Creating the Perfect Paradise: Part Four

by ekatzy

In Parts 1, 2, and 3... After being adopted by Kit, a poor Neopian, Tina decides to run away, because she overhears a conversation of Kit's and is convinced that she, Kit, and her friends Baby Blue and Usulia would soon be homeless. She runs away to the adoption agency, hoping to be adopted by a wealthy Neopian. She is adopted by Jenevieve, who just happens to be the Uber-Air Faerie. Tina is adopted to be a servant, and is told that if she behaves herself, she can accompany Jenevieve on a visit to see the Faerie Queen. Tina remembers a story that says that if you tell the Faerie Queen stories of NeoPets who help Faeries, she'll grant you a wish. Tina now has a mission. She has to get to the Faerie Queen and have her wish granted and live happily ever after...

Pots and pans clattered, Korbats flew wearily through the halls, Skeiths prowled through the rooms, and Lupes stood majestically beside the spiked gates of Miss Uber-Air's immense NeoHome. There were NeoPets of every kind working here, but only one was paid with free room and board, and only one was an Aisha: me. I felt very alone in Oxygenia Plaza, home of the Uber-Air Faerie. I was Miss Uber-Air's personal servant. I followed her around throughout the day, unless she dismissed me. I did small tasks like pick things up for her and help her brush her hair. I did larger tasks for her, like deliver packages, letters, and verbal messages to her friends in Faerieland. I did anything she asked me to, I worked quickly and efficiently, without complaint. Sometimes, I would make sure I did an exceptionally superb job on my work, so I would receive lavish praise. I wanted to be the perfect servant, the perfect helper, the perfect assistant. Sometimes the work became too much for me and I just wanted to scream, but I never did. The most trying time for me came during my third week of service for her. Miss Uber-Air asked me to deliver a message to the Employment Agency for her. It was a verbal message, because she was in a hurry and had no time to write it out. I was to tell them that in two weeks, she would need an assistant to help her up at the house because one of her workers would be leaving her in two weeks.

This was a difficult task for me for several reasons: 1) I was fairly sure that the employee that would be leaving was a pretty young white Gelert I had befriended, named SnoCone, and I was sorry to see my friend leave, but Sno would probably be getting a job at Uni's Clothing. And wouldn't need to work at Miss Uber-Air's anymore, 2) I was feeling particularly tired that day, and Miss Uber-Air lives on the highest cloud (she is the Air Faerie) and it is a very long journey from her home to the Employment Agency, 3) she wanted me to pick up some books at the library and some potions from the Water Faeries on my way back up, so on the long trip back I would have to carry all of those with me, 4) I was angry at her because it was almost Saturday and she hadn't given me any time off since last Sunday, and, last of all, 5) something happened at the Employment Agency that gave me a very bad scare.

As I was walking across the room toward the door of the Agency after giving the massage to an extremely bored looking Earth Faerie, I heard a familiar voice. The voice was saying, panicky, "Less than two weeks! I have less then two weeks, then I have to move out of the house I'm in! Please, I need help... no, I don't have enough...." It was Kit! She sounded like she was begging for a job. She needed help, she was about to be evicted from her home, and she didn't have enough money. I dove behind a potted plant o hide because she couldn't, she simply couldn't see me. She continued to argue with the Faerie behind the desk. It was noisy in the room, so I could only hear bits of the conversation. The Faerie had a soft voice, so I was only able to hear Kit speak: "No, they say they didn't receive this month's or last month's... that's not good enough! I know I... I have about ten days. I can't wait three weeks!... Why? Because I have to leave my house that I'm at now in ten days, but I can't... they won't... No! I won't have anywhere to go for eight days if you make me wait three weeks! I've had it, I'm leaving this worthless place!" Kit sounded very upset. I hoped she wouldn't see me. I strained my eyes for a glimpse of Baby and Usulia. I saw a flotsam and an Usul, but it couldn't be...! Baby and Usulia looked so different than they had a month ago. They were much prettier, and were still wearing some of those funny ribbons Kit had purchased for us. I couldn't believe my eyes. I looked down at myself, at my stained blue outfit, and almost found myself wishing that I were back with Kit, baby and Usulia. As I watched all three of them walk out of the door, I heard Baby giggle, and I noticed that both Baby and Usulia were gazing at Kit with something close to worship and adoration. I felt a surge of anger. How could they adore and love someone who was so obviously poor? I soon forgot that I had wanted to be back with them, and I once again remembered my mission: talk to the Faerie Queen and have her grant me my wish.

Less than two weeks later, it was time to go to the Faerie Queen's housewarming party. Miss Uber-Air's normally calm personality had succumbed to feeling of nervousness. I was jumpy too; what if the Faerie Queen wasn't impressed with my story? I fidgeted nervously as I smoothed my pretty blue dress that I was going to wear to the party at the enormous mansion. After getting myself ready, I went to help Miss Uber-Air prepare for the party. I had ironed all of her nice clothes neatly, and I was now brushing her hair and helping her crimp it and twist it into an elegant style. I helped her decorate her pretty wings with rhinestones, and we were ready to go. We stepped out into the cool, thin air outside of the mansion, and stepped onto a small cloud. Miss Uber-Air whistled nervously, and the cloud glided gently down toward the new mansion of the Faerie Queen.

