A birthday story for one of my best friends on Deviantart, StarryHeavenDragon, who owns Rebecca. :) Happy Birthday, Amiga! :)

Balan Wonderworld belongs to Square Enix.


Facing Uncertainty With Positivity

Rebecca swallowed as she looked at what was coming up. "Oh, boy," she said nervously.

Things had been changing lately and she was about to embark on a new journey, but she was nervous about what her new journey would hold for her. What would it mean? What would she learn from it? As she looked down at the ground, she suddenly spotted a Tim, who chirped up at her happily and began hopping away. She smiled. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to visit a good friend to get my mind off of things," she said to herself, spreading her wings and taking flight, following the Tim until she saw the familiar theater up ahead. Landing, she saw the door was opened and she peeked inside. "Hello?" She called out. "Balan?"

Hearing no response yet getting a sneaky feeling he knew she was there, she entered the theater, walking down the hallway until she came to the theater room, but she still didn't see her friend. "Now where could that sneaky, mischievous maestro be?" She asked aloud.

"Sneaky? Me?" A voice replied, making her jump a little and look around, but she didn't see him. Smiling as she knew he was messing with her, Rebecca shrugged, a playful streak coming to her.

"Oh, well, guess he's not here after all," she said aloud, smiling. "What a shame. I was hoping to show him a new dance move I had learned."

The dragon then heard something behind her and she smirked before shrugging and going to step away, but suddenly, arms surrounded her in a hug and she jumped slightly before looking at the arms and seeing they were clad in sparkling white material with some gold and red, to which she smiled and chuckled, knowing exactly who was behind her. "Hi, Balan," she said.

"Hello, Rebecca," came the maestro's deep voice, a chuckle escaping him. "Very clever, my dear."

She smiled before turning around to hug him, feeling happy but then her earlier worries returned and she took a deep breath, something the tall being noticed and he pulled back from the hug a little, one hand moving to gently tilt her face up to look at him, his smile softening at seeing her looking a bit worried. "Rebecca, what is it, young one?" He asked. "What weighs so heavily on your mind, hon?"

Rebecca smiled a little at his rhymes before taking another deep breath. "I...I'm just worried about something I'm about to do," she admitted.

"Oh?" Balan asked curiously. "Why are you so worried when you haven't begun? Surely what you are about to do will be fun."

The dragon looked at him. "Well, it's something that is brand new to me, Balan," she admitted. "A new journey that I'll be taking in my life and...I'm hoping it'll turn out okay and that it will be a good experience."

"It's a life-changing journey in a way, isn't it, my dear?" He asked. "An uncertain outcome is what you fear."

She nodded and Balan smiled, picking her up in his arms and holding her. "My dear Rebecca, you should embrace what this journey has in store. You are already prepared to face what you are ready for," he continued.

"I'm prepared, yes, but...," she trailed off.

"But you are uncertain if you can do it well? Is that why you're like a hermit crab hiding in its shell?"

Nodding, Rebecca hugged her friend, glad he was understanding what she was going through. She didn't know how he did it, but he seemed to sense exactly what was causing someone grief or trouble and he had a way of helping someone see the other side of things. "That and...I want it to be a good experience," she said. "I want to learn from it and take whatever knowledge I can from it."

Balan smiled. "And that's the best attitude to have about a new journey, even when it seems so daunting," he said. "Facing uncertainty with positivity will help to banish those thoughts that you find haunting."

The dragon looked at him. "But...it's not always easy to stay positive when everything is very uncertain," she admitted.

"True, young one, but don't let temporary doubts hold you back," the maestro said, smiling. "I've seen you in action, my dear. Confidence is not something you lack."

Rebecca looked up at him. "I am confident it will be good, but...I guess I can't shake the uncertainty I feel," she said.

Balan placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him. "Dear Rebecca, do you remember when you first came to this place?" He asked. "You had been through so much, I could see it in your face."

She nodded. "I remember," she said. "You had so much confidence in me then and I did my best to prove myself."

"Which you did," he said, smiling. "Remember how bravely you faced the Nega bosses to free the inhabitants?"

She nodded. "That wasn't easy though, and I wasn't alone," she admitted.

"And you're not alone now," Balan said, gently brushing the backs of his fingers over her face comfortingly. "You never will be, my dear."

Rebecca nodded and hugged him. "Balan, can I ask you something?" She asked.

"Of course, my dear," he said instantly.

She looked up at him. "Can I call you whenever I need to talk to you?"

The maestro smiled and nodded. "Of course you can," he said. "Whenever you want to talk or need advice, call me and I will reply."

That made Rebecca feel a bit better and Balan smiled as she hugged him and he hugged her back. "By the way, I made you something," he said, pulling out something from behind his back. The dragon's eyes widened at seeing it was a bracelet that had the same colors as the jeweled drops the Tims loved to eat. "A good luck present from a friend," the tall being said as he fastened the bracelet to Rebecca's left wrist.

Tears filled the dragon's eyes at the thoughtful gift and she hugged Balan again, tightening her grip on him as her tears spilled over. The maestro hugged her back, rubbing her head as he knew her tears were from happiness. "Shh, my dear," he soothed her.

She sniffled, feeling him brush away the tears with a gloved hand. "Thanks, Balan," she said. "I'll always treasure this."

He smiled. "Do you feel better now?" He asked. "Do you feel you can face the uncertainty with positivity?"

Rebecca thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yes," she said. "Especially with the reminder that my friends are there for me, no matter where they are."

"Atta girl," the tall being said, hugging her again and giving her a reassuring kiss on her forehead. "I'm so proud of you, Rebecca. I always will be."

She smiled up at him again.

A day later, Rebecca was ready for her journey and spread her wings to take flight, flying up high, stopping in surprise at seeing Balan floating a ways in front of her and he smiled at her before diving down and spinning around some clouds, words forming and she smiled at she saw the message.

Good luck, dear Rebecca, the message read.

The dragon smiled and waved to Balan. "Thanks, Balan!" She called out. "I'll never forget you!"

"Nor will I forget you, my dear!" He called back, smiling as he watched Rebecca flying away, a smile on her face. The tall being nodded. "I believe in you, Rebecca," he said softly.

Feeling the wind against her face, Rebecca smiled. "I'm ready," she said confidently, ready to face the journey with an open mind and with positivity, her bracelet sparkling prettily in the sun as the wind carried her to her destination.


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GoldGuardian2418