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I would give anything to be just like my sister. Queenie
has tons of friends, and I have almost none. She is painted Faerie, and considered
a good soul by the citizens of Neopia. Many consider me evil because of my dark
fur, wings, sharp teeth and claws; the effects of being painted Halloween. Queenie
is good at anything she tries and has tons of talents. I don't think I am good
at anything. The latest talent she discovered was surfing. She was an absolute
natural. Queenie began to give me lessons in the art of riding the waves, which
turned into a complete failure. On top of the waves she was graceful and balanced,
I was rigid and maladroit. I could barely stand on Queenie's old surfboard for
a second before falling into the ocean. I had given up and decided to sulk on
the sandy beach of Omara Bay.
The beach was packed with pets, but I sat alone,
no pets would ever come over and talk to me. I felt like I didn't belong similar
to a rare trading card in a deck of regular trading cards. I laid down on my
stomach soaking up the rays, her old board pounded upright in the sand behind
me. I watched Queenie as the sun warmed my fur. She had paddled out to catch
some of the larger waves, meant for experts. The beach goers stared at the sea
in awe, as my sister performed all the complicated turns and tricks that she
could muster on a single wave.
"Who knew a Faerie could rip," a red Kougra
carrying a surfboard commented to his friend, an islander Zafara.
"I heard about her from Rikku," the Zafara replied.
"Her name is Queenie," the Zafara added, as they headed toward the ocean. "She
is going to enter the girl's division in the next contest. She'll win for sure."
"I don't see why she wouldn't," the red Kougra
said as he followed. "We have to meet her." They raced toward the clear sparkling
water, dove on top of their boards, and paddled out. I laid on the beach half
bored and half sulking that I couldn't be out ripping with the other pets. The
wave had just fizzled out and Queenie had began to paddle out to catch another.
"I saw you out in the water," a voice echoed
from behind me. I simply ignored it; no one was going to bother talking to me.
The voice must have been talking to someone else. "I saw you out in the water,"
the voice repeated. I turned around to see a spotted Scorchio behind me, holding
the most unique surfboard I'd ever seen. It was smaller than my sister's boards
and was similar to the shape of a lemon. My wings flicked out protectively,
I lay waiting to hear the insults and the teasing from this vile Scorchio. I
was positive he was going to tease me like everyone else, 'Let's insult the
one who doesn't fit in or trying to succeed but can't'.
"Surfing isn't my thing," I snarled. I turned
around back to face the sea, giving the Scorchio a perfect view of wings.
"I could tell," he replied and sat down next
to me. "It's not my thing either."
"Then, why do you have surfboard?" I asked skeptically.
"This?" he asked, as he revealed the blue odd
shaped board that was painted with flames. "This is called a skimboard. It is
used for the shallow water and really small waves. I can do a lot of tricks
on it, and it's a lot more fun than surfing, let me tell you."
"Is it hard to learn?" I questioned.
"I think you'd be able to catch on," the Scorchio
said. "Surfing requires a larger board; it takes complete balance and being
centered. Skimboards are smaller and easier to find your balance on. You want
to try?"
"I don't know," I hesitated. "I don't have any
Neopoints to spend on a board or lessons or anything." I pointed at Queenie's
old board behind me. "I just get the hand me downs. That one is my sister's
old surfboard."
"You can make your own skimboard, and you can
use my brother's until you make your own. I can show you how to skimboard,"
he offered. "I'll understand if you don't want to learn. You just looked like
a nice guy who wanted to have some fun."
"I want to learn." I informed him. "It's just
that I don't know you that well."
"I'm sorry for my terrible manners. I'm Kislingbury,"
the Scorchio replied, offering his scaly paw. "I know your sister; she's friends
with my brother, Rikku." Queenie knew Rikku from classes at the Training School.
He was the one who got her into surfing. Everyone knew Rikku and Queenie were
the best surfers on the island and were destined for greatness. Queenie had
always spoken very highly of Rikku. If this Scorchio was related to Rikku, he
couldn't be that bad.
"Rikku is one of the best surfers in Neopia,"
I exclaimed. I envied him because he could surf the big waves with my sister.
"I guess we are a lot of alike. We both have surfing in our blood and we are
no good at it."
