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Usuki Man


by soccerhart12

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It was all Jody's fault that Ryni was a green Usul. Jody, who loved Usuls more than anybody, already had a yellow and blue Usul before Ryni was created. Ryni's younger sister, Arquesia who was born a few days later, was red.

     Jody thought that it wouldn't be cool to have all female Usuls. She thought of this after Freya and Karteen, Ryni's older sisters, were created. So, she decided that her next Neopet would be a boy.

     Ryni would have been fine if he were a red Usul and Arquesia was the green one. But no, Jody just had to make her next Neopet a male green Usul.

     Maybe you don't know why being a green Usul is so bad for a boy. Well, the thing is, Sally is a green Usul. Having sisters who leave their Usukis around the house doesn't make the situation any better. All of the big boys at school who were Grarrls or Skeiths called Ryni "Sally" or "Sallio" or "Usuki Man". It was terrible. So, when the teasing and smirking became too unbearable, Ryni decided to do something about it.

     But he didn't know how.

     -------------------

     "Miracles are magical things that only come once in a lifetime, if you are lucky. You just have to believe in miracles, and one will definitely come to you."

     Those were the last two sentences in Ryni's book. He smirked as the book blew in a puff of red smoke. That's what books did when Neopets were finished with them.

     Jody was really rich, and she had a whole library of books for Ryni and his sisters.

     "That stuff is really stupid," said Ryni as he climbed up a spiral staircase to his room. Ryni loved his room. It was made entirely of chocolate and was on the third floor. Besides his room, there was only a bathroom and a small playroom on the third floor. Everything else was on the second or ground level. "Miracles are just a myth."

     Ryni took out his favorite red Nimmo plushie. Ryni always wanted to be a Nimmo. Everything seemed so peaceful in their eyes. If you were a Nimmo, everything you saw was positive and you made a lot of friends. Ryni had no friends and everything he saw was either negative or REALLY negative.

     "Dinner!" called a little voice. It was Arquesia.

     The green Usul jumped and stuffed his plushie into his drawer. Not even Arquesia played with plushies. She still played with her Usukis, however. So did Freya and Karteen. "I'll be right there!" he yelled. Ryni stomped down the stairs. He was in a bad mood for no reason at all. Or maybe he could predict what was going to happen next.

     -------------------

     Ryni woke up with a start. He could feel fingers on his back.

     "Don't worry," said a hushed voice. "I'm a friend."

     The Usul rubbed his sleepy eyes. "I don't have any friends."

     "Then I am a new friend."

     As soon as Ryni opened his eyes fully, he could see a beautiful Faerie at his bedside. She had tumbling golden curls. She also wore a gold crown and had fat, golden wings. Ryni supposed she was a Light Faerie.

     "My name is Adeline. I am a Light Faerie."

     So Ryni was right.

     "What are you here for?" asked Ryni. "Light Faeries like you never come down to the surface."

     "I know," said Adeline. "But I am here to help you."

     "Help?" Ryni asked. He turned over on his bed so his back faced Adeline. "I do not need help."

     "Yes, you do," Adeline protested, hovering over to face Ryni again. "I know that everybody at school teases you because you are a green Usul."

     Ryni sat up straight. "Can you change me to a red Nimmo like I've always wanted?"

     Adeline shook her head. "I am sorry, Sir Ryni. However, I can make you stronger on the inside so you can face the bullies."

     The green Usul's face fell, but he did like being called Sir Ryni. "How?"

     "You'll just have to see," said Adeline, putting a finger to her yellow lips. She started to disappear slowly.

     "Come back!" Ryni called. "You still haven't answered my question!" When Ryni was sure that Adeline would not come back, he turned off the light again and fell back asleep, his mind still full of questions.

     -------------------

     The next day at school was a hard one. Greg, one of the bullies, brought in his sister's Ballerina Usuki for Show and Tell.

