Snowglobe: Part Three

     Ria sat up. Who was calling her? The Kougra got to her feet and brushed herself off hurriedly. What had happened?

     Ria saddened at the memory. She remembered running away from Jerdana and the other orphans and into the snow. She must've fallen asleep. Ria shifted her foot, it felt like there was something underneath it. Ria gasped as she saw what it was. She had been crushing her Hannah Action-Figure. Ria shook the snow off and tried frantically to straighten the dress out and to flatten out the wild hair which had gone everywhere. Ria groaned as she saw that Hannah was going to look like some barbarian from Tyrannia until she could go to Donny's. Maybe he could straighten the doll out for her. No, he would have to fix Hannah!

     Forgetting that somebody had been calling her, Ria stood up and made a sprint back through Neopia Central. Breathless, she continued running until she saw a ferry at the dock. It cut straight across the ocean and landed near Terror Mountain. Ria leaped unto the boat and quickly paid the driver 1000 Neopoints, that should be enough. She sat down and leaned back. It was going to be a long ride.

      * * *

     Ria's eyelids fluttered and she groggily sat up.

     "Wha…oh, we're here…" she muttered. She grabbed Hannah, who had been sitting next to her, and carried the action-figure out of the boat. She soon found climbing the mountain difficult, and decided to go through the Ice Caves to Terror Mountain, instead of climbing straight up.

     About 2 hours later, Ria had finally made it to the top of the mountain. I never…ever! want to do that again… she thought wearily as she pulled herself towards the Repair Shop. Of course…he had to pick the farthest spot away…

     Ria got to the door and pounded on it. There were noises and the door was flung open by Donny. Looking bored, he grunted,

     "Give me one o' yer broken toys, and some Neopoints, and I'll see if I can fix it fer ya!" Ria jumped back, his voice had sounded so…so mean! Ria clutched the doll tightly to her chest and started to make for the door. Donny rolled his eyes and stuck his hand out.

     "What are ya waiting for young 'un, I don't have all day!" Reluctantly, Ria handed over the Hannah doll. Donny glanced it over and made a tsk tsk sound before heading back into his workshop.

     "Does that mean you can fix it?!" Ria called, hurrying after him. She caught a glimpse of dark walls, a single fluorescent light in the back that lit up a long work table. Broken toys littered the ground and on a small table there was glue, scissors, paint, pencils, and millions of other little things. Donny whirled around and shoved her out the door.

     "Yes, but I don't like an audience. Come back in an hour," he said and slammed the door shut. Ria turned on her heel and looked around. So what would she do for an hour now anyway? She thought for a moment of the shop of mystery, but decided against it. She had heard that you could spend 4000 Neopoints on a bag and only get a pile of dung! Ria shied away from it and looked for something else to do. She looked around until she spotted the Snow Faerie's igloo. Ria saw Taelia talking to somebody on the mountain. He was really strange looking…it Mr. Chipper…from the Ice Cream Cart! Maybe they were going to give out coupons! Ria raced towards them, dodging the few other Neopets that were on the mountain in the raging snow. But when she got there, Mr. Chipper was gone and Taelia was back in her home. Ria quietly entered the igloo. Her mouth dropped as she looked around.

     The walls were sparkling, the ice seemed to have it's own special glow. Shelves lined the walls, filled with odd shaped bottles containing shimmering liquids. There was a large basket, filled with the odd items Taelia asked Neopets to collect for her. In the back of the igloo, Ria saw many beds that contained sick animals. Ria finally noticed the Snow Faerie near the back, leaning over a book. Ria approached slowly, squinting. It was hard to find Taelia, the bright white of the walls blinding her.

     When she got there, she could see Taelia looking for something on a shelf. The Snow Faerie turned to look at her and smiled.

     "Oh hello…say, aren't you that kind Kougra from Neopia Central? That's so sweet that the little Aisha liked my snowglobe? Here, I have something special for you, since you're such a good person," Taelia said. The Snow Faerie fished into her coat and pulled a strange green coupon. It was a job coupon…

     As if sensing her confusion, Taelia continued, "It's for the Ice Cream Cart. I'll give you a ride down there if you'd like." Ria smiled. An ice cream coupon and a ride with the Snow Faerie! What could be better then that? Then the Kougra's smile faded and she whispered,

     "Donny is fixing a toy for me, I can't leave." Taelia thought for a moment before walking out into the snow, leaving Ria there. About 5 minutes later, the Snow Faerie returned and handed Ria's Hannah Action-Figure.

     "I paid for it, it was only 400 Neopoints. Let's go, Ria!" Taelia shouted.

      * * *

     Ria stood a few paces away from the ice cream cart, simply staring. There were a few very rich Neopets milling around the cart, they were all painted, all rich enough to afford to buy all the things on Taelia's quests. Ria started looking at the flavors of ice cream when she saw a poster hanging on the candy cane sign nearby. There was the picture from the newspaper, the one with her surrounded by every snowglobe imaginable…it was enlarged, and underneath it was a caption. Ria squinted to read it:

     HADRIALIA, DONATER OF SNOWGLOBES!

     Ria snorted. Why did they always have to use her real name? She examined the poster more closely, and was satisfied enough with it. Ria felt smug as she saw the huge poster dedicated just to her, where everyone could see it. She started to go away when she noticed there was also a smaller poster next to it. There was Jerdana, the little Aisha from the orphanage, holding up the Snow Faerie snowglobe. Around her were other poor orphans, some holding snowglobes, others not. Ria glanced to the ice cream cart. All those Neopets looked bloated, filled to their painted brim. They all had scowls on their faces, as if being rich and spoiled made them scorn everything. Ria glanced back at the poster. Smiles illuminated the faces of all those Neopets. They were happy…but they had nothing. Ria thought of herself. Right in between.

     Mr. Chipper had noticed her from behind the cart. He quickly finished putting some vanilla maple pecan ice cream in a huge cone for an anxious Cybunny before he waved (while still holding an ice cream scooper) and called out,

     "Come Ria! It's time to get some ice cream!"

     Ria looked at the cart, the rich Neopets, the poster of herself, the poster of the poor Neopets…and stood there, glued to the spot.

     "Come now Ria, we can't waste all day! I'll close up soon, and not everybody can try my ice cream! That was gift…a reward for doing what was right. So come now Ria, treat yourself since you have been good to Neopia!"

     Ria stared at the scowls and grunts of the rich Neopets, eating their third cone of ice cream. If they weren't rare pets, like Tonus, Poogles, Cybunnies or Krawks, they were painted! They could all afford to be painted, the spoiled brats. She looked back at the poster, showing Jerdana and the other orphans. She could hear voices all around her.

     "But mommy! I want another ice cream, I haven't tried chocolate-raspberry swirl yet, mommy! I want some!"

     "Bobby! Bobby! I need to have another ice cream!"

     "Ria, what are you waiting for! I've got an extra big cone waiting here right for you!"

     "Please Delancy…I'm so very hungry, I want another ice cream! Four scoops weren't enough Delancy!"

     Ria stared at the coupon. This was her choice. It would be easy to go up and buy herself an ice cream. She could eat it and not look back at the poster. She didn't need to even think about it. She deserved that ice cream, didn't she? She was the donator. The donator of the snowglobes, like the poster and the newspaper said. Like the poster and the newspaper said. But…but Ria hadn't done those things. She hadn't made their Christmas merry, she hadn't given them old toys, she hadn't thought of them while she enjoyed herself. But she could still buy that ice cream. Ria took a few steps towards the ice cream cart…

To be continued...