I have re-submitted my Plushoriam story but with two new characters and new personalities. I would like to thank the Character Development group for their activities, which I feel have helped me to grow in terms of writing.
A Journey starts with the number 13...
“Happy Birthday!”
Harley gazed at the thirteen burning candles on her birthday cake, slightly worried they could set her long, flowing ebony hair alight. She couldn’t believe that this one moment, one that she had awaited her whole life, had come already.
“Blow out the candles, Harley.” said the brown haired girl next to her. Louisa, or Louisa Sapphira on her birth certificate, was always smiling, and was always trying to live up to her name by wearing blue clothes, especially her favourite sapphire halter neck. She sparkled like a Sapphire too- in beauty but no so much in brains. She was clutching a pink squirrel that was struggling to keep still.
“Yeah, come on, Harley.” moaned a dark haired boy on her other side, picking at his purple sweater. Darius was the impatient type, always moaning if things took one second longer than they should do. His thick, spiky hair and little goatee beard might have given you the impression he was tough, almost macho, but this was far from the truth. Darius was actually easily scared. He was clutching a squirrel similar to Louisa’s, but grey and scowling.
Harley screwed up her face and blew, before staring at the ruined cake. Her efforts to blow out the crimson flames had resulted in an ashy, melted icing. She was sure she could hear chipmunk-like giggling behind her.
Harley glanced at the two squirrels in annoyance. The pink, hyper one was Nissitau and the grey, wrathful one was Uatissin.
“Perfect Plushes for a set of twins.” said Harley.
“You should get a cute one, Harley. You’d deserve it.” said Darius, petting his plush. Uatissin instantly nipped his owner’s finger.
“You reckon?” asked Harley, unable to control her giggles. She thought of all the possibilities of her first Plush- Cabate? Onxare? Maybe even super cute Pugar!
“We haven’t a second to lose! Cuteness awaits! Let’s go!” gabbled Harley, dragging her friends to the door.
“We, my friends, are going to see Billie!” declared Harley, feeling excited. She was soon to be a confirmed Plush Battler- something she’d waited for for 13 years.
The three friends made their way through a dense forest that was crowded with Oak and Silver Birch trees. Despite all the cuts and bruises from sharp thorns and heavy branches, Harley was still looking forward to her first Plush. Plush were magical Plush Dolls, capable of movement and noise, and if they were trained right they could become powerful fighters.
“OW!”
“Darius, are you alright?” inquired Louisa, sounding concerned.
“No,” said Darius, his voice a little muffled. He was holding his nose in a pained way. “Blooming branch just whacked me on the conk!”
The two females giggled, much to Darius’s annoyance.
A few more steps and the three friends emerged from the forest. Harley looked at a deep cut on her hand and gave it a lick.
“EWWWW! Harley, that’s sick!” shrieked Louisa, giving her friend a push.
“Aaah, so this is Hayley.” said an older-sounding voice.
Harley looked on, slightly disappointed that the stranger had mispronounced her name. Standing in front of her was a beautiful, long-haired woman, who had eyes of the deepest, sapphire blue. They spoke of experience, as Harley could feel the excitement of confirmed Plush Battlers from years before.
“Don’t be scared, Harley.” said Darius, reassuringly, and trying to make a point about her name. He took a step back, giving Louisa an experienced look.
Harley was so nervous that she couldn’t speak, and that was something as silence was rare for the bubbly girl. She did manage to curtsey though, causing Billie to giggle.
“There’s no need to be so formal, Hayley.” she said, placing a hand on Harley’s shoulder. The young girl tried to retaliate but soon learnt to trust her. It was if she was looking deep into Harley’s soul, her feelings, reliving her best memories. After a minute or so, she gave a contended nod and stepped back.
“I have never seen such a life full of strength and determination. But with such force, there’s also compassion and friendship. In fact, you remind me of me.” she said, sounding rather poetic.
“You saw all that?” gasped Harley. “Freaky!”
“Billie is blessed with deep clairvoyance, so she can do a lot more that just read minds.” explained Darius. “She’s like a female Obi-Wan-Kenobi.”
Harley gave a confused look as to say “Who?”
Suddenly, sparkles began to form in the air, dancing closer and closer until they made a recognizable shape. A click from Billie’s fingers produced a Plush; a little brown beaver with red boxing gloves.
“BeaKO!” exclaimed Louisa, only to be shushed by Darius.
“OMG! So CUTE!” squealed Harley, unaware she was frightening the poor beaver.
“Now, if BeaKO will accept you as its owner, then you will have your first Plush.” explained Billie.
Harley bent down, in an attempt not to intimidate the scowling beaver, smiling all the while. BeaKO kept glaring back at Harley, causing her to have doubts.
“Don’t look so down Hayley. This isn’t the first time this has happened.” gabbled Billie, in a failing attempt to cheer the poor girl up, whose hazel eyes were welling up with tears.
But after a twitch of the nose and a contented squeak, BeaKO scurried over to its new owner. It gave another sniff and lunged at Harley’s nose, not for a nip but for a gentle lick.
Billie was looking at them in a contented manner, confident that these two were made for each other. But the unity and calm were soon broken.
“You utter cow, Billie!” shrieked a voice. “You told me that my plush would be strongest.”
