The Price of Beauty: Part Three

      Vivi was strangely absent. I was asked once or twice where she was, and I had to answer that I didn't know. Nor did I care, but I kept that fact to myself.

      Vivi may not have been there, but I thought of her more and more often as the days passed. How would she handle this situation or that? After all, if I was this beautiful, I needed beautiful manners to match. This whole being nice to people even if they had been mean to me was actually pleasant.

      I had a rare moment to myself before going to a friend's for tea, and I found myself in the field of daisies. It was a pleasant day, much like the day I found the mirror. I took it out to stare at myself. I would often go to the bathroom when I was out, just to make sure my beauty remained. And to admire myself.

      I gazed at my lovely reflection, shining in the sunlight. Suddenly, the image began to change. I stood, transfixed with horror, unable to tear my eyes away.

      The golden fur turned a dark grey-green. The lustre was gone, the shine turned worse than dull- it was flat, as if I were covered in a layer of dust. The whites of my eyes had turned a dark, throbbing red. And my eyes- my beautiful golden eyes were a poisonous bright green.

      "No..." I whispered in horror. I was paralyzed, I couldn't scream.

      "Just a warning," the voice said with a mean chuckle. The image faded and turned back into my real reflection. No, my borrowed reflection.

      "I have come for my Price," the voice said authoritatively. Coldly. Businesslike.

      "Oh, that," I breathed, relieved. I could finally get this out of the way.

      A bottle appeared in mid-air, filled with a grey-green liquid. It looked suspiciously like the color of the fur I'd seen in the reflection.

      "Have your Sister drink this," the voice said flatly.

      "I... what? What IS it?"

      "You don't get something for nothing, isn't that what she said? You wanted more beauty... you must now sacrifice hers."

      "What!?" I squeaked, trembling with revulsion, "What do you mean? Steal it?"

      "Why yes," the voice said, "I collect beauty to bestow upon others such as yourself. I want hers."

      "No!" I shouted, finally finding my resolve, "I can't make my Sister turn into that- that- that THING!"

      "You have until midnight," the voice purred, reveling in my pain, "You will pay a Price either way young neopet. Choose your poison wisely."

      The vial fell to the ground. I picked it up. It was warm, and pulsing. Revolted, I held it lightly. Then I had an idea. I ran to a nearby boulder and threw the vial as hard as I could.

      The vial split open, the liquid heavy and not even shining in the sun. It fell upon a daisy, turning it green and red. The daisy wilted a little, but did not die. I leaned forward to touch the daisy.

      I felt something similar to a burn when I touched it. "OUCH!" I exclaimed, shaking my paw out. "At least it's only one flower," I comforted myself, "and now I can't give it to Vivi!" I marched home, proud of myself.

      Vivi wasn't there, so I flopped on my bed. I began to sob into my pillow. It was all too much for me. The roller coaster of emotions from the last week tore out of me. Once I cried myself out, I lay there, staring at the ceiling. Part of me thought that I should try to somehow get out of the mess I was in. But what could I do? I just lay there, letting my thoughts drift.

      It felt like moments later when a paw was shaking me awake. It was night- I had fallen asleep. I woke up with a start, my head slamming into her nose.

      "OW!" she said, rubbing it.

      "That's what you get from surprising someone awake!" I said irritably. Didn't she have any respect for me saving her?

      She didn't say a word. She simply held out a shaking paw. A vial of warm green liquid was contained within.

      I jumped up out of bed and snatched it from her. "Where did you get this!?" I exclaimed, scared to my bones.

      "A voice gave it to me," she said softly, her fright evident in her voice. "It said you would know what to do and that if you tried to escape your Price again, it would do more than reveal itself to me." She looked up, tears in her eyes.

      "Never mind that," I said. "Never mind the Price."

      "What is it, Vira?" she said, tears streaming harder. "What is it that you are so afraid of you won't even tell me? Why will you never truly talk to me?"

      "Because you are more beautiful than I am! You are lovely and sweet and everyone loves you more! I am left behind and you don't care!"

