,
No matter what the cost, 
Soon the good side will have won,
And the evil side has lost,"  sang everyone, Sapphira loudest of all.
They opened the enemy's doors... and fought.
Starlia....
"Huh-huh-huh-huh," panted Starlia, running from Electo, a man with spiky yellow hair in a ponytail and electric weapons.
Where is my sling? She thought desperately.  Everyone knew Starlia was good with marbles...
Sapphira....
"Take that!" Sapphira shouted at Statica,  Electo's wife. "And that and that and that..
                                                 
                                                         *****

                           
Thank you for driving the thief Chararana away.  Here is the reward money, all $2,594,432," said some Chararana police.
"Thanks," said Dentin, awed.


And I love you,
So much I can't say...
Romantic music played on the stereo in the dining room where Sapphira and Joe were eating.  They almost kissed, but Sapphira's watch beeped it was bedtime.
"Goodnight," they said at the same time.

                                                   *****

Good-bye, Sapphira," whispered Joe. "I'm off to Santa Fe!"  And with that, he grabbed his savings and the reward money, and ran off into the night...

                                                    *****

Has anyone seen Joe?"   Sapphira sounded worried.
"Or the money?"  Complained Oriana, limping over with a stubbed toe.
"No Joe or money?" Dentin said, every syllable trembling with rage.  "He's gone and bought a ticket to Santa Fe!"
Sapphira couldn't even think about Joe for weeks.

                                                     *****

Knock, knock, knock.
"Who would think of knocking here?"  Oriana grumbled but opened the door nonetheless.  She gasped.  The thieves were back!!!!!!!


                                                    *****

Mom!  Dad!  Grandma!  Grandpa!"  Joe seemed half-hearted.
"Dear, are you sure this is what you want?"  Asked Joe's mom, reading Joe's mind, as always.
"No," said Joe.  "Someone else I love more..."

                                                  *****

Hi-yahh!"   Sapphira yelled, presently kicking down Statica. "You are going dow-ooon!  Woo-ooh!"
 Meanwhile, Oriana didn't seem very happy.  "Electo, you rotten- you stinking-   ooh!" She said, chasing Electo.   Electo had knocked out Siusan, 3rd in her team, and was about to start on Dentin...

                                                   *****

Joe raced to the old inn, to find Amycuss (Statica's sister) chasing Sapphira.
Just when Amycuss cornered Sapphira,  Amycuss fell, knife sticking out, to reveal Joe.  And he was positively furious.
"J-J-Joe?"  Sapphira stammered, breathless.
"Come on, Sapphira," he shouted.  "We've got a promise to keep!"

                                                   *****

So, the teams defeated the thieves.
And Joe (a.k.a Mr. Blockhead) and Sapphira got married as soon as possible.  No, literally!  As soon as they defeated the thieves,  Joe proposed marriage with a lovely sapphire ring.  And what do you think she said?
"Yes, Joe!"

The Marriage:
Therefore I pronounce you Chararana and wife," said the priest.
After awhile, almost everyone was gone.  Then, soft singing came from the back rows...
"In a world of good and bad..."  Sapphira turned her head.
"Only one thing to be said..."  Joe and Sapphira sung along.
"One must defeat the other,
Friend to friend, 
Sister to brother,
If we're smart,
The good will win!"
"Teams!"  Exclaimed a teary Sapphira...
 The End, Almost 
At the reception, Ceala created an expertly made wedding cake.
Sapphira's bouquet was geraniums, lilacs, rhododendrons, and forget-me-nots.
When Ceala caught the bouquet, she and Dentin looked at each-other meaningfully and winked...


THE END!!!!!!!!!

Race for the Queen

 Race For the Queen 

 Dedicated to my old Grandpa “Turkey-Bee”,

Whose magic helped me to create this book.

Table    Of   Contents

1.       Things start going terribly wrong

2.      I run into the worst decision of my entire life

3.      Something very scary happens

4.     The ultimate challenge begins

5.      We come to a very happy end

1        Things start going terribly wrong

 Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sapphi Sapphira. A Sapphira is a Chararana—a name for my kind. Chararana—(Cuh-ra-ra-nuh).  
My friends call me Sapph. 
I was just a normal girl in the village until Queen Cecelia died.
 Then-- things started going terribly wrong. 
King Christopher had died 3 years ago, and Cecelia had left no children to be an heir to the throne. 
The entire kingdom was in an uproar, trying to figure out who would be king or queen. The Duke was immediately ruler of the whole kingdom.

My mom had died when I was 5, and I was stuck with my Father, and my older sisters, Sophie and Sally, and my older brother Sam.

Opala Opalis, my very best friend, came to my house to play, and we walked in the fields, discussing the matter. Our conversation went a little something like this:

“But, Duke Errol promised his wife he would never re-marry. What if he died?” Opala questioned, concerned.

“That’s exactly what I’d like to know! BUT, since he’s fair, he’ll probably devise some kind of test, Opala,” I said.

“But he has a daughter!”