     "This is an Usuki," said Greg, pointing. This caused some titters from the class. "It is Sallio's absolutely favorite toy!" The class erupted in laughter. Ryni turned beet red.

     After that horrifying episode, Adeline returned.

     "I saw what happened," she said when she saw Ryni.

     "How can you help me?" Ryni whined.

     "I have an idea," Adeline said softly. "You just have to listen to me."

     "Okay," said Ryni eagerly.

     "Invite Greg and every other bully over to your house. Then they'll see that you are a boy, not a girl."

     Ryni pondered for a moment. "That's a good idea," he said finally. "I'll do it right now."

     -------------------

     "So, this is my room," said Ryni, gesturing towards the chocolate door. About a dozen pets, mostly Grarrls like Greg, were lined behind him.

     Nobody said anything, so Ryni opened his door.

     The Neopets gasped at the boyishness in Ryni's room. His once neat drawers were absolutely messy. A load of clothes were on the floor. Amour and snowballs stuck to the bed. Tiki Tack items were all over the room. Some were even stuck to the chocolate ceiling!

     Greg was the first one to speak. "Where are the Usukis, Sally?"

     "Check my room," Ryni said proudly. "You will not find one inch of an Usuki in here."

     The bullies were checking through cracks and drawers. Nobody found an Usuki.

     "I found something," cried a boy named Naliss.

     Ryni's heart sank. "What is it?" he asked timidly. "What on Neopia could you find in my all boy, stinky room?" Somehow, Ryni knew what Naliss found. He was so stupid not to dispose of it.

     "It's a plushie!" Naliss yelled, dangling the Nimmo plushie by the arms. "Usuki Man still plays with plushies!"

     The boys lined up to see Naliss's find. Greg touched the Nimmo's stomach and a squeak came out. This caused more laughter.

     And the rest, they say, was all history.

     -------------------

     Things at school were even worse. Ryni was still teased about being a green Usul, but he was also tormented because of his plushie.

     Adeline was abandoned. Whenever she came for help, which was about five times a day, she was shunned by Ryni. Ryni didn't want any "help" or plans that did not work.

     Because he had no social life or a positive view on his life, Ryni thought quite a lot. He thought about the book that he read on miracles. He doubted the book even more now. Miracles do not come at all, and that is life. Ryni also thought about the bullies. He liked to profile each one with information on their strengths, weaknesses, records, siblings...

     Siblings. Ryni thought about this when he was reading over Greg's file in his mind. Greg did not have a sister. He did not have a sister, so whose Usuki was it?

     Then, Ryni had the answer. He knew how he could get back at the bullies and get his life back.

     -------------------

     "Why am I inviting you over again?" Greg asked as he and Ryni were walking home from school.

     "Because you torment me a lot at school," said Ryni innocently. "I want you to torment me in your own habitat."

     "What a sport you are," said Greg with a smile.

     As soon as the two stepped into Greg's Neohome, Greg started the teasing. He had the same insults, but he also added some colorful new ones. Ryni knew he had to take a few minutes of this, then he would launch his plan.

     "Greg, do you have a bathroom?" Ryni asked after about four minutes.

     "Upstairs and to your left," Greg said drily. "Be back soon!"

     "I will!" Ryni promised.

     Ryni dashed up the stairs and looked in every room. He saw a kitchen, a master bedroom, and a bathroom. He flushed the toilet for effect. Ryni went to the right and saw another room. It had to be Greg's.

     The green Usul knew that he had to work fast. He looked at every corner, but then he found his jackpot.

     -------------------

     Ryni only looked like Sally. Greg acted like her.

     Ryni found about two dozen Usukis in Greg's drawer. He passed them around school.

     The next time Ryni saw Adeline, she gave him a thumbs up. Ryni didn't really know what she did to help, but he was grateful.

     Jody came home one day with the same book about miracles. Ryni read it over, but didn't read it all, so the book wouldn't turn into smoke.

     "I guess the book is right," Ryni said to himself. "Miracles do happen."

The End

 
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