Sometimes Dreams Do Come True… by quidditch_ash |  |
Mistrik, a young Fire Lupe, walked into a grand Neomansion
at the corner. The minute her padded paws touched the surface of the marble floor,
a young brunette ran towards her and wrapped her in an enormous hug. Behind the
girl, stood a Faerie Blumaroo and a baby Techo. Mistrik smiled. She loved this
family. Even if it was imaginary.
The icy-cold pellets of rain splashed upon Mistrik's
white coat. She stood glumly in the middle of the muddy field. She'd just been
out for a run for some exercise, when the heavens let down their wrath. As she
headed back into the renovated orphanage, her tail limp and straggly after being
in the rain so long, training, she hung her head. She wasn't a Fire Lupe, she
was just stark white. She didn't have a Faerie Blumaroo for a brother or a Baby
Techo for a sister. She didn't even have an owner. Mistrik was an orphan.
She lived in an orphanage, run by the gnarly-skinned
Techo at the pound and Dr. Sloth. Sloth had made this dump of an orphanage a
few years ago, to get in Fyora's good books so that when she least expected
it, the predator could pounce on his mystified prey. However, Sloth hadn't done
a very good job, and neither had that Techo he'd employed. So, a young Gelert
took charge. She told the orphans, she was a lawyer. That explained how she
had been able to demote Sloth from the orphanage's manager to its bathroom janitor.
Nobody knew what had happened to the Techo. Nobody wanted to know.
Sloth had left the place in ruins, and that
didn't just mean that he used cheap building materials, which some Neopian teens
vandalized one day. He neglected the orphans terribly. They were fed gruel everyday,
and some of it even had fungus. If any one of the orphans told Sloth this, he
would wave a large hand at them and say it was broccoli or asparagus. The orphans
had to do track and field everyday, whether rain or shine, snow or hail, to
keep them fit. Some of the orphans personally believed that they were being
trained to join the ranks of Sloth's innumerable minions. They were allowed
to interact with each other, but most of them exchanged words, thoughts and
sometimes even blows in their dinky cabins. Sloth detested friends, so nobody
was allowed to have friends. In his bloodshot eyes, all of those slimy, greasy,
filthy little toenail funguses were enemies to everyone. Sloth personally believed
he kept a jailhouse for toenail funguses and delinquents.
It was spring when Sloth was demoted. The orphans
had to move into lavish hotels while the orphanage was being renovated. When
they came back, they could hardly believe their eyes. The orphanage was a large
mansion-like building painted in a beige-white. Insta-grow trees had been planted
along the path to it. Fountains that made noises rather like babbling brooks
overflowed in every possible place. The cabins existed no longer, and were merely
a pile of scrap wood in the dumpster. Each pair of Neopets had their own room.
Everybody was delighted. Well, almost everybody.
Mistrik was still disappointed. Now you might
think that maybe, just maybe this puny daydreamer was just a little bit greedy.
Truth be told, Mistrik was one of the most giving, and caring Neopets in the
orphanage. She'd never hoard anything or ask for more. She'd just manage with
what she had. But, if somebody else wanted something, she wouldn't hesitate
to give it to them.
This troubled Sheera, the Gelert in charge of
the orphanage, greatly. Why did Mistrik shun people so? She knew an abundant
number of girls that would love to be Mistrik's friends, but she just shunned
out everything, including Sheera. Now Sheera didn't hate Mistrik, but she was
beginning to have doubts whether she liked her as much as she claimed. Mistrik
was a rather young Gelert, and quite glamorous really. She had such beautiful
blue eyes which reminded Sheera and a good deal of Neopets more of the oceans
that bordered the lands of Neopia. Her coat was a silvery-white that gleamed
in the sun, and it looked bright that many had to shield their eyes. Did she
know how beautiful she was? That was a question Sheera often pondered. She,
herself, was a Cloud Gelert with eyes the same deep blue colour as Mistrik.
Her coat gleamed and shone, too, but not as much as the young Lupe.