"I'm okay at surfing," Kislingbury corrected
and used his wings to somersault to his feet. "It's just as I told you before
it's not my thing. What's your name? Queenie mentioned it to me, but I forget
it. Sorry."
"KingKaroke," I introduced myself. "Everyone
calls me Oke." I got to my paws rubbing the sand out of my fur.
"I brought Rikku's board," Kislingbury called
as he padded through the sand. I followed, until stopped at a group of towels.
He began to unwrap a curved diamond shaped towel, to reveal a skimboard whiter
than snow. On the bottom of the board was a replica of the King of Spades from
a deck of playing cards. "I figured he might want to go skimboarding with me."
He stared out into the ocean in the distance his brother was floating next to
my sister. "But he's busy surfing as usual."
"Did you make that board?" I asked in awe. It
was perfect; it seemed no one could make better design. I was sure my artistic
older sister would say the same.
"You like it?"
"It's great," I complimented and I lifted the
board with one paw. I carried it and trailed behind Kislingbury as he led me
down the beach to the shore.
"Then, I made it," he called as we walked. Kislingbury
led me to a spot where the water was only about a couple inches deep. The bottoms
of our paws were gently massaged with sand and water as the tide came in. "Watch
me first, you can try after, okay?" I nodded. Kislingbury gripped his board
with both of his scaly paws and threw it forward; as it slid along the water.
Kislingbury began to run, charging toward the board. When he got close enough
to the board, he jumped on top so he was standing sideways on his board as he
rushed down the shore. He was riding straight toward a mound rocks at the end
of it.
"Kislingbury, watch out!" I called; afraid he
might crash into them. Kislingbury simply leaned down. He pushed down his paw
into the wet sand, causing him to do a turn as he rocketed back toward me with
a big grin on his face. His eyes glistened with delight.
"You thought I was going to hit the rocks, huh?"
Kislingbury commented. He hopped off his board and grabbed it, before it could
zoom further down the shore without him. I nodded embarrassed that I had warned
him, Kislingbury obviously knew what he was doing. "You ready to try?"
"Alright," I hesitated, slowly dropping the
board on the water a few inches high. I leaned down pushed it with my paws helping
it gain speed.
"Go Oke! When you get the rocks, just jump off.
Don't try the turn," Kislingbury instructed. "What are you waiting for? Run
and jump on. Don't forget to lean back slightly, but not too much, when you
first jump on." I listened to my directions as I raced down the shore toward
my board and jumped on, finding it was much easier to get my balance on the
skimboard. I soared down the shoreline. It felt like I was flying down the shore
without the use of my wings. It was one of the greatest feelings; I had ever
felt in my life. I was the happiest Neopet in Neopia, I was sure a massive grin
was plastered all over my face. I felt so comfortable on the skimboard; I didn't
feel graceless like I did on a surfboard. "Great job, Oke!" Kislingbury cheered
for me, as I mimicked the way he had stuck his paw into the sand. I knew Kislingbury
had told me just to jump off but I just had to try. I felt so comfortable on
the skimboard. I began to turn beaming with delight as I rocketed back toward
Kislingbury. His jaw was dropped with shock as I jumped off.
"How did I do?" I asked timidly, as I tried
to grab the skimboard. It had taken me a couple of tries before I had finally
grabbed it.
"Not every pet can do a 180 on their first ride!
You have real talent, Oke. You have to continue skimboarding," Kislingbury exclaimed
in shock and excitement.
My sister appeared next to us, dripping wet and
clutching her surfboard; a soaked Spotted Kougra at her side. I figured the
soggy spotted Kougra was Kislingbury's older brother, Rikku, who was clutching
a white surfboard.
"That looks like fun, you mind if I try?" Queenie
asked, turning to Kislingbury. He shook his no; Queenie unfastened the leash
on her surfboard and exchanged boards with Kislingbury. I gripped Rikku's skimboard
tightly; with paws began to turn white from gripping so hard. Why did Queenie
have to come along and try skimboarding? She was going to outshine me like she
always did. Queenie studied the blue board with flames in her paws. "I love
this design. You are such a good artist."
"Thank you," Kislingbury said, smiling politely,
as he awkwardly held Queenie's surfboard. He stared at his skimboard wishing
it was in his own paws.
