The trip back to Earth was both the happiest and hardest journey of my life so far. First Novus demanded we celebrate the Djinn's defeat with a dance session to some of his favorite bands such as The Universe Brothers and Stargazey. The next morning we stopped at the water planet, Sploosh. It was a planet with no land or beaches just open sea. This made it perfect for thousands of intense water slides and gigantic ships covered in shops and delicious restaurants to drift on its vast ocean. I'd never been so thrilled to be so soaked until I discovered the Gut Flipper, a water slide that dropped you fifty feet into a looping spiral finally ending in a cannonball splash.
We weren't in a rush to bring me home as Novus said he was gonna keep his promise and give me the two weeks we bargained for. I wished the journey would never end. Then finally, the day came that I had to return to Earth.
Leo gave me a copy of his favorite holobook, The Dastardly Adventures of Brandish, a comical adventure of a swashbuckling space pirate with an eye for trouble. He said I reminded him of the main character. I hope that was a compliment.
Jupiter told me if I was ever in the area, he would set me up with free nights at the Wingspan Resort in his finest room. No Wish-Hunters allowed.
Stella gave me a wet rag full of green and purple beans. It was her favorite food, and she never shared her food so I took it to heart. While I was warned not to eat the beans for they would make me sick, Novus obliged me not to refuse Stella's gift.
Celeste gave me a pat on the head and told me she hoped never to see me again. I figured she was attempting a joke, but her stern features made it difficult to tell.
Finally, Novus gave me the greatest of all the gifts, a promise.
"Eddie," he said pointing out the window as our ship hovered over Earth, "two weeks ago I broke into a house, stole a bunch of food, and met a sad, lonely girl who threatened to beat me with a baseball bat. I kinda got her in trouble with her aunts and got her mixed up in a journey across the universe while being chased by an evil djinn. But that sad, lonely girl I met is not the same as the girl I bring back home. You stand before me now a powerful, confident, and happy person who has friends all across the universe. So when I bring you back to your aunts, I promise you they will never trouble you again."
"How are you going to manage that?" I asked.
"Oh, you'll see." He turned to Stella. "Take us down!"
Stella turned on the invisibility shields, and then made the descent through Earth's atmosphere. The ship rocked all the way down until it came a few hundred feet from the ground. We soared over my neighborhood, passing over cars and people going out their daily lives. I spotted Gilbert's house. He was sitting outside staring up at the clouds. Then my house came into view. The old bent building still stood with the strong supporting vines covering its side. On the porch lounging in chairs were my aunts. They were sipping lemonade.
Vera had a cast on her leg. Vicky had a cast on their arm. I knew Celeste had tossed them around that day I fled with Galaxion. Seems she injured them badly.
Stella took the cloak off the ship causing it to appear. My aunts peeked out from under their large sun hats and stared with horror at the spaceship hovering above their lawn. As the ship prepared to land, it whipped up a windstorm that swatted the lemonade jar off the porch and sent ripples across my aunts' chubby cheeks.
The door opened, the steps dropped to the ground, and Novus, Stella, and I exited onto the grass. Vicky and Vera stood up cautiously.
"Is that you, Edwina?" shouted Vicky.
"What the devil is that?" cried Vera pointing at Stella and the ship.
I smiled and stood before my aunts.
"That Aunty Vera is a spaceship. And that floating octopus is Stella. Say hello, Stella."
"Ooola!" she waved. Vera's face pulled back in disgust.
"How revolting!"
Vicky crossed her arms.
"So that's where you have been all this time." She stomped her heel into the wood. "Your space friends trashed our home, injured our bodies, and kidnapped you. Can you imagine how crazy we sounded when we told everyone that some magic people and their giant killer dogs blew up our house, lifted a school bus with their mind, and vanished into thin air? We have been the laughing stock of the entire town."
"And...and," added Vera, "now we hear you've been having a fun journey in space while we are here suffering. Go to your room right now!"
Novus grabbed my shoulder. He stepped up onto the porch and flapped his cloak. Vicky and Vera moved back as he approached.
"Stay away!" threatened Vicky with a long-nailed finger, "Or we'll call the police. Once they see this spaceship, they will have to believe us. You'll be arrested."
"You don't frighten me," said Novus. "And from now on you won't frighten Eddie either." He raised his wrist watch causing it to illuminate and expel a life size hologram onto the porch. The hologram was a man in a grey suit. His white hair was parted on one side.