At the door, Miss Uber-Air knocked. We could hear the beautiful music coming from the inside of the house; the beautiful music that only Faeries can make. The door opened and what looked like a levitating mermaid cried, "Jenny!" I immediately realised that this mermaid was the Uber-Water Faerie, who looked like a mermaid but didn't have or need wings. Miss Uber-Air promptly replied to the mermaid by exclaiming, "Christy!" and giving her a hug. The two walked into the new home, chatting happily. Christy's servant lagged behind to talk to me. "Hello," she said to me. "My name's Koia Lynn." Koia Lynn was an extremely pretty Koi, and she, too, was levitating. All water NeoPets can do that on land; how else are they supposed to get around when they are out of the water? We chatted a bit as we hurried down the hall after our Faeries. As soon as we reached the Great Hall, though, we stopped talking and went to find our Faeries. We split up and I soon found who I was looking for. Miss Uber-Air was talking to several normal Air Faeries, who seemed overcome with joy to be at such a prestigious party. She didn't seem to need me at the moment, so I slipped away to look for the Faerie Queen. Across the room, I could see an absolutely exquisite pair of purple wings towering above the rest. I knew this was the Faerie Queen. Quickly, I hurried across the room, hoping to catch her at a time when she would be able to talk to me. Unfortunately, when I reached her, she was already talking to an important looking Blumaroo, who I immediately assumed to be King Roo. A NeoPet who I assumed was King Roo's assistant, a handsome young Aisha (the first Aisha besides myself I had seen in months!) looked around at me, smiled, and walked over to introduce himself.

"Hello," he said, "my name is Aisher.

Who are you?" I replied, "My name is Tina. I am waiting to talk to the Queen."

Aisher laughed and said, "Well, sorry, Tina, but the Queen told me that she really didn't want to talk to anyone. She's waiting for someone that she's expecting to approach her. I wasn't even supposed to let the King near her."

I was surprised. I said, "But, Aisher, you aren't King Roo's assistant?"

Aisher laughed again (I thought he had a very charming laugh) and said, "No, I am what you could call a butler to the Queen."

I gazed at Aisher and said, "well, Aisher, I really don't want to get you in trouble but I really want to talk to the Queen. Couldn't you let me? It'll only take a second. Please, ask her if I can talk to her."

Aisher looked reluctant, but he agreed to ask for me. He went to talk to the Queen (who looked relieved to have an excuse to stop talking to King Roo) and whispered in her ear. She looked surprised and nodded her head fervently. He gestured to me and I hurried over. The Queen took me into a quiet corner and for the first time I saw her face. There was something strangely familiar about it... but I was positive I was imagining things, so I said, "Excuse me, ma'am. I just thought that I would tell you something. I know you like to look for stories of NeoPets who help Faeries, so I..." I stopped dead. I stretched my neck and looked around the Queen. Something funny was going on. I could have sworn that I saw...

"Baby! Usulia!" I cried, forgetting about the queen in my surprise. "What are you doing here?" Baby looked at me, obviously not surprised. Her gaze was not friendly, though.

"Please, Tina," she said softly, "Would you run across the room and get me a drink of water?"

Usulia added, "I want one, too!"

I gaped at them. "What kind of greeting is that?" I cried.

"I haven't seen you in a month and all you say is 'get me a drink of water'! Get one yourself! I mean, chances are that I have a slightly higher social status than you. What, are you working here because Kit needs money and can't get a job of her own?" Baby laughed.

"Kit doesn't need a job, and no, we don't work here. We live here."

I laughed, too. "OK, nice joke. Now, what say we all go and get some water together?"

"No, really, Tina. We live here. Haven't you figured it out?" Usulia said quietly.

I gaped at them. Then I remembered the Queen. I was alarmed, so I turned quickly to look for her, and found her standing right at my shoulder. I gasped. She was so beautiful, yet so familiar...

"K...Kit!" I gasped. The beautiful Faerie Queen was none other than my former owner, Kit! "Finally figured it out, Tina?" Kit said softly.

"I know you heard me at the Employment agency and on the phone at the old house. When I was begging at the Agency, I needed people to help me finish my home. They never received this month's shipment of enchanted wood and stone to build with, so they were worried they wouldn't finish on schedule. I knew they had to because I had this party planned and I told the owner of the run down home I was renting that I would only need it until a certain date. I was never poor, but I needed to stay in disguise while living in Neopia, rather than Faerieland. I knew where you had run off to when we found you missing, so I notified my friend the Uber-Air Faerie, and asked her to hire you for a month until you came here and you could live with me again. Why do you think Jenny was looking for someone to replace you?"

I continued to gape. It was all falling into place... "You mean I can still live with you?" I cried. "After I was so completely hideous to you?"

"Of course," Kit smiled.

I couldn't help it. I smiled too. It turns out I never had to tell her my story, but I think she knew what I was going to tell her anyway. I now live in a large mansion. I don't really care, I could live in the tiniest home in the world and still be happy. I learned my lesson. You have to create your own paradise wherever you live, because sometimes your wishes can't come true. I couldn't be happier living anywhere else. I still help out with chores around the house because during my days with Jenny (I can call her that now) I became too accustomed to work to stop when I moved to Kit's. I'm also happy because I can spend time with my lifelong friends Baby and Usulia, and my new boyfriend, the handsome Aisher. But most of all, I'm happy because I finally have a home, a family, and my own perfect paradise.

The End