“No, no, no! All wrong!” A small golden Paca proclaimed to herself as she threw a pile of papers into the wastebasket. “I’ll never have something ready in time for the show!” Heaven, frustrated, threw herself on her bed and groaned into her pillow before speaking again. “I don’t know what else to do! I’ve tried drawing, I’ve tried singing, I tried juggling even, and nothing!” Feeling defeated, heaven turned and looked at the pamphlet for the New Year’s Talent Show taped to her wall and sighed before muttering “Maybe I’m not good at anything after all…” She buried her face in her pillow again as she started to sob quietly before popping her head up with an idea. Wiping away tears from her face, she quite audibly exclaims “What if I asked them for help?! Maybe Sissy and my brothers could help me…”
After cleaning herself up some, Heaven ran down the halls of the mansion, looking for any of her siblings to aid her with her problem. Soon, she comes across Azul and Hiwa. Azul was practicing his singing, and Hiwa was happily listening, clapping along to the beat with her paws. Heaven enters and waits for the song to finish before turning to Azul and Hiwa. “Guys, I need help…” Hiwa and Azul share a look then look back at Heaven. Hiwa tilts her head and lets out a ‘Puurrup’ sound, and Azul speaks “Yea, like Hiwa said, what’s up sis?” Heaven calmed her breathing from running the halls and sat looking at her brother and adoptive sister shyly. “I need help with the talent show. I don’t know what to do for it… Unlike all three of you, I have really no hobbies… I don’t know how to sing, I don’t know how to sew, and I don’t know how to draw… Is there any way either of you can teach me any of that before the show?” Hiwa lets out an excited ‘purrrrup!’ in reply as she nods, and Azul has Heaven join him on his mark. “Do you know the words to the song I was singing?” Heaven pauses and thinks for a moment before nodding hesitantly. “I think so... Why?” Azul set the music player to ‘play’ again and sat down to observe. “Sing it.” Heaven’s eyes widen being put on the spot and she stutters trying to remember the words. When she does get into the rhythm, her voice is rather quiet. Azul stops her, pausing the music. “Heaven, stop. Look sis, you have to project your voice. You have to make yourself heard. Otherwise the Pacas at the talent show won’t be able to hear what you’re performing.” Heaven bows her head as her feelers fall, a bit embarrassed. “S… sorry Azul… I dunno If I can make my singing voice any higher in volume…” Azul sighed, putting a nub to his face as he tried to think. “Unfortunately sis, I don’t think singing is the act for you then. You have to be loud and proud, not quiet and shy.”
Tears began to form in Heaven’s eyes again. She was stung that her brother would say such a thing. Hiwi took notice of her sister being upset and took Heaven over to her art station. She hugged the small paca then started pointing at different supplies, letting out little ‘purupp’ sounds. After pointing to everything, Hiwa turned to Heaven awaiting a reply. “I… I think I get it. I’ll try a painting for you Hiwa… I’m not very good at art like you are though…” Hiwa smiled and hugged the little Paca then ran off to get some water for her paints. For the next hour or so, Hiwa and Heaven painted together in bliss whilst listening to Azul’s songs. Eventually, they both finished their pieces, and did the big reveal to one another. Hiwa let out a sound of pride as she saw Heaven’s piece, but Heaven took one look at Hiwa’s piece and felt ashamed of herself. “Your’s is… So much better… Mine looks like trash compared to yours…” Heaven then dropped her painting and ran off before Hiwa could make a protesting ‘purrrup’. Hiwa sighed and picked the dropped painting up off the floor and hung it above her desk.
Heaven ran out of the mansion, not even bothering to look for Spirit to see if he would teach her how to sew. She felt so useless, so she went to the only one she thought could help; her girlfriend, Cupcake.The tiny Paca knocked on the door to be greeted by Cupcake’s mute father, Chohea. Opening the door and seeing who it was, Chohea smiled warmly to welcome her, but as he took notice of her tears he notioned upstairs and stepped out of the way for her to come inside. Heaven ran past Chohea when he stepped aside and straight up the stairs to Cupcakes room, diving into a cuddle with her as she hid her face in Cupcake’s scarf crying her eyes out. Cupcake was naturally taken aback by all of this being out of the blue and so sudden, but she quickly hugs the smaller Paca as an attempt to comfort her. “Hey it’s ok. I’m here my angel. I’m here.”
