Nuzirpa

Not so long ago, on a moon not so far away, a baby was born. She was named Nuzirpa by her parents, and she was a Grundo of Kreludor, but little did she know, all was not that simple.
You see, all Grundos on Kreludor are Orange, as it is and has always been, like an unwritten law. Nuzirpa's parents were Orange, as were their parents and their parents before them, but Nuzirpa was born a dirty brown. Word spread throughout the colony, and conclusions were drawn and accusations whispered between the Grundos. Nuzirpa's parents were both proud and shamed at the same time, on Kreludor, their color Orange showed status and rank amoungst the other Space Station 'scum' as they so bluntly put. Their baby looked no different from the rest, but it made all the difference on their home moon.
A council was held to determine the fate of the babe, hours, days passed by. Ideas and solutions proposed and debated, but none seemed fair enough for the poor child. They could not have a Grundo of such simple color mucking their colony's genes, but also couldn't bring themselves to abandon her on her own, or worse. They thought about returning her to the Space Station where she would belong, but realized she was still of Kreludor blood and deserved better.
Finally, the sentence was decided and announced, Nuzirpa was to be given to a home down on Neopia, whom's was as of yet, undecided. Nuzirpa's parents wept for their child, who would never know them or Kreludor, banished from them forever, as if she was never there. But she was to remain unforgotten, somewhat of a ledgend, a fairy tale, a bad rumor turned into a bedtime story for far luckier children.

Nuzirpa ended up in the hands of a little boy, who, despite the Kreludorian council choosing him for kindness and honesty, treated her badly. He never fed her, nor played with her, or payed her any notice at all. He called her 'Muck' and took all the gifts of mercy and weapons bestoed opon her by family and council, selling them for cheap np or giving them to his other pets. Nuzirpa spent her first years being taught she was insignificant, put there to be lesser than others. She began to reason she deserved this, by some unknown logic, she told herself that what the boy wanted was of higher importance than her needs.
She became tattered and thin, ill to the point of collapsing, but the boy paid no heed. That is, until one day when he demanded that she stand wait at the Money Tree while he shop for weapons and food not intended for her. He instructed her to grab anything she could, even fight for the tinest np if she had to. She was left there, alone, but she was used to it, she knew he would eventually come back and scold her for her scarce earnings and she would walk home with him, head bend, assuming it really was her fault. But this time, it was getting dark, and her boy still had not come. She waited obidiently, shivering from the cold and sickness, coughing raggedly.
Hours passed, night came, but still she waited. It was very dark, and she fought back fears and fatigue, determined to wait for him. But he never came.
Sleep eventually overcame her, curled up in a little ball at the foot of the Money Tree. Through half-open eyes, she remembers the hazy touch of someone picking up her small frame, a kind face blurred by her tired eyes. She passed out in their arms, thinking the boy had finally found her, but deep inside knowing the face was not his.

Nuzirpa awoke to the smell of vegetables and broth, the touch of heat from a warm stove, and the noises of feet, paws, and claws, silverware and talking. Wearily, she opened her golden brown eyes and looked around. She was by a large hearth, warm and comforting coals nestled in it's open mouth. She heard the bubbling of soup behind her and, with much effort, sat herself up. She turned and gazed sleepily around the room. She was in a big hut-like house, back against the farthest wall, where huge cauldrons of soups simmered. Dozens of tables and benches were linned up, filled with Neopets of every size and color, bowls and spoons in hands or paws. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone walk up to her and bend down, she turned her head to look up at their face, kneeling on the floor beside the blankets she sat on.
The face was find and full of love, a smile twinkling in brown eyes, framed by long brown hair, tied back with a red hankerchief. On her back were beautiful golden butterfly wings, refracting the dim lighting like glitter. She held a spoon in one hand and used the other to pat Nuzirpa on the head. Nuzirpa was unused to this kind of touch, and pulled back, thinking she was to be hit or punished. The woman saw this and spoke to her in a gentle voice,
It's okay, little one, I wont hurt you..." Something in the voice made Nuzirpa beleive this, and she relaxed a little, eyes going to the pots and bowls of soup, hungrily. The lady noticed this, too, and laughed quietly, "I should've know you'd be hungry, left out there cold and alone... Do you have an owner?
Nuzirpa's thoughts raced in panic, she had forgotten of the boy. He had probably already noticed she was gone, he would be furious, and punish her for her disobidience. Her ears drooped as she thought of this, her eyes showing her fear, yet the question remained unanswered. The woman seemed to be constantly reading Nuzirpa's thoughts and her eye twinkled as she mischeviously took the Grundo's silence for a no instead. "So you have no owner? No home? Well you may stay with me, if you wish.
In surprize, Nuzirpa almost objected when she said she had no owner, then considered it for a momment. No owner. No boy. Would she perhaps be happier? Better off? She looked into the faerie's brown eyes, and for the first time in her young life, smiled.