“He knows she’s so unfair and selfish that she would not be a good queen, lucky for us!” I said.

KABOOM!

Thunder and lightning and clouds. Hmmm. 

Thunder + Lightning + Constantly Down-Pouring Rain = …

“A STORM ???” 

Opala and I yelled at the top of our lungs.

“I guess we better head home, Sapph!” Opala shouted over the roar of the wind. I ran and ran and ran and …STOPPED in front of my house.

“Whew!” That one was too close for comfort.

BUT, why was Opala here? She told me: “My house was too far away, so I thought I’d come here. Unless,” she added hastily, “I’m not wanted?”

“Of course I’d want you here, Opala, what were you thinking?” I answered. “Come on in, by all means!”

During a dinner of Calliopa (a SunArmon vegetable)leaves, and Tillipia (A kind of SunArmon fish) I said, “A lot of strange things are happening. Anybody know what’s going on?” Opala shrugged, Sophie sent a scowl in my direction, Sally rolled her eyes, Father gave me a disapproving look, and Sam choked on a piece of fish. Not a very satisfying group of answers. Apparently, they thought that question very disturbing, and I scowled into my food.

That night, I had a weird dream. Emmie, my old school rival, and I had a race to see who would be The Princess, and I won, and the crowd started booing and yelling, “NO COMMONERS FOR PRINCESSES! NO PRINCESSES FOR COMMONERS!”

          I woke up at 12:36, panting from the excitement of the dream, confused about what it all could mean, and then fell back into a dreamless sleep. I woke up at 7:03, and after an omelet for breakfast, Opala and I played together for a full five hours. Opala called her mom, letting her know she’d come home after lunch. We took our chicken salad sandwiches outside. Waiting outside was… EMMIE!

          “Just what are you doing here?” She thundered in Opala’s direction. Opala cowered, and half-glanced in my direction. “Oh, yes.” Emmie turned to me, and then started in on a horrible, mock-baby voice. “Yes, Opawa, tun to big fweind Sapphi, who nevew knew juss how bad hawing a cowawdwy fwiend wike wu iff…”

Opala and I both yelled at the top of our lungs: “DON’T INSULT HER!!!” Emmie sent a smirk to Opala . “I can insult both of you all I want, I am the Duke’s daughter, now almost princess, and anyway…”

Opala and I stared. Not once until now, in about 100 mean words towards us, did that darn Emmie tell us that she, she of all people, was the Duke’s daughter! A smug expression on her face, she continued speaking in that, that SARACASTIC tone of hers, the one she knew made me angry. “…you are two heartless, spineless worms!”

Whether she had more mean insults to throw at us, I’ll never know, because that was when Opala and I chose to attack her. We dodged all of her punches, and then, I slapped her! She was so angry! It gives me so much relish just thinking about it.

          She ran off, shouting: “You’ll be sorry for this, Sapphi Sapphira! You’ll be SORRY!”

          Opala thanked me at least a dozen times. We finished our sandwiches, and Opala ran home, shouting her thanks again over her shoulder.  

                                       Chapter Two:

 I Run Into The Worst Decision Of My Entire Life

          Later that day, I saw yellow, white, blue, green, purple, indigo, red, brown and pink clouds gathering.

 “EVOLUTION STONE RAIN!” I heard several voices scream.

 “Oh, no”, I thought. “I don’t want to evolve!”

 I, not unlike others, wanted to keep my middle form.

I panicked and ran towards home instinctively.

 Oh man— I have to dodge that fire stone, or I’ll devolve into a Sapphirie!

 I do not have to dodge that thunder stone… or that leaf stone… or that… or this… or—wait,I do have to dodge that… whoops dead end… hi Opala… watch out for that psychic stone…

 OH NO WATER STONE!!

 I stopped short. If I evolved, I would lose my playful nature, be more stiff and solemn, forget Emmie, and… wait a second. I would forget Opala!

Oh man oh man.

 I do not want to forget Opala!

 So, would I forget Opala ? Would I become Sapphi Sapphiro?

NO!

I promised I wouldn’t forget Opala.

I ran home quickly as I could.

Opala was at my house, her face bathed in tears.

 The rest of her family was there too.

“What is it, Opala?” I asked. She looked up, still crying.

“M-my h-h-house…” she said in between sobs.

 “S-stones… f-f-fell… s-s-smashed… m-my h-h-…”

Her voice broke, and she didn’t finish the sentence.

“Oh,” I said. “Hey, you can live at our house!”

Opala and her family started to stop crying.

“I’m sure my father would have no objections!”

3    Something very scary happens

 Having had the same dream and waking up the next morning, it took me a while to remember that Opala & family were staying at my house. At around 6:34 P.M, I was in the middle of setting the table for dinner when I heard a trumpet sounding.

BUM-buh- buh- BUH!

Then a manly voice sounded out.

“It is hereby proclaimed that one of each kind of second evolution Chararanaa will compete in a chariot race! The names of the contestants will be chosen fairly from separate barrels.

 The Ceala contestant will be… Cara!”