A brown-haired, pony-tailed girl approached them, fury etched on her face. Neither Harley, Louisa nor Darius had seen her before, but she looked like one of those spoilt, superior types. An equally bratty white kitty with pink details was following her, its tail snootily stuck up in the air.
“Strongest in your ownership, Claire,” said Billie, still in a calm and contented manner. “Each person “demands” a different Plush.”
“My name is Chloe, for god's sake! Why couldn’t you have given her something useless like a Fenixa or a Saltoon?!”
Billie gave the Plush Battler a stern stare, but didn’t reply. People like Chloe weren’t worth wasting words on.
Chloe just scowled, before turning on Harley.
“What’s with the punk look?” sniggered Chloe, trying not to spare any feelings.
“What’s with the lame cowgirl look?” retaliated Harley, smiling. Even though she was so hyper, she knew how to lay an insult with the best of them.
Chloe blushed deep crimson. She thought her emerald jumper, velvet cowboy slacks and brown leather boots were a cute combination. Embarrassment only raised her fury.
“You don’t deserve BeaKO, and everyone knows it!”
“Is that a challenge?” Harley asked, rather darkly. She wasn’t quick to anger, but Chloe was seriously getting on her nerves.
Chloe looked a little unnerved, but didn’t let it make her look weak.
“That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said all day. BATTLE!”
“Oh boy,” muttered Darius.
“Darius, Harley doesn’t know how to battle,” Louisa said, sounding concerned.
“She’ll be fine,” said Billie. Louisa stiffened, as it was rare for Billie to be right, even if she was powerful and all knowing.
BeaKO looked more than ready for battle, throwing a few swift punches in mid-air.
“Cabate, Cat Scratch!” ordered Chloe.
Woah! Harley wasn’t expecting that. This Chloe was using some energy technique as her first attack! Was the little brat really that confident of victory?
“Guys, what do I do?” wailed Harley.
“Just use Wood Punch. It’s BeaKO’s energy technique. Powerful moves but they drain your pet over time.”
Harley was reluctant to tire her pet so soon in her Plush Battler career but it seemed that the only thing to do was to fight bratty fire with fire.
“BeaKO! Wood Punch!” commanded Harley.
As Cabate rushed towards its foe, BeaKO was busy bouncing a little. When the white kitty unleashed its claws to execute the attack, BeaKO retaliated with a well aimed punch, which left quite a few splinters in Cabate’s snow white fur.
“You mean pig, Harley!” whined Chloe.
Harley simply replied, “Erm, thank you?”
Cabate struck a paw in BeaKO’s face. Knowing its foe would repeat this, the brown beaver gripped it’s foe in a painful headlock. Cabate flailed its arms, demanding to be released, and BeaKO obeyed- by launching its opponent into the air.
The blow from the fall knocked the poor, pretty kitty out.
Both Harley and BeaKO jumped for joy, sharing a heartfelt hug. Chloe was too stunned by defeat to do anything.
Harley approached her, offering a handshake.
“Good battle.” she said, smiling.
“What do you mean, “Good battle”? I lost!” snapped Chloe.
“Well, you know, if that’s how you’re going to be about it.” muttered Harley.
“Winning isn’t everything,” said Billie, clapping. She looked at Harley. “You have potential, young Hayley. You could be a Key Guardian in years to come.”
“Have you thought about becoming a Plush Keeper?” Louisa inquired. “We need someone to put Nick in his place.”
“That’s my dream!” shrieked Chloe, rather protectively.
“Team Slash are ruthlessly strong,” said Billie, sounding a little worried. “If either Claire or Hayley decide to travel, they’ll need all the help they can get.”
Darius didn’t say anything but his frowning expression summed up how he felt about Team Slash.
“This Nick sounds scary.” said Harley, an expression of fear etched on her face. Harley may have looked the outgoing type, but she was easily scared. If she didn’t want to do something, she could not do it, even if it cost the world.
“Harley, Nick is looking for the Chaos Key.” warned Darius, looking rather worried.
Harley knew what the Chaos Key was, but the legends still scared her. The Chaos Key was the most powerful control key in the world, only able to control Lucian Argon, the most powerful Plush in the world. Legends said that Lucian caused havoc in the world of Plushoriam, claiming himself Emperor of the World, before he was locked away in the Chaos Tower. If he was to be released again then the world wouldn’t be destroyed. If that happened, Lucian would have no world to cause havoc in.
Now, in the 21st Century, Nick and Team Slash looked for this Chaos Key, as they wanted Lucian Argon for their own selfish monetary and power desires.
“Harley, there’s no need to be scared. Sure, it couldn’t happen, but if we don’t do anything about it, there’s more chance of it happening. You don’t have to worry. You’re good, Billie said so herself. Sure, I may be mad that I lost but if it means that you can beat Nick, then I don’t care.” declared Chloe, tears almost welling in her hazel eyes. “Don’t worry, Billie. I’ll make sure that Harley stays safe and grows tougher.
And with that, Chloe and the party made haste. Billie looked on, looking too pleased with herself, muttering.
“Touching speech, Chloe. Now we know you’re on our trail…”
Yes, I will get round to reading your book sometime when I'm not writing.