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My Vacation: Part Four


by jeanaet

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Now, I'm not one to brag - but I am telling the truth when I say I am the prettiest blue Xweetok! I have the longest blue mane, the softest blue fur, and the most beautiful blue eyes! Now, I know I sound really vain - but it is the truth, and you can't argue with the truth. But there's a problem. I may be otherwise perfect, but I'm not waterproof, Eyrie-proof, non-gravity-proof, Grundo-proof, or Mystic-proof. Nope. That is why when my owner, Jeanie, decided it was time for a vacation, my world turned upside down!

Last we met I had told you about Tyrannia and entering Maraqua. A haunting experience. I had just dived into the Maraquan Neolodge when I left you. Well, we will start from there.

     The rooms were almost as beautiful as Maraqua itself. There were - wouldn't you guess - water beds and they had even put in a water bed basket for Haelee. Haelee, who had really gotten out of the mood of tourism after Terror Mountain, immediately curled up and fell asleep. I shook my head at her. Here we were in Maraqua and she was sleeping! Shaking my head, I ran to the mirror and brushed my fur out of my eyes.

     "Let's go pick up some breakfast and then we can go see the Ruins," Jeanie said. I turned around and was in my wetsuit before her. Jumping around in excitement I ran around the room in excitement. Jeanie shook her head at me, and we slowly left the submarine-like hotel.

     Outside I flipped and twirled in the water. After a few minutes of this, Jeanie grabbed my paw and led me towards the Ruins of Maraqua. We were a bit dismayed to find that there were no restaurants or food shops very near, so we surprised ourselves by fishing for dinner. Chewing on cooked left and right rotten shoes, we took a tour all around the Ruins for most of the day. After a rude slug chased us away however, we just returned to the Neolodge.

     Haelee glared at us rather reproachfully for leaving us, but we ignored her as we tried to relax. For the rest of the day we watched the Maraquan Olympics, Haelee squealing and yelping at passerby (through the porthole). I was just beginning to straighten my fur again when Jeanie stood up and stretched, yawning.

     "Let's go to dinner, Ailemea," Jeanie said, pulling the wetsuit back on. "Some fancy joint called Kelp." I nodded and got my own wetsuit back on. I didn't need to be asked twice. I was out of the Neolodge first.

     Swimming to the restaurant took long enough because of my wish to examine every seaweed bush in Maraqua. Jeanie smiled at first, but after a while her grumbling stomach made her grab my paw and drag me along.

     Inside Kelp, we removed our scuba gear and were seated by an amiable Maraquan Scorchio. "I will take your order in a moment," he said, and left us. I picked up the menu.

     "Yum, that looks good. Whoa... this place is cheap! This meal is only like a tenth of a Neopoint. Very nice," I said, scanning the menu.

     "You're reading the menu upside down, dear," Jeanie said with a frown, looking at the prices. I turned the menu right side up.

     "Oh." I searched for the cheapest thing on the menu and frowned. Everything was so expensive! The Maraquan Scorchio returned to find us frowning at the menus. He shook his head and turned the menus around to show cheap food at cheap prices. Instantaneously, I saw Jeanie's pride kick in and she turned the menu back around.

     "I would like the Stramberry Sausages, and Ailemea would like the Braised Turkey Cutlet. Two Foozette Juices and two Coral Cakes for dessert," she said, handing the menus back to him. He stared at her in surprise, then bowed himself away.

     Dinner was delicious; Kelp had a right to be so expensive! The Foozette Juice was full of sweet nectar and my Braised Turkey was just as delicious. It all tasted like sand, however, when the Scorchio brought back the check.

     "One hundred two thousand eight hundred Neopoints, please," the waiter said. Jeanie stared at the check for a moment before sighing. "Show us to the dishes, sir." The Maraquan Scorchio sniffed and took us to the kitchens where we spent the rest of our stay in Maraqua washing dishes and paying off our debt.

     ~~~

     "You and your annoying pride," I said, sitting down on the boat with my bags and glaring at Jeanie. "Three days straight of washing dishes. Some vacation. My paws will never be the same."

     "Give it a rest, Ailemea, I said I was sorry."

     "It's amazing just how many people in Neopia can actually afford it, though," I added, rubbing fur-lotion into my paws. "But I must say I will never look kindly upon Maraquan Scorchios ever again."

