DUAKI

‘When you are different from others you always try to get the approval of society to fit yourself in. Nothing is more painful than get the denial of your acquaintance - when you are trying to fit among the people you know’.

This is the story of a unicorn named, Duaki who was born different from others, he has two horns. He lived in the kingdom of Cornida, with his mother and father. For his parents he was the most beautiful. Like every parents they loved him, adored him, they didn't considered him different. How they could, he is the part of the love they shared. But Duaki never get contended by his parents love when he was growing up, he always sought for happiness and love in the outside world. He always desired for a bunch of friends like his other mates. His parents knew about his feelings of inferiority, his father told him , " Duaki you have to accept yourself the way you are, you have to love yourself the way you are, then only you can live in the world the way you are." Duaki understood his feelings. He said," but daddy how can I love myself when no one loves me or even like me, I might be lacking something". These words of Duaki created a thump in the hearts of his parents, they didn't know what to say anymore. Duaki continued without looking in the eyes of his parents, "I am trying to fit in their standards, I am trying to change myself and I know one day they will take me as their friends. I can also have hangouts with my friends" they can feel the pain in his words. Before they could have said anything, Duaki ran away.

 The sun was about to disappear, Duaki was facing his reflection in the flowing river which seems to be still for him. He might wanted distraction from his thought, from the thought of what his parents thinking of him right now. They have tried everything to assure him, he was loved enough, but it might be him who was focused at the different side of the coin. It was about to dark, Duaki stood up to return home, on his way he saw his mates were playing, he hesitated but approached them, he asked, " Hey! can I join you?", his voice contained the fear of rejection. The other unicorns started shouting, "How dare you to approach us?", " Go away from here"' " You have a horn of evil", " You will bring bad luck to our kingdom". After hearing those things Duaki was broken completely, he ran and ran to get as far away from there where he couldn't even hear the echo of those words.

His foot started slowing down, he was breathing heavily, after few seconds he realized that he has come far from that place, it was dark all around, he couldn't see anything, the place was filled with the crying of crickets. He was so tired to move forward so he decided to rest there.

Next morning he opened his eyes and freaked, " Who are you? Where am I? " He was again breathing heavily. While he was shrunken, a Pegasus approached him closely, both were unknown to each other. Duaki was still astonished, while everyone surrounded and carried him to their council board. Duaki was shivering, he was only remembering his parents. He was asking them to put him down but they seemed to ignore his words. His mind was flashing back the memories of his parents. " I should have listened to them", he murmured. He was put down. He recognized the room as it was similar to his kingdom's council board. He startled at the voice came from front, " Who are you? Where have you come from?" The room was filled with the murmuring of citizens of the kingdom. Duaki was surprised to see a phoenix talking to him, now he believed the story told by his mother of phoenix. He answered in a low voice, "I am Duaki and I ran away from my kingdom", the murmuring sound got louder. He himself continued the reason, " I am different from others, I don't qualify how a unicorn should be". Everybody got silent at his words. The phoenix came down of his stage and warmly welcomed him, "you don't need to run away because of your appearance, you might be different but there must be a reason why you are different". Duaki was overwhelmed by his words, he never thought someone other than his parents would tell him those words. The phoenix announced, "We have got a new member, in our kingdom of Lilypod and I believe you all will love him as your friend." The word friend had touched Duaki, he was again overwhelmed, for a moment he has forgotten where he belonged to, or how will he live here alone, he was enjoying that moment.

 The day passed by him trying to talk with others but nobody showed interest in him. Everyday he went to the playground, watching others enjoying, hoping someone would call him to join. But it was weird to him, he was not having that fear of denial, maybe he was relieved that everyone in this new kingdom is different like him, he has this hope that there will be one day when he will be together with them, without changing himself. Just the thought of this was keeping him alive.

It was a bright sunny day, when Duaki as always got ready to go to the playground, he was looking happy. With his cheerful steps he reached the ground, but he didn't saw anybody. Surprisingly, he asked to himself, " where did everyone go?, "Duaki", someone called his name, he got startled and looked behind, it was the same pegasus who was examining Duaki at his first day in kingdom. Duaki asked with an enthusiasm " yes! do you have something to say to me". Pegasus said, " do you know how to play hide and seek", Duaki felt the awkwardness in his voice and laughed, he said," yes, i know", he was smiling ear to ear. He knew he liked the pegasus. Everybody enjoyed the game including Duaki. On the way to home, Duaki thanked the pegasus, " What is your name", Duaki asked with his grateful voice. "Fleek", he replied. Duaki was very happy to have a friend which he had always longed to. They became best friends. Fleek always encouraged Duaki to stand for himself. Duaki was feeling that he was reborn, now he knew who he is.

It was a bright sunny day, when drum rolls in the market can be heard, where Duaki and Fleek were buying souvenirs to dedicate their friendship. Duaki’s attention was caught by the sound of drum rolls which became louder as it got closer to him, and gradually the sound vanished. He immediately asked Fleek, who seemed to be unbothered, “what those drum rolls mean”. Fleek laughed at the blank face of Duaki and said, " every year there is a festival of kingdoms where every kingdom come together to show their strengths and the best of them wins". When not getting any response from Duaki, Fleek turned and saw a worried face. He asked, " What happened, if you don't want you can participate as an audience, it is not necessary to participant as a contestant". Fleek tried to looked in his friend's eyes and softly asked "are you afraid to meet them", Duaki raised his head and said, " I don't know.......what will they say.....my parents.....what will i say to them", Fleek got worried after seeing tears in his eyes. " I am with you", he said. Duaki knew none of his friend's word will lower his anxiety. He smiled for his friend’s sake.

