Po and Camp Neko: Part One by polayo |  |
A note from Omni & Po (the authors): Thanks goes out to... Novalaen, 2_Ears_Too_Many,
Starsintheskies, IndigoKitten, NekoOkane, Cyaro, Chikorita68, Neko90, Kolic,
Mercedes_Kitten, and Tanya4589 for volunteering to let me use their pets in
this story. It wouldn't have been the same without you! Enjoy!
I STUDIED THE brochure I'd received in the mail carefully. The cover was elaborately
decorated with a calm scene of a log cabin by a lake, and across the cover were
the words "Camp Neko". I flipped open the cover to find more similar pictures,
but largely the three panels were filled with words.
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Welcome
to Camp
Neko!
Camp
Neko was a thought perceived many years ago, and finally put into action
this year. For Neopets of all ages and their petpets, Camp Neko is a summer
camp for anyone! Pack your bags and your Petpet's food, buy a camp scrapbook,
borrow a camera for snapping pictures, and get ready to make the best
friends you'll ever make in this eight week session you'll remember for
the rest of your lives! You won't want to leave at the end of the summer!
We promise you that here you'll never be bored, never have nothing to
do, and will be completely exhausted at the end of the day when we retired
to our cabins from evening activity, and when you pull the covers over
you for a full night's sleep you'll be up and ready the next morning once
again! There are many activities at CN to do, and they each vary every
day. For example-when was the last time you took a cool, refreshing swim
in the lake? Gone canoeing? Done a dance routine with your best friends?
Organised a talent show? You probably can't even remember! So come on
in, join the fun-you won't regret it!
Staff
The idea of Camp Neko was originally thought of by King Coltzan long before
he died and carried out by Princess Vyssa. Vyssa, though, was only the
one who bought the land. Branston that infamous Eyrie, is the president
of the camp, and spends is time in activity to activity with the campers.
Aletra, host of the show 'What's Cooking?' is the chef at Camp Neko, and
she makes some of the best meals you'll ever taste! Her assistant chef,
the Soup Faerie, knows just the right thing to warm you up after a long
evening hike-you'll never be hungry or cold here! She also takes the position
as Camp Nurse, as she can conjure up any soup to cure any illness-and,
of course, she can conjure up plasters.
At the end of the eight-week session, there is one competition between
campers, one contest to rule them all. Since it must be kept completely
secret, no one but the great Branston himself knows about it yet, and
it is useless to try and get information out of him.
Quatringa
the Aisha is the singing tutor, WyndChyme is the acting tutor, and Nisiko
is the creative writing tutor. If your pet is signed up for a course with
any of them, we promise you won't be sorry with your new-found skills!
History
CN is quite a new camp, but it is certain to become a well loved one as
time goes on! 'Neko' was the winning name from the 'Name Our Camp!' contest.
Although
CN may seem like just another camp, it isn't. We offer special courses
like creative writing, singing, and stage productions.
Courses
Stage
Productions
Every Friday the entire camp gathers together to watch that weeks play
performed by Stage Productions. Each play is completely written, choreographed,
designed, and performed by the campers. WyndChyme, an Aisha with fabulous
acting skills who will help your pet improve their own, runs this course.
Creative
Writing
In the creative writing class, campers will be randomly assigned a topic
after they choose one of their own. After the topics are assigned, each
camper must decide on a story to write which includes both of those topics.
At the end of the eight-week session, all the campers will read all the
stories and vote on their favourites. The award-winning author Nisiko
runs this class.
Singing
There are two elements to the singing course. Campers will be trained
to use their voices in a graceful manner, trained to reach all notes on
every octave. Then, after four weeks of intensive training, campers will
begin to write their own songs, and will perform them along side the last
play of the summer. Quatringa the Aisha is this years singing tutor, and
we know if your pet signs up for singing, they won't leave sorry!
Come,
one and all, to Camp Neko, and have the summer you'll never forget!
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I put down the brochure, considering it. I had
thought it totally stupid until I read about the creative writing/stage production/singing
classes.
Then it had gotten a bit more interesting.
