It's been four years since the big move back to Minnesota, Riley is already fifteen and still growing and not to toot my own horn there has been plenty of joyful moments. We're getting the hang of puberty, we don't avoid sadness like we used to and have yet to get poisoned, not even food poisoning thanks to Disgust! Even fear and anger have taken up meditation together. Everything is going well in headquarters and were moving forward. Now it's time to tackle this thing called 'high school' Riley is getting ready to attend so I ask, what could go wrong?
"Up up up everybody," Joy said beaming as she made her way down the stairs in headquarters, "first day of high school let's make this a good day."
Joy teetered to the console giving it a quick glance and slide to the window to check on personality island, it churning away in the distance. Joy noticed they just finished installing fangirl tower.
Disgust appeared and sashayed directly to the console, her dress swishing from side to side and began to tap buttons and twist knobs.
"Okay, okay, first day of high school so this is superrrr important," Disgust began, "this must be like middle school but ten times the opportunities for social slip ups so we have the make the perfect first impression."
"Ten times!" Fear exclaimed, his head sticking out the sleeping quarters, "I only calculated eight times."
Fear rushed to the console next to Disgust who held a concentrated look as she punched away. They watched Riley looking into a mirror eyeing herself intently while brushing her teeth.
"Will do fine," Joy said joining them at the console, "we have that cute outfit and just look at our new doo."
Riley smiled while checking out her hair, it cropped in a short pixie bob. It highlighted her a bit less round, more mature looking face which went with her new few inches of height. She got a perk of energy and went into her room to get changed. A yellow orb, a memory, rolled down to collect with the other memories that have been collecting the past few days. Disgust took over the console while Joy and Fear walked side by side toward the window, the train of thought speeding by outside.
"Okay, Riley has been looking at social media lately what do we have," Joy asked Fear.
"Cliques are already forming but Riley has already coordinated a meet up with Meg and have their first class together," Fear replied.
"Great! That should make it easier to acclimated!" Joy said happily.
"But what if these cliques are hostile…I mean, what if they don't like Riley right off the back? What if Riley is just walking into a war zone and-."
"-Fear Fear Fear," Joy cooed cutting Fear off, "will be fine, like you said we have a partner in crime and Riley is a strong girl."
Fear shook a bit but stopped to give a little nod.
"Uh, guys," Disgust said voicing to the two emotions, "we got a problem."
They watched as Riley struggled to get her closet door open which she had been having trouble with lately.
"Where is-," Joy began.
"-right here," Anger said bumping in-between Joy and Disgust.
"Oh, this door wants to play does it?" Anger said cracking his knuckles and easing against the console, "Fine! Let's play!" Anger said slamming his fist on a button.
Riley scowled and pulled strongly on the closet door, with another yank it slid open with a bump. A red memory slide down to rest next to the yellow one.
"Booyah!" Anger exclaimed, happy with himself.
"Nice job Anger," Joy said.
"Now, we need this, and this," Disgust said twisting a lever.
Riley got out some skinny blue jeans, a black t-shirt with a simple yellow flower on it and floral black and yellow doc marten boots.
"With this combination of cute and cool we can't wrong," Disgust said pushing a button and pointing with her free hand, "more so since we convinced mom to let us wear the shoes we picked out."
"Well if you're busy with that-," Anger said walking away, a newspaper opening in his face.
"Are you sure the flowers don't send a message of being too delicate," Fear asked.
Disgust shot Fear a 'don't be silly look' and they went back to work on the console.
"Things are going good everyone...hm…everyone…where is Sadness?" Joy asked.
"Beats me," Anger said from behind his newspaper as he sat comfortably on the couch.
Joy went into the sleeping quarters. It was a small room with a yellow, blue, red, and green floor, each color leading up to an individual door. Joy slid up to the door putting her ear against it, stepped back and knocked. Silence.
Joy gave another small knock, "hello…Sadness?"
The door slide open making Joy tumble into the room. It was a rather small room, just a space for a small desk, green rug, chair and a bed. A bed filled with an awake but unmoving Sadness.
"Sadness, what's wrong…I mean other than being sad," Joy asked coming up to her fellow emotion.
Sadness looked into the distance and only shook her head a bit.
"Come on sadness, we need you out there, the first day of High school remember?"
Sadness looked up at Joy, "Yes I remember…that summer is over…that middle school is really not coming back, the school we knew…and all the people, and teachers and…," Sadness said drearily before bursting into tears.
"Oh oh oh, Sadness it's ok," Joy said sitting next to her friend and placing a hand on her back.
"I miss it-," Sadness said through tears, "-and it's gone."
Joy let her friend cry, giving soothing strokes to her back.
"Remember that adventure we had together…when had to get the core memories back to Riley?" Joy asked softly.
Sadness nodded, the tears slowing.
"Well this is what that was Sadness. A new adventure."
Sadness looked up at Joy, Joy looking back.
"And we did, we all did. It's a new adventure and it's time for new memories and we all would appreciate you there…are you with me?"
Sadness looked down and back up at Joy and smiled.
"Yea," Sadness said.
"At a girl," Joy said hugging her friend.
We've been through a lot and if I have learned anything it is that life is an adventure. More importantly I learned that together we can navigate any adventure we set our hearts to. Though I admit I'm a bit nervous for this my adventure myself but I'm ready for it to unfold.