Once Heaven had calmed enough to where she was able to speak, she curled up small against Cupcake, tears still streaming down her face. “W… why am I so useless Cakey?...” Cupcake nosed Heaven’s head and made a soft ‘sh’ sound. “Hey, you’re not useless. You’re amazing. What ever made you think that you were useless?” Heaven choked on her words as she looked away some. “I… I have no act I can do for the talent show… I tried to do art, I tried to sing, I even tried to sew, but I’m not good at anything… I asked… Hiwa and Azul for help… But I couldn’t do things like they could… I only failed… I have no talents like them…” Cupcake gently turned Heaven to face her and wiped away some of her tears. “You don’t have to do the talent show if you don’t want to. Plus, your siblings are their own Pacas, and Snekket. Each one of you is naturally going to have different talents. Heck, look at Skybloom and I; we’re sisters, but we’re complete opposites. Don’t compare yourself to your siblings because their successes will be much more different than yours.” Cupcake gave a warm smile. “B… but I have to partake in the talent show!... The other three are doing it, so everyone will expect me to…” Heaven hid her face in the bed in defeat as Cupcake gently pet the back of her head. “Your talent is different than that of your siblings though; you’re like my Uncle Po. Your talent is being so kind of heart that it’s beautiful, but I don’t think that would suffice at the tal-” Heaven perked her feelers and head up looking at Cupcake with stars in her eyes. “Wait you said your Uncle Po, their full name is Poet… What if I did poetry!” Surprised, Cupcakes own feelers perk up. “Poetry? I never took you as much of a writer my angel… I’d be interested in what you perform if you do poetry.” Heaven nods, wiping away her tears and nuzzles to Cupcake with a smile. “They say poetry is emotional, and comes from the heart. As long as you’re in the crowd, it should come natural!”
******
Soon came the date of the talent show. Heaven waited anxiously backstage with her siblings as they all prepared themselves for their acts. The other three all went up before her, each giving the judges some interesting material. Before long, it was Heaven’s turn. She stepped up on stage, walking anxiously over to the mic. She fidgeted a bit as she stood there, scanning the full auditorium for her courage. Within the silence, some coughing could be heard, whilst the judges waited impatiently for Heaven to begin. Eventually she met eyes with Cupcake who was sitting with her family. Cupcake wore an excited smile and was silently clapping her nubs as she nodded at Heaven, telling her with her eyes it was ok, and that she was there as moral support to her. Heaven took in a deep breath, and then she spoke. “On a stormy night… You’re my clear, sunrise morning…” She paused to calm her rapid heartbeat. “On a cold day… You’re my blanket, keeping me warm. Whenever I feel worthless, you give me value. When I have nothing, you offer your heart. You’re the one I trust most when trust is broken. You’re everything to me, my sweet Cupcake. I love you.” In the last words, Heaven’s face turned red and she saw herself off the stage before even getting the judges’ inputs.
After the show and as the crowd cleared out, Cupcake ran over excitedly and picked Heaven up in a hug as she let out a squeal. “Ahh my angel! That was beautiful! The judges might not have chosen it as the winner, but it was amazing!” Behind the pair of them, Cupcakes parents smiled warmly watching the girls. Cotton leaned against Chohea as she held his nub. “Y… you really liked it Cakey?... I honestly was improvising and just going with my feelings…” Cupcake nuzzled Heaven’s cheek playfully. “Of course I did! That was amazing! I mean, not professional grade poetry, but it was really good for your first improvised poem. I loved it!” Cupcake got closer to Heaven’s feeler to whisper so Cotton and Chohea wouldn’t hear. “And I love you too!” Heaven’s face went flush once again as Cupcake chuckled hugging her tighter. “Can we go now? I promised Bug I’d hang out with him.” Skybloom impatiently exhaled behind Cupcake. “Sky, now just you wait. Patience is a virtue.” Cotton replied before turning to Cupcake and Heaven. “Heaven darling, why don’t you come to our place for the night. You and Cake can have a sleepover. We’ll pick up snacks on the way home.” Heaven nodded excitedly. “I would love to miss Cotton!” Heaven nuzzled Cupcake once more before heading with the group to their place.
~~ And thus lies the story of the time Heaven found her new hobby in poetry. ~~