After someday the day came, everyone was excited, happy and cheerful except Duaki. He couldn't pretend to smile even if he wanted to. The thought of his parents was making him more anxious. He was there but he wasn't, he was only focused in his thinking in spite of chaos. The announcement of matches was done but Duaki was lost in his thoughts, Fleek shouted, "Duaki...... Duaki.....Duaki", suddenly Duaki realised the sound and responded with a weak sound, " yes", Fleek signaled him that match has started. Duaki joined everyone, the sound of cheering got louder with every steps, so his heartbeats. They also entered the crowd who was shouting and enjoying. "The kingdom of Cornida is leading and the final match between kingdom of Cornida and kingdom of Lilypod is to begin, whoever wants to represent their kingdom can come in the arena", a long announcement was made, but Duaki was focused on the size of crowd. He was relieved that his parents will not be able to find him. The match begun and the unicorns of kingdom of Cornida was in upper hand in the match. The cheering was loud in one side while getting slower on the other. Fleek looked at Duaki who looked much better than before, he whispered in his ear, " Why don't you join from our side", Fleek got the expected reaction from Duaki. Duaki rolled his eyes and again focused on the match. Fleek once more tried to pursuade, Duaki shouted, " I can't do it, do you want to expose me so badly", he was frustrated. Fleek was startled at his response, he tried to calm down himself and tried to make Duaki understand. He said, " without even trying how can you say you are bad", Duaki tried to ignore his words. The thing he was running from was not his possibility of failure but his parents. He was determined to not face them. He softly requested his friend, to not ask for such favours which he can't do. Fleek got silent. After a moment the situation got tensed in the arena as the kingdom of Lilypod were loosing their points. Duaki was certainly getting irritated and finally decided to join the match. Fleek has given him a wide smile of support. He entered the arena with a loud cheer. He was trying to look at the crowd to get away of the thoughts of his parents. He was happy to see the enthusiasm of people for him, loudest of them is Fleek. He moved to the arena to have a face to face with other unicorn named, Swaam. Both recognised each other, Swaam with a smirk said, “ You are alive……but maybe no more”, “ I will kill you”, Swaam aggressively shouted and threw himself on Duaki. Duaki was perplexed by the sudden attack and fell hardly on the ground. Again the sound got louder on one side and got weaker on the other. Duaki managed to stand up again with the cheer of his friends. He can clearly hear his name in the crowd. This time Duaki made an fierce attack on Swaam but Swaam was much more stronger than he thought. Duaki again fell down on the ground. He was injured. He was tired but he didn’t seem to be giving up. Its maybe the anger that he was holding since past. He wanted to prove them and more than them to him that he is a qualified unicorn. He also possess those purity, greatness, grace and love that a unicorn always have. Fleek rushed from his place to Duaki, “ Are you alright”, he asked in a worried voice. Duaki was trying to stand. Fleek continued in a gentle voice, “ You can give up, no need to injure yourself”. Duaki can understand his friend, he was happy to have someone like him by his side. “ I will end this, trust me”, Duaki said in a assured voice. Fleek smiled and back his steps to his place.

The match was going tensed. Duaki was much more injured but he was nowhere to give up. When suddenly Swaam shouted and aggressively kicked Duaki, “ This is the end of you evil unicorn”. Duaki fell with a thud. Fleek ran toward Duaki. He was moaning in pain. Duaki said with tears in his eyes, “ I can’t defeat him”. “You can”, Fleek consoled his friend. “ Actually you have”, Duaki was confused at his words. Fleek continued, “ They never thought you will made up to here, he is full of anger now”, Duaki was listening to Fleek’s words. Maybe it’s the thing that he needed the most at the moment. Those comforting words. Fleek praised Duaki, “ I have never thought untill I met you that a unicorn can be so strong, away from his parents he raised himself so well…….if your parents will see you they will be very proud”, Duaki hugged Fleek. Fleek looked in his eyes and said with a determined voice, “ You are stronger than you think, they have got one horn and you have two horns, you are more powerful than you think and that’s what they are afraid of”. “ That’s what my parents always wanted to make me understand”, Duaki said. Duaki was filled with an inner energy of love of his dear ones. He knew, no matter he would win or lose, he knew himself and he is proud of it. Duaki stood again, this time his eyes were shining bright. The arena filled with the cheering voices. Swaam seemed to be trembled. He aggressively made attacks on Duaki but Duaki defensed himself. When Swaam got tired with continuous strikes, Duaki ran toward him and threw him away with his horns. He then grabbed his leg and threw him. Swaam fell with a loud thud. The cheering got louder for Duaki. He ran toward him to attack, “ I give up”, Swaam begged. Duaki stopped and said, “ I am not you, I will let you live”. Duaki told him confidently, “I am proud of myself and not ashamed of my horns”. “ I hope you will be good to others in spite of their appearances”, Duaki said. Everyone were cheering Duaki. His friends hugged him, praised him and danced all around him. “ Duaki”, a feeble voice came from behind. Duaki knew whose voice is this. He turned back with a fear in his eyes. He can see the tears rolling down their cheeks. It was his parents. There was no anger in their eyes but only love which they have have saved for him for years. They hugged him and cried. Everyone were crying and happy by this view. Duaki said, “ I am sorry, I disappointed both of you”. His mother adored him and said, “ You have made us proud and we are lucky to have you as our son”. “ We missed you”, his father said. Duaki looked at his father and hugged him. “I will not run away anymore”, Duaki assured his parents. Fleek joined and greeted them. He welcomed them in the kingdom of Lilypod. Duaki’s parents decided to settled down with him in the Lilypod.