Sheera, then, decided to try to get close to
the Lupe and find out what worried her so much. One fall day, when it was bitterly
cold, and the orphans were eating contentedly in the mess hall, Sheera banged
a small gong with her spoon. Heads turned to face her. Sheera stood on her chair,
remaining as poised as ever. It took her a while, but Mistrik finally pried
her eyes away from the fried chicken and tomato soup she was eating. She looked
up at Sheera with those deep blue eyes, and a puzzled expression on her face.
"Does everybody like their lunch?" began Sheera,
smiling as everybody nodded and stared hungrily at their food, licking their
lips (that is, if they had lips). "I was thinking about something," stated the
lawyer, solemnly. Everyone's expressions turned grave. "And I realised, I don't
know you all as well as I should like. So, I've decided to camp in with some
of you for a few days or so, to know you better."
Mistrik knew what was coming. She would be picked.
She delicately speared a piece of fried chicken and ate, chewing noiselessly,
her impenetrable gaze on Sheera. "So," Sheera surveyed her audience. Mistrik
was munching every so ladylike on some chicken. She swallowed, still staring
at Sheera. "What do you say to a few days together, M-"
"Okay, fine. But where will Elaine sleep?" interrupted
Mistrik before Sheera could say her name.
Everyone's head turned to Mistrik. How had she
known she would be picked?
"Elaine can sleep with Cirtai and Criat, the
twins, if that's okay, with you Elaine," said Sheera, regaining composure and
trying not to show the surprise on her face. Elaine nodded her head vigorously.
She adored Mistrik, and followed her everywhere, but she rather liked the twins.
"Okay, then," said Sheera, pasting a fake smile on her blanching face, "back
to your meals, everyone."
***
That night, as Sheera snuggled under her covers in what was Elaine's bed before
lunch, she turned to look at Mistrik. It seemed the young Lupe was drawing something,
with great concentration. Sheera sighed and looked around the room. It was quite
cosy, better than her room. There was a polished oak floor, and a button on
the door of the curving closets, which would cover the floor with a thick baby
blue carpet. The room was circular and there were windows above each bed. Between
the beds was a oak table on which both the Neopets could keep their things.
There were two separate tables on the opposite sides of the beds, which held
two rounded lamps, one for each Neopet. The closets were also made of oak, and
held quite a lot of stuff. There was a table for each Neopet to write on, as
well as an oak storage box to store their things. There was a bookshelf, which
of course had a curved back to fit snugly into the room, next to the closet.
A soccer ball lay on the floor, along with an assortment of makeup and lipstick,
books, some bike parts and other odd things, in a small heap.
Sheera glanced over at Mistrik. The Lupe was
lying belly-down on her baby blue blanket, scribbling furiously. Sheera swung
her paws down the side of her bed and walked to the odd assortment of things.
She began to rummage through them, looking for something she might be able to
use to help her discover something about the unfathomable mystery of Mistrik's
solitude. A few things were chucked haphazardly onto hers and Mistrik's bed.
Mistrik didn't respond; she just kept on drawing. Finally, when a magazine hit
her on the head, she began to acknowledge what the Gelert was doing.
"Those are just a bunch of odd things," she
said, sitting up straight and peering intently at Sheera.
"I know," was the reply. So far, nothing had
given her a clue to why Mistrik was so depressed.
"You're probably wondering why we have them.
We meaning Elaine and me." At this Sheera's ears perked up and she began to
slow down her pace. She was too interested in what the Lupe was saying to correct
her grammar, and make her say 'Elaine and I'. "Anyway, we got them from queer
salesmen and antique shops. Y'know the sort. We did it together. Was kinda fun.
Anyway, we found some things 'round the orphanage. Nobody wanted them so we
began a collection of odd things."
"A soccer ball's not odd."
"Oh, could you give that to me? Thanks."
"Why do you keep a soccer ball, Mistrik? I mean,
you don't play soccer," said Sheera turning around and facing Mistrik as she
turned over and snuggled under her covers. The soccer ball thudded to the floor.
"When I get adopted, the first thing I'm gonna
do is play soccer with my family.
G'night." Mistrik's light went off. Sheera dropped
the compass she was holding and went to bed, too. She needed rest for the work
she had to do tomorrow.
