My Visit

by Tigerrules

I stepped off the bus and it disappeared, going back to the Human World. I picked up my purse and slung it around my shoulder and looked around. I breathed in the Neopian air. It was nice to be back. I hadn't been here for weeks. I was about to move when four big blurs ran over to me and toppled me over.

"What?!" I screamed as I pushed my way up and dusted myself off.

"You're back!" I looked down and saw my four pets sitting at my feet. They smiled at me. "You were gone awfully long," my Aisha said. "I was busy." I replied simply. I looked at my pets. I hadn't seen them in awhile, and they looked thinner than I had remembered. My Aisha was in need of a new collar, and my Acara's fur desperately needed a brushing. My Chia and Blumaroo didn't look too good either. I looked at my watch. I only had about a hour, two TOPS. I had no time to play or anything. I had lots to do.

"You four go back home" I said and began to walk away.

"No wait!" They shouted and ran after me. Oh great, I thought to myself. But I turned around anyway.

"What?" I asked.

"Take us with you! Please?" I looked down at the four hungry, expectant faces.

"I can't. I'm going shopping" I said and turned around to walk away again.

"Please, PLEASE, take us," they exclaimed, running after me. I sighed. I had lots of shopping to do. My shop stock was running low. There was no way I was taking four pets through the busy Marketplace. Trying to make sure they were all with me, and trying to avoid the ghosts, would be too much trouble.

"No." I answered."Now go home. I am very busy. And you would be safer at home anyway. I thought of the small apartment we lived in. Although I had cleaned it before I left last visit, I knew it must be extremely messy now. I thought of the four small, lumpy, unmade beds, and the empty cupboards and fridge.

"Please don't send us home," my Aisha, Eelizabeth pleaded."We really want to come and we will behave," my Blumaroo added. I couldn't fight any longer, time was running out.

"Okay. Fine!" I said, a little less kindly then I had meant to." But you MUST behave" They all nodded there heads and followed me as I began walking towards the marketplace. We arrived at the busy streets of the marketplace. My pets looked around eagerly. Gazing through the bakery windows at the freshly baked donuts, and then into the Pet shop at the playing pet pets. I hurried them along.

I found a shop that looked fine and walked in. It had nice wallpaper and music. I walked in, not knowing exactly what I was looking for. I fingered the NP that was in my purse. I had none to spare, I had to use it carefully. I eyed a PetPet and my four pets eyes lit up considerably. I shook my head and moved away from it, much to expensive. After looking through the rest of the shop and coming out with some food, I walked towards my shop.

I arrived and inserted what I had just bought into my stock and stuck price tags on them. My pets looked at me curiously. I left the shop urging them to hurry.

"Umm..." my Acara said, "We are kind of hungry...." She trailed off and glanced back at my shop and her three brothers and sisters. They all nodded their agreement. I sighed and glanced at my watch.

"I suppose we could grab something quick." Since I didn't have a lot of time left I quickly took all of my NP and put it into my shop till, that way we could go to the soup kitchen.

We arrived at the Soup Kitchen and my pets gave a little sigh, but urged themselves to smile. I got them a bowl of soup each and sat impatiently as they wolfed it down, each wanted another. Sighing a little I got them each another bowl. Like the first, they wolfed that one down too, and on and on. Finally each of them were Bloated. Looking at my watch I discovered I had been here for an Hour and a Half. Since I was not up to taking them shopping again I decided we should go home.

We walked down the worn corridor and I unlocked our door. It was worse than a dump. The worn couch was covered in food wrappers, the floor was littered with broken toys. A sink full of dishes let of a dump-like smell. I walked into the one bedroom there was. Four small beds lay unmade, and the sheets which were once white, now looked brown. After quickly tiding up the apartment, I left my pets and took the bus home.

Two weeks later I stepped of the bus. I was back in Neopia once again. I looked around, expecting to see my four pets, but no sign of them. Despite the fact I was happy about this(I could now do my shopping in peace) A slight twinge of worry was at the back of my head. This twinge was with me the whole time I was doing my shopping. Finally, not being able to concentrate( I had just bought a 100 NP apple) I gave up and headed for the apartment.

It wasn't much different then the last time I visited, just as dirty. I found my four pets lounging on their beds reading torn books.

"Hi!" I said. They didn't even look up. "Hello?" I said cheerfully."It's me, your owner" I looked at them

"You aren't our owner anymore," said my Acara as she got up."You always leave us in this dirty apartment. You hardly ever feed us, and when you do it is watery soup! We never get any toys or books and the ones we do have are no good!" She sat back on her bed and picked up her book as if nothing happened. I stood there in Awe.

"But I...I'm always BUSY!" I said. My Acara just grunted. I decided I had better leave them alone for a bit.

I Left the apartment in a state of shock. It wasn't my fault, was it? I mean, I couldn't help it that I was busy. Right? But All The same I felt terrible. Then it struck me. I WAS a terrible owner. I ran towards my shop, and took all of the NP from the shop till out. I was going to fix this. Even if it took all of my NP.

I caught a ride to the Neopian country side. I stopped in front of a Lovely cottage. It was pure white with pink shutters. A little garden surrounded it, with a stone path leading to the front door. With five bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and living room, it would be the perfect size for me and my pets. I bought it on the spot. And with the little NP I had left, I bought furniture, toys, and food to go inside. Finally, after many hours, I had the perfect little house set up.

I burst into the apartment. This time my pets were eating a stale loaf of bread, they had probably found spare NP somewhere to buy it. They just glared at me then went on ignoring me.

"Guess what guys!" I said, I was really excited.

"What?" They said, not even bothering to look at me. I frowned slightly at this.

"I have a surprise! Come on!" I ushered them into a taxi, with much moaning and groaning on their part.

We Arrived at the cottage which had a SOLD sign hung in the front yard.

"Oh, Nice House," my Aisha said. "Why are we here? I've seen houses before," she snapped at me.

"Well this house is OUR house," I said. I watched their faces, they all obviously didn't believe me.

"I don't want any tricks!" My Acara said."We are going home! Good bye!" They were about to stalk off when I stopped them.

"But this IS our home!" I said. I pushed them towards the door and opened it. They looked around and gasped.

"Is it REALLY our home?" My Chia asked. "Really" I said. I showed them around the home and they grew happier with every step.

"I'm sorry about how terrible I was being," I apologised.

"It's okay, just please don't do it again" My Aisha said. I agreed happily. I glanced at my watch. Uh Oh. Time to go. I knew that they really wouldn't be happy with this. I bit my bottom lip nervously. My pets noticed this.

"You have to go...don't you?" My Acara said with a twinge of anger in her voice.

"Well, yes." I said."I have been here too long." I watched her face go angry.

"Fine then. Leave us in this nice new house for another few weeks." She turned around. "Come on guys." They stalked off. As much as I would have liked to stay, and argue that it really wasn't my fault, I absolutely couldn't. I walked out and caught the bus home.

The next day I visited right after school. I walked into the cottage with my arms full of grocery bags. My Acara came out.

"You....You're back?" She stammered, obviously surprised.

"Sure I am!" I said, laying the bags on the table,"and look what I have." I pulled out a carton of Neggs.

"Neggs!" My Blumaroo screamed as he bounded in, followed by my Chia and Aisha

"Yup," I said," And I have got new toys, and clothes." I watched in delight as they marveled in their new items.

After that, I really did keep my promise to visit every day. My pets love me again and are always waiting for me at the bus stop. I know I will never do what I have done before ever again. And I hope no other owners will do it either. After all, where would you be without NeoPets?