     Jeanie laughed. "I don't think that was who he actually was; he was just doing his job." I shrugged.

     "The annoying thing is we still had to pay ten thousand Neopoints," I said, pulling Haelee out of the glass case.

     "We kind of deserved it, if you ask me," Jeanie shrugged.

     "You deserved it," I corrected. She looked at me and then we both burst into laughter. Haelee suddenly began to squeak and squeal, her eyes on the horizon. We turned and saw Mystery Island fast approaching. I stood against the rail and watched as it came closer and closer.

     When we arrived, a team of Techos helped us drag our luggage to the Neolodge. This room, sadly, did not have water beds. Only straw mats. With a sigh, I dropped my bags on the floor and left Jeanie to take a nap. I wasn't about to waste four days sleeping.

     Outside, a Mynci played volleyball and hundreds of Neopets entered the Training School. I watched them, then turned and saw the Tombola. Perfect, I thought.

     Reaching into the basket, I pulled out a ticket. '325' it read. "You're a winner!" the Tombola man cried. He handed me 177 Neopoints along with a Fantastic Fly Pie and a Cheese Covered Caramel Apple. I tried to smile at him, but my stomach was twisting.

     "Thank you," I finally managed, and ran off. Passing the Myncies playing volleyball, I turned and watched them with interest. After a while they noticed me watching and invited me to join them.

     All day I played with them and then afterward I went and bought a Teal Juppie for dinner. After that I returned back to the Neolodge where I found Jeanie still sleeping. I should my head. Lazy humans... I thought, and then curled up on the straw mat beside her with a large yawn. Haelee curled up next to me and we both fell asleep.

     The next day we went to see the Island Mystic. Jeanie and I shook our head. "He's probably a fake," Jeanie said, and I agreed. When we arrived we entered the small hut in a bored fashion. The old Kyrii looked boredly at us.

     "I suppose you want to know your fortune? Well, here it is... " His eyes suddenly clouded over and he stared blankly at us. "Your direction in life will change without your noticing." We stared at him and then burst into laughter.

     "That's really good, you almost convinced me there," I choked. He stared blankly and we left. At the door I stopped and turned around. Suddenly the old mystic shook his head and looked around confused.

     "What just happened?" he asked himself. I watched him for a moment and then left, following Jeanie.

     "That mystic sure is crazy, isn't he?" Jeanie was still chuckling. I smiled. Yep. We started walking towards Techo Mountain when I noticed Jeanie was no longer beside me. I turned and saw her walking calmly away.

     "Where are you going?" I asked. She walked a few more steps and then paused, and turned around slowly.

     "To Techo Mountain!" she said, slightly confused.

     "Techo Mountain is this way," I said. She frowned; indeed, the mountain was behind me. We started walking again.

     "Where are YOU going now?" Jeanie asked and I realized I was heading for the beach.

     "I... don't know." This continued for another hour, and we just never seemed to get to Techo Mountain.

     "Alright! That darn mystic did something to us," Jeanie said angrily. She started back to his hut and automatically found herself going to the Rock Pool Petpet Shop. I watched her for a moment then burst out laughing.

     "If you can get there," I teased. She laughed too, and slowly (very very slowly), we made our way back to the Neolodge. We dragged each other and concentrated very hard. Those darn mystics and their fortunes. I still walk weird sometimes. Very annoying.

     The next day we visited the Lost City of Geraptiku. I swear, my owner fell into the Petpet Shop on ACCIDENT! Neither I, nor Haelee, PUSHED her! Anyways, as I was saying. When we saw the Deserted Tomb, Jeanie immediately wanted to enter. That's when she fell. It was all fate, it wasn't a paw on the leg or anything. Anyway, the accident caused us to return to the Neolodge, where she moaned and groaned all day long.

     The next day, once again, we packed our bags and moved on. No offense to Krawk Island or anything, but we just figured we could skip ONE destination due to Jeanie's hurt ankle. Whoopsy!

To be continued...

 
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Other Episodes


» My Vacation: Part One
» My Vacation: Part Two
» My Vacation: Part Three
» My Vacation: Part Five
» My Vacation: Part Six
» My Vacation: Part Seven



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