"It's nothing compared to surfing, Queenie."
Rikku warned. Kislingbury shot his brother a dirty look.
"It's not like you ever skimboard, Rikku. You're
too busy surfing," Kislingbury snapped. "I make a board for you to just sit
around and gain dust. This is the first time the skimboard has ever seen real
action." Rikku was about to shout a witty response back, when Queenie interrupted
him.
"It doesn't look too hard," Queenie commented.
"I just throw it and hop on, correct?" Queenie didn't even bother to get a confirmation
from Kislingbury or Rikku; she threw the skimboard on the surf and ran towards
it. She dove on to it, riding it for a couple of seconds before falling off
backwards in the shallow water. She had made the common mistake of leaning back
too far. Queenie landed hard on her back, she looked like an over turned Crabula
struggling to get up. Rikku dropped his surfboard letting it trail behind him
as he raced down the beach to Queenie's side, his eyes full of concern and worry.
Kislingbury and I took off after him. Rikku grabbed Queenie's paw and pulled
her up. "I am okay," she assured him, as Kislingbury and I appeared at his side.
"I guess it's not as easy as it looks," she continued, taking back her surfboard
with great gratitude. Kislingbury scooped up the skimboard, before it could
rocket to the other side of the beach. Queenie began to take a rather awkward
stance; everyone could easily tell she was in pain. She was trying to fool us,
but not doing a very good job. Queenie wasn't much of an actress.
"Your stupid sport almost gave Queenie a serious
injury," Rikku snapped at Kislingbury, as he stood next to her concerned and
protective. It was pretty obvious Rikku cared about Queenie a lot more than
he wanted to admit.
"It wasn't his fault. I should have waited for
instructions," Queenie informed him. "If it's anyone's fault it should be mine."
"Are you okay?" I asked, my eyes full of concern.
Just because I envied Queenie at times didn't mean I don't care about her.
"Of course," she grinned. "Nothing I can't handle."
She punched me lightly on the chest. "I've been hurt worse before; remember
when I went against the Snowager." She turned to Rikku, "I couldn't move, I
was just too sore." She turned back to me. "I'm glad you found something you
like and are good at."
"How do you know I like it?" I asked.
"Your eyes glow with joy," Queenie said. "You
have the biggest smile, I've ever seen. Even now after your ride, it's all over
your face," Queenie replied. "Besides, I heard what Kislingbury told you. You
got talent you just need to practice. I'm sure Kislingbury wouldn't mind having
a companion to practice with. You two have become fast friends."
"There's a competition a couple weeks away,
I think you'll be good enough to enter if you practice," Kislingbury smiled.
"I'm glad I asked you to try it, I just had a feeling you would be great. I
knew my intuition was right. I'd be honored if you would practice with me."
I beamed happily, it felt so nice to be good at something and find a new friend
in one day. I swore the day couldn't get any better.
"We can talk to R.C. about getting your own
board," Queenie proposed. I knew Queenie and I would have to say the right things
to get RC to buy me a skimboard. All I got was hand me downs, never anything
new.
"Why don't you keep that stupid board?" Rikku
suggested to me. "It's not like I want it." I wasn't sure if Rikku was being
genuine or just trying to impress Queenie, either way it had earned me a brand
new skimboard, which I graciously accepted. "Why would I need that thing, when
I have a surfboard?"
"It's not like he uses it anyway. I want my
creation to go to good use," Kislingbury grinned. "You're going to need it for
practice tomorrow."
"Thanks," I stated to no one in particular.
I was thanking Kislingbury for giving me a chance, for becoming my friend and
for showing me I had talent. I was also thanking Queenie for not being good
at everything, most of all thanks to Rikku, for giving me what he considered
junk. It had turned out to be one of the greatest treasures I had ever receive.
At the end of the day, I really didn't want to be like my sister anymore. I
was quite happy with whom I was.
The End
Author's Note: My first short story and more to come (hopefully.) Please
feel free to Neomail me any comments, suggestions, etc. Special thanks to everyone
who offered me such great advice to make my story it can possibly be. Also,
I'd like to thank charmedhorses for being the best editor any author could ever
have. May the Borovan be with you!
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