      "Oh, Vira," she answered, hurt evident in her voice. "That couldn't be further from the truth. I say over and over how sweet and wonderful you are, and yet, you are jealous and suspicious around everyone until they won't believe me and think I'm blinded by love!" Her voice shook with passion. "I tried and tried to get into your heart, but I can't!"

      I began to cry, "Oh, sister! I didn't know! I never knew! Why didn't I speak my heart to you? And now this Price! I will NEVER PAY IT!" I shouted to the sky through my tears. "YOU HEAR ME? I WON'T PAY!"

      "Sister, you will pay. You don't understand the Price is even more steep if you won't pay per the original agreement," Vivi said, her calm voice belied by her shaking paws.

      "What do you mean?" I asked.

      "It told me. The voice told me the consequences. It showed me in the mirror." she said, softly. "I won't let you pay that Price!" she exclaimed boldly.

      "You do not know the real Price," I said, looking away.

      "Not until you tell me."

      "I can't. I won't. You will make me pay it and I won't pay," I answered, trying to infuse my voice with finality.

      Her eyes narrowed, "It is not a Price for you to pay, but for another," she guessed, watching my face closely. "It is a Price for me."

      I couldn't help my eyes bulging in surprise. How did she know? "You think I don't notice my surroundings Sister, because I am so pleasant. But you don't realize that I've only ever been looking out for you. And that takes a lot of attention."

      I thought back to the many times she had gotten me out of scrapes. When she smeared chocolate on her face when I'd snuck cookies before dinner. When I would get made fun of and she'd give up the best fruit in her lunch to distract them. Even all the times with her friends that she tried so hard to get me invited.

      "Your face says it all. Name the Price, I will pay it," she said calmly. "I'm sure it's to drink what's in that vial. It will turn me into what is in that mirror, and you keep your beauty? Don't look so surprised, it isn't rocket science here. Haven't you read any tales? This is the inevitable conclusion." Her eyes hardened. "But you will not bravely sacrifice yourself. You will hand me that vial."

      I was numb with shock. This sister I assumed I knew was the not the creature I had imagined her. I thought ironically that I probably would have gotten along even better with this sister. Her love for me was fierce. I wouldn't let her take this fall for me though.

      "I'm sorry, sister. Know that I love you. I didn't know you at all, and now that I do, I love you more than I could ever imagine. So I'm sorry." I reached into my pocket and took out the mirror. Faster than she could react, I knocked her on the side of the head with it. She crumpled to the floor. I leaned down and felt the rise and fall in her chest. Knocked out.

      I stuffed the mirror back in my pocket and packed only a few things for myself. Midnight was approaching, and I knew what was coming. And I wouldn't make my Sister explain my new appearance and what it meant. I wouldn't make her live down my imperfections.

      I felt, rather than saw the change. It was not brilliant and filled with light, but rather it was a dull drooping of myself. With shaking paws, I looked in the mirror. The monstrosity from earlier met my terrified eyes.

      "You can still pay the Price," the voice whispered. "And everything will be as it was."

      "You know I never will, don't you?" I whispered back.

      "The choice is still yours," it answered.

      I knelt and touched Vivi's face. She moaned a little but did not wake. I saw a faint red mark. I had burned her, like the flower. I grimaced, picked up my pack, and got out before she could get up. The vial was tucked safely in my pocket.

      As I walked through the field towards the forest, I noticed the daises change color and wilt slightly. But they no longer burned me. I knew that I had to be alone, so I didn't spread my poison any further.

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      I sit up and take the vial off the shelf. Even after all these years, it is still warm and pulses slightly.

      I realize now, years later, what my sister was really loved for. Continues to be loved for. For she is love, and love is real beauty. And on the days when I have to stare at my hateful reflection, I realize that my ugliness is only a reflection of the heart inside.

      I will go out and spread my mirrors tonight, my warning, that nothing comes for free. That you should be happy with who you are. That some Prices are too high to pay. I may be seen as a villain, but if even one neopet says no to that silky voice, my self imposed exile is worth it.

      "There's only one way to get your beauty back..." the dark voice loves to remind me. But I won't pay the Price for beauty on the outside. I'm paying the Price for beauty within...

The End