***
When Omni came home that afternoon, I showed her the brochure. At first, I
could see how stupid she thought it was. She put down the paper with an apprehensive
look on her face. "I dunno, Po, it doesn't sound like-"
"Omni!" I exclaimed, and pointed to the course
descriptions in the brochure. "Look at this! The things I want to be famous
for are right here in front of my eyes, and I'm just a couple thousand NP away
from them. You gotta let me go, Omni, please!"
Omni looked at my outburst and, backing away
from me, she gave in. "Okay, okay, you can go... but-"
I cut her off in the middle of her sentence.
"THANK YOU, OMNI, THANK YOU SO MUCH!" I screamed, jumping up and throwing my
arms around her neck. "THANK YOU!"
She waited patiently until I was done, and then
she continued. "-But only on one condition. You have to write home every few
days-at least once a week-to me, EverWild, Reggie, or one of your other close
friends. I know we'll be writing to you ever day or so..."
I smiled and hugged Omni again. "Thanks a million,
Omni!" I whispered, and ran off to my room to start packing.
***
It was the day I was to leave-I double-checked my bag, made sure I'd brought
everything. Oh, I didn't care about the clothes I'd brought-what I made sure
I had were notebooks, photos, cameras, a floppy disc with 'My Documents' saved
on it, and, best of all, the biggest collection of pencils and pens I had ever
seen. Laughing to myself after checking it was all there; I hurried down the
hall lugging my trunk behind me. Tikano, aka Tika, my faerie Babaa, tittered
about behind me with her on small bag I'd secured around her paws
Omni stood waiting in the hall. "C'mon, Po, the
taxi's waiting! We'll say good bye to Novalaen and EverWild, but then we've
got to go."
I nodded and took one last, long look around
my NeoHome. I didn't know it would be a long time before I'd see it again.
"Come, Tika," I beckoned. "Time to go!"
She squeaked and flew out the open door toward
the taxi.
***
The doorbell chimed and Novalaen, or Nova, Omni's best friend, opened the door.
"Can't believe you're leaving, Po!" She exclaimed.
"Neopia sure will be dull without you!" She joked, and motioned to the flight
of stairs behind her. "Ev's upstairs."
I left Nova and Omni to their chatting and bounced
up the steps.
I found Ev sprawled on her bed reading a magazine.
Next to her were a pile of things, all of them but two that I recognised. The
first was her blue Krawk plushie; she loved that thing just like I loved my
Faelinn Plushie. The second was a Discman that was hooked up in her ears; she
was humming along with it not even noticing me. The last thing I recognised
was her bandana-she was a pirate Aisha-with her name stitched in it. The other
two things were a small tissue paper package and an envelope.
Creeping quietly, I tiptoed up beside her. She
still didn't notice me until I jumped up, screamed, and she startled and nearly
hit the ceiling.
"My gosh, Po, don't scare me like!" she said
between fits of laughter. "I can't believe you're going away... I'm not gonna
see you all summer!"
I sat down on the bed next to her. "I'll write
you a ton of letters, I swear," I promised. "Listen-I'll write you a letter
everyday, and I'll write Omni one too. Sound good?"
Ev smiled at me and gave me a quick hug. "I'm
gonna miss you so much!" She squealed. "Oh yeah, don't let me forget-I have
two things for you."
She grabbed the enveloped and tissue paper package.
"I was rummaging around in the closet the other day and found something I think
you'll find useful at camp-don't open it until you're really missing me, though.
And I wrote you something that you might like whenever you're homesick. Don't
open it or read it until you're there, though. Remember, distance makes the
heart more strong." She winked at me and hugged me once more.
"I'm gonna miss you so much!" I exclaimed. "I'm
not going to say good bye, though... because good byes are so..." I searched
for the right word. "Final." I decided, and squeezed her one last time as Omni
called me down. "Thanks for everything, Ev. I'll hear from you soon, right?"
"Duh! I'll write you a letter tonight and send
it tomorrow, telling you how much I miss you already!"
"See ya soon, Ev! And remember, visiting day
is in four weeks, make sure you come with Omni!"
She stood at the door from her bedroom and watched
me walk one last time down the stairs, never looking back. I could stand to.
Even though I hadn't said goodbye, it still seemed so... final.
To be continued... |