"Greetings Victoria and Vera Eversby. My name is Atlas Armstrong, President of the Intergalactic Federation of Planets and current chairman of the Board of Planetary Secrecy. It is my understanding that you are the guardians of the Earth child, Edwina Eversby. Over the last couple of Earth weeks, Edwina has proven her valor in defeating an evil entity that threatened to seize control of everything in the universe. After quick consideration and as a reward for her outstanding allegiance to the stars, everyone including myself in the Federation and on the board would like to extend not only our undying gratitude but also offer Edwina Eversby a chance at a new life away from Earth. Novus Stardancer has requested to adopt Edwina into his family."
My jaw dropped, and I turned swiftly to see Novus wearing a big smirk on his face.
"In accordance with both Earth and intergalactic law consent must be relinquished by her current guardians and Edwina herself." A document appeared before them. "We understand that this news may come as a shock and may be painful for some families to bear, but a fair compensation has been presented for Edwina's release. All Earthy assets whether those assets be financial or material will hereby be given in full ownership to both Victoria and Vera Eversby upon consent of release. We have representatives on Earth who will be sure to make everything official when the paperwork is complete. Thank you for your time and have a pleasant day."
The image of the president faded leaving on the document floating in the air.
"You really want to leave us?" asked Vicky.
"I...I...I don't know what to say." I gaze switched back and forth between all three adults.
"Is it what you want, Eddie?" asked Novus. "Because you don't have to come with me. You can stay here. I'll visit when I can. I just..." Novus looked away and bit his knuckles. He was crying. "I saw how happy you were traveling with Stella and I. I just wanted to give you a chance."
I turned to Vicky and Vera.
"I want to go," I said, nodding my head. "Aunty Vera, Aunty Vicky, you were kind enough to let me live with you after my parents died, but now, I found something that makes me happy. Please, can you for once let me have this wish?"
Both aunts took in a deep breath.
"It is going to be lonely around here without you, Edwina," said Vera.
"Yes, indeed," agreed Vicky as she let out a big sigh. "You were the daughter we never had. We will miss you, dearly."
"So you'll let me go?"
"How do I sign this thing," cried Vicky stepping towards the floating document. A pen formed beside it. Vicky signed her name on the dotted line. Vera was next.
"All it needs now is your signature, Eddie," said Novus.
For the first time in my life I didn't hesitate. When I had finished, the document shrunk and then curled its way back into Novus's watch.
"It's official," he said lifting me in the air. "Now go get your things."
I dashed into the house and up the stairs to my old attic room. I threw my shirts over my shoulder, Stella and Novus helped with my claymation equipment, and in less than an hour everything I had was on the ship. As we made one final run through the house, Novus took a glance in the kitchen and snatched another jar of pickles. I hugged my aunts goodbye and took my first steps towards my new life.
Standing by the ship Novus handed me a small package.
"What's this?" I asked.
"A gift from Stella and I. I hope it fits."
I quickly unwrapped the gift. Inside glittered my very own cloak-to-many-places. I threw it over my shoulder and placed the hood on my head.
"It fits perfectly," I cried. "Thank you!"
"Well we can't have a Wish-Hunter traveling the stars without an official cloak."
I placed my hands on my hips.
"We are not doing any more wish stealing," I said. "Instead, we are going to make sure those wishes go to the children that deserve them. Okay?"
"You're the boss," said Novus motioning me up the steps. "After you."
I entered the ship and breathed a sigh of relief. It was the first time in a long time I finally felt I belonged.
"Welcome home, Eddie," said Novus as the ship rose into the air and Earth vanished into the distance. "So what's the first thing you want to do?"
"Hmm," I thought, tapping my finger on my chin. "I could use another funny tasting burger."
...
The years that followed were the best of my life. Novus, Stella, and I traveled the stars. We learned new things, made some great friends, spent long nights watching movies, and doing things families should do. I went on many adventures with Leo. We always made time to cloud surf at the Wingspan. Jupiter offered Celeste a job at managing the food quality of his resort. Turns out being blinded increased her sense of taste and led her to eventually pursue a career as an influential food critic and blog writer. Then on the off chances we were in Earth's neighborhood, Gilbert and I would work on our claymation video.
Gilbert loved the special clay I got him from Drax, but he was not too thrilled on the machine that brought it to life. He insisted that the old fashioned way was better, and he was right. Our completed video not only became a sensation on Earth but across the universe as well. Gilbert was over the moon with excitement.
Even though my life had changed for the better after leaving my aunt's house, one thing still haunted me. Wishes were continuously being stolen and sold. So after a long campaign and with the help of some powerful people, the Wish-Hunters were disbanded, regulations became stricter, and wishing returned to how it should have always been, in the hands of children.
I never got another wish. But I didn't need one. I, Eddie Eversby Stardancer, had everything.