The Perk Of Being A Plushie

      Once upon a time, in a land far far away called Neopia, there were these two yellow Ixi’s named Sarah and Stacey. They were best friends and always did everything together. Sarah and Stacey had been friends since they were baby Ixi's, they were so close they were almost like sisters. It was very rare that you would ever see one girl without the other once being very close by. They even shared the same goal: to be able to buy a paint brush and get painted. The girls did not know what kind of paint brush they wanted, they just knew that nothing would make them happier than to be painted.

      Being painted changes your whole world. You get noticed more by boy Ixi's, you instantly become more popular with all of the neopets at Neoschool and you gain an instant confidence boost. Perhaps the most exciting thing about being painted is the list of endless possibilities for customizations that suddenly look so amazing on you. The girls didn’t know how or when, but they were determined to both be painted someday.

      So once they both turned sixteen, Sarah and Stacey decided to apply for jobs to finally begin saving neopoints to get a paint brush. After weeks of searching they both got hired on at the Neolodge as house keepers. It wasn’t the most glamourous job, but it paid 1000 neopoints an hour! Which is a lot when you are a sixteen year old Ixi. So every day after school and all day on Saturdays Sarah and Stacey spent their time cleaning bathrooms, washing bedding, cleaning windows and vacuuming. Neither girl particularly enjoyed the work, it was exhausting, giving up a social life when you’re a teenager is not an easy task. It is not very fun trying to juggle work and homework, but they knew it would all be worth it once they were finally able to each buy their very own paint brush.

      A few years later, on a bright sunny day in the middle of July, the girls went to the bank, just like they did every Saturday afternoon after work. When they got to the bank and deposited they money, something was different. They both finally had enough money in their account for their biggest dream to come true. This was the day the girls had been waiting for, it had finally arrived, and they had both saved up enough neopoints to buy a paint brush!

      “What should we each get?” Asked Stacey excitedly “Faerie paint brushes so we can soar through the sky anytime we want?”

      “You can get a faerie paint brush if you want to,” replied Sarah. “I have my heart set on a plushie one though.”

      “Ew, why would you want a plushie paint brush?” answered Stacey “Those aren’t very exciting, who would want to be a toy?”

      Sarah Smiled “You’ll see soon why I want one.”

      “I still like the idea of faerie paint brushes better,” Said Stacey. “But have fun being a toy while I soar through the sky like a bird.”

      So the girls took all of the neopoints out of the bank, hoping they didn’t run into any ghosts on their way to shop for paint brushes. They went to the trading post, happy and excited to finally be making a big purchase that was years in the making. At the trading post Sarah and Stacey looked around, it took a few hours but the girls finally got their paint brushes! Sarah bought a faerie paint brush and Stacey bought a plushie paint brush.

      “I am so excited” Said Sarah as the girls walked over to the rainbow pool! “This is going to be amazing!” Sarah dove into the pool with her paint brush, when she emerged from the water she was now a plushie Ixi. “This is amazing!” She cried “come on in Stacey!”

      Stacey grabbed her paint brush and did a cannon ball into the pool. When she came up out of the water she was a faerie Ixi. “Wow look Sarah, I can fly,” She said proudly!

      The girls splashed in the pool until it started to get dark outside. “Let’s go to the Snowager's cave to attempt to steal a piece of treasure from him.” Stacey said.

      “As long as you don’t fly away from me” Replied Sarah.

      The happy Ixi's walked over to the cave. “It looks dark,” said Stacey “He must be asleep!”

      Sure enough when the girls got inside the dark cave they saw the Snowager, sound asleep on a pile of treasure. The girls walked over to the pile of treasure and Stacey had just gotten her hands on a bright pink negg when suddenly the Snowager bolted upright.

      “RUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNN!!” Screamed Stacey, “Before he blasts us with ice!”

      Stacey ran and ran, trees blurred by her, she had never run this fast in her entire life. She was so scared and she was out of breath. Once she finally stopped running she turned to Sarah so they could laugh about it together, only to realize that Sarah was not behind her. “Oh no, I hope she is alright!” Cried Stacey “I thought she was right behind me.”

      Stacey walked back through the woods towards the Snowager's cave for a second time that evening. “Sarah,” she called. “Sarah, are you there? Are you hiding in the woods? This isn’t funny? Sarah where are you?” But Sarah was nowhere to be found. So Stacey continued walking through the forest, speeding up her pace as she got closer to the Snowager's cave.

      When Stacey arrived at the Snowager's cave for the second time that evening, she was relieved to see that the Snowager was back asleep. “Well that’s a good sign” she said, “At least I don’t have to worry about being blasted with a bunch of ice pellets.” Stacey began to look around the cave, searching for Sarah. She wanted so badly to yell out Sarah’s name, but she was scared that the Snowager would hear her and wake up again. As she looked around the cave, she noticed the pink negg from earlier that evening. Stacey walked over to where the negg was laying, careful not to step on any pieces of the Snowager's treasure. As Stacey neared the negg she heard a quiet giggle that sounded just like Sarah’s giggle. Stacey walked over to the bright, shiny pink negg, when she picked up the negg she saw a pair of eyes staring at her. Startled Stacey took a step back, but then she realized that the eyes she saw were just the eyes of a plushie. “Wow! I have never seen a plushie that big.” Stacey whispered to no one in particular.

      Just then the plushie smiled and stood up “Sarah!” exclaimed Stacey, “There you are! I was worried about you! I didn’t even notice you laying there; you blended right in with all of the other plushies in the pile of treasure. Why didn’t you run when I did?”

      “Well Stacey,” replied Sarah. “It was easier to just lay still in the Snowager's pile of treasure. He didn’t even notice me, he thought I was one of his toys. And that my friend is the perk of being a plushie.”

      The End.