Nuzirpa stayed with the Soup Faerie for 5 years, learning to cook, and making new friends of the vistors that came to the Kitchen. She loved every minitue of her newfound life, and kept herself busy, leaving no spare momment to think of the boy. The Soup Faerie called her 'Sprout' because of her love of the vegetable garden behind the hut.
One day, while Nuzirpa was ladling out soup to the less fortunate of Neopia, the Soup Faerie approached her.
Sprout..." She called, and Nuzirpa answered by climbing off her stool and walking over to her friend. She looked up into the Faerie's kind eyes, but found that the normal sparkle of joy or happiness was replaced by a dullness of worry and gloom. "Sprout, I have been thinking as of late, about you. You've stayed with me 5 wonderful years, and you have become the best assistant I would've ever hoped for, but it is just that. I can not give you the things which you need. An owner, which I can never be. Here you may have food and shelter, but it is the love which you seek, I love all Neopia's creatures, including you, but I can't accept you as a pet, I can't have or give that kind of love. You need an owner, Sprout, little one, someone who will love you and play with you, buy you toys and tend for you when you are sick." Nuzirpa was quiet, considering this. She did not know of these things, she had never had an owner who loved her. She remembered the boy and tears welled up in her eyes. Was that was the Faerie was telling her she needed? Was that what all Neopians were like? She looked around at all the faces in the kitchen. Humans, striken with poverty, brought there pets here, giving them food at warmth until they could give it themselves. It was then Nuzirpa realized that the Soup Faerie's love was wide-spread, to all of Neopia, and was not just for one. Faced with this, Nuzirpa looked up into the saddened eyes of the Faerie and smiled. The Soup Faerie smiled back and handed her a napsack.
I'll miss you very much, Sprout... You are welcome here anytime you find yourself faced without food or warmth, I hope you find a nice owner... Good luck." She kissed Nuzirpa on the forhead and smiled. Nuzirpa nodded, and with that, she turned and walked towards the door.

Nuzirpa walked all that day, and into the night, resting only when she needed food or drink, which magically seemed to appear in the backpack. It was well past midnight when it started to rain and she finally chose a dark alleyway to rest, crawling into a carboard box and curling up in a ball with a blanket from the pack over her small frame. The sound of the rain hitting the cardboard became rhythmatic and soothing, to her weary ears after a while, as she looked out at the bleak world. She was too tired to think of anything that night, and drifted off to sleep without a thought of her past life and how it had found her in a little box in a big city, so far from home.
She awoke to a bright morning, the sun full in her face. She sat up and stretched, thinking she was waking up to another day in the Soup Kitchen, but remembered where she was when her hand hit the top of the cardboard box. With a sigh, she crawled out and stood up, looking around. The alleyway had looked so different at night, that she barely recalled where she was. There was an overturned dupster and several bent up trashcans, and many more boxes, much like the one she'd spent the night in. With a heavy heart, she continued her long journey, realizing she didn't know where she was headed or what she'd do when she got there. A car passed by on the busy streets, not noticing the small brown Grundo on the sidewalk as it ran through a puddle, drenching her in dirty rainwater. The water mingled with her tears as she picked up her pack again, wiped it from her face with her arm along, not giving it much thought, and walked on.

(Will Be Continued Eventually...)

My best bud Dark made this little adoptie, it looks just like me! *snuggles* Thanks so much, Dark! ^^