***
As soon as the day dawned, crisp autumn sunlight pouring in through the windows
and spilling all over the beds, Sheera had bustled Mistrik down to get some
breakfast. When asked whether she wanted anything, Sheera laughed and tousled
the fur on Mistrik's head, replying she already ate, even though her stomach
was rumbling like thunder.
Once Mistrik was safely out of the room, Sheera
hit it like a tornado. Drawers flew open and the closet doors were banged open.
She rummaged through the pile of papers on the table and scrambled through the
things on Mistrik's headboard. She now had a lead to solving the Mistrik Mystery
and giving the poor Lupe what her heart desired.
She knew the timid Lupe wanted to be adopted
now, but she needed to find her the perfect family. Which meant that the family
had to meet Mistrik's requirements - whatever they were! Finally after an hour
of tiring searching, Sheera hit gold. It was a picture, hand drawn. It, of course,
was done by Mistrik, for Elaine, as everyone knew, couldn't draw a straight
line.
There were four figures in the picture, a young
brunette hugging a Fire Lupe, which Sheera realised was Mistrik, a Baby Techo
and a Faerie Blumaroo, standing in front of a beautiful Neomansion. Sheera's
heart ached as she stared at the amazingly well drawn picture. She'd lived in
one of those Neomansions before her owner had dumped her in a pound.
A cloud-printed paw reached up and wiped a tear.
She turned the paper around. On the back was what Mistrik wanted more than anything
in the world. It was written in scraggly handwriting that was rather difficult
to read. Sheera squinted and eventually made out the words of the letter:
I want a Neopian family with a Baby Techo and
a Faerie Blumaroo and a young, brown-haired girl for an owner. I don't want
much. I don't want to be painted Fire, but I secretly hope I will be. It would
be cool if we lived in a Neomansion. But what I really, really want is a family
who want dump me in the pound again. One that'll care for me and love me for
who I really am.
The paw went up again, and wiped another tear.
Sheera smiled through tear-filled eyes. She had a lot of work to do.
***
ONE WEEK LATER:
"Mistrik!" hollered Sheera from downstairs. "I have a surprise for you! Come
down!" Mistrik sighed and put away the picture she was drawing of her dream
family.
"It would be so cool if that family was real,
but dreams like mine never come true," she whispered. "Coming, Sheera!" Unenthusiastically,
Mistrik trudged out of her room and down the stairs. She headed into the guestroom
where Sheera was bound to be. Lupes can track the source of a sound for miles.
Stumbling into the room, awkwardly, Mistrik
picked herself up and raised her head. She looked at Sheera. "Yeah?" she questioned,
in a monotone.
Sheera smiled. "Why the glum expression? I said
I have a surprise for you… or don't you want to see your new family, Misty?"
Mistrik's eyes widened as she acknowledged a
brown-haired human girl smiling broadly at her. Behind her hovered a Faerie
Blumaroo and on the floor, a baby Techo dribbled.
"Welcome to the family, Misty!" the girl yelled,
leaping forward and giving Mistrik a bear hug.
"Have you asked her, Veronica, whether she goes
by Misty or Mistrik? Your impoliteness! By the way, I'm Rob. That- " said the
Faerie Blumaroo, brandishing a finger at the gurgling Techo, "Is Julian. Disgusting,
really."
"Disgusting?" inquired Mistrik, squirming out
of the Veronica's hug and crawling on all fours towards the now burping Techo.
"I think he's quite cute!" Rob snorted.
"Like 'em?" asked Sheera behind Mistrik. "I'm
sorry, I wanted to know why you were so depressed, so I rummaged through your
stuff. I found the picture you drew that night, and inquired about families
with Faerie Blumaroos and Baby Techos. This family was truly the best for miles."
Mistrik looked up at Sheera, her face glowing
with a happiness Sheera had never seen before, and a smile on her perfect face.
Her eyes were shining with tears of joy. She said two words, but they were the
happiest and most grateful words Sheera had every heard, and that made her feel
happy too. "Thank you," whispered Mistrik. Sometimes dreams do come true…
The End
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