 I heard applause.

 “The Krystillia contestant will be… Katy!”

 I heard more applause.

 “The Sapphira contestant will be… Sapphi!”

As more applause came, I could hardly breathe.

 “The Emralid contestant will be… Emmie!”

 As even more applause came, my fists balled in rage.

 “The Opalis contestant will be… Opala!” More applause came. My mouth dropped open.

 “And, last but not least, the Starlia contestant will be… Stacy!”

  MORE applause…

“ Tomorrow, the so-named contestants will start their practicing at the castle.”

BUM-buh- buh- BUH!

And all was over. The next morning, Opala and I went off to the castle. Stacy Starlia was talking with Katy Krystilia, and Cara Ceala was talking with Emmie, who looked bored. Just then, the voice came again.

“Will all the young Chararana please come outside and choose a chariot!”

 Emmie ran to a fast-looking green one, and I inspected a nice-looking blue one.

 Katy’s was purple, Opala’s was pink, and Stacy’s was yellow. Cara’s red one looked the slowest.

 Fastest-looking was Emmie’s( CURSE that bully!), and others looked in-between.

 Everyone chose a horse. Emmie’s was black, while mine was white. Cara’s was brown, and Opala’s was gray, while both Katy and Stacy’s looked rather reddish-brown.  

Then, everyone chose a halter. Cara’s was green, Katy’s was yellow, mine was purple, Emmie’s was red, Opala’s was blue, and Stacy’s was pink. Oh no oh no, not that voice again!

“Come back tomorrow and the following 3 weeks to practice! Thank you!”

Back home, during a dinner of oysters and oyster crackers, Opala & family went to bed early. As soon as they went up to bed, my father, Sam, Sophie, and Sally started to discuss the money in it for them (That’s all they think about, isn’t it?), and I seemingly got absorbed in counting my crackers. They came to a total of 39- SunArmon crackers are very small- and I was starting to count my oysters when Father said,

“Bed time! Chop chop!”

I had the same dream that night. In the morning, Opala and I ran off to the castle. My instructor, Lily, was a Ceala. Off in the distance, I could see Emmie and her instructor Rose, an Opalis. Emmie fell off of her chariot.

“Practice, practice,” Rose mumbled. It took all of my concentration not to laugh.

“All right,” Lily said, suspicious of hidden laughter. “Stand up straight, no slouching. Hold the reins like this, or your horse will get scared,” and so on, and so forth. Sooner than I knew it, the time had come for the big race.

4The ultimate challenge begins

Everyone in the kingdom was there.

BUM- buh- buh- BUH!

“Announcing the contestants! Cara Ceala!” Applause.

 “Katy Krystillya!” I heard more applause.

“Sapphi Sapphira!” Trembling, I stepped onto the race track.

“Emmie Emralid!” She stuck out her tongue. 

“Opala Opalis!” I returned her smile. There was no way to get out of this one.

“Stacy Starlia!” And that was all.

“Rules!” I heard several groans.

“No pushing, tripping or damaging opponents or their horses! No destroying carts! No semi-circling! All-right, now, on the count of three… 1, 2, 3!” Off we went, Emmie in the lead. I was second, Opala third. The ground was very bumpy.

Let me see… I thought, there is going to be obstacles. Let me see… Emmie’s horse halted before a narrow bridge. 

“Go on, go on.” Emmie had to urge her horse for a while before it finally went. Then it disappeared for a few seconds. It appeared again, and my horse went over, showing no hesitation. Behind me, I heard a scream and a splash. Katy climbed up, soaking wet. It appeared that she had crossed a little too soon. I couldn’t help chuckling. Then Katy passed me, and I passed her. Cara passed Opala, who passed Stacy. After a while of racing, Emmie’s horse finally went through the flames.

Let us see, I thought, I’m water element… I put out the flames. As soon as I passed through, the flames went on again. Then we went down a steep hill. I passed Katy, Cara, Opala, Stacy. Just one more… I urged on my horse. Closer, and closer, and even closer… and… yes!!!

I had passed Emmie! Emmie cursed as I grew nearer, and nearer to the finish line… and… I… won!!

“I… I… I actually did it! Yes!” I whispered to myself. I heard thundering applause. Emmie crossed the finish line, second place, and looked at me with an expression of pure loathing. Next, Opala passed the finish line, followed by Stacy and Cara, who had tied, and they were followed by poor, crying, soaking wet Katy. I had become queen! And the rest… is history.

5   We come to a very happy End. 

So Sapphi Sapphira became queen. She married Oscar Opalis, Opala’s brother.

Emmie was furious.

Sapphi's father became Duke Samuel. Sapphi and Oscar had a son they named Omar, and, later, twin girls they named Sara and Syla.

They had an orchard full of every kind of fruit and berry. Their vegetable garden was very prosperous. The children’s Aunt Sophie made the best fudge, and when the children would come over, their Aunt Sally made very good mince pies. And Uncle Sam would give the children piggy-back rides. Adding up, it was a very happy end.