also by tracypaper12
The room was tense. Lapinnie searched around her meekly,
then turned her gaze to her right, where her friend Buffy was seated. The mutant
Cybunny felt the same as her, she was sure. Awaiting the winner of Top Academic
Award -- the best student of the year. There was an award given to each of the
top male and female student, and Lapinnie hoped the female was either her or
Buffy.
They had tried hard this year, both of them.
Making new friends and meeting new Neopets, going to each other's houses, and
studying together. Lapinnie secretly hoped that these things weren't done for
nothing.
"The student that we have chosen for the Top
Academic Award winner is someone who is dedicated and very hardworking," said
Mrs. Flash, their teacher. This meant that either the girl or boy winner was
in their class! Lapinnie held her breath. "They are determined in improving,
and not only do they achieve in the academics, they also make friends and is
a kind and comical person." At this, Buffy groaned (they were not particularly
funny), as the plump Kougra continued her speech. "Throughout the year, they
have done work to the best of their abilities, going through rough times and
dealing with them. I cannot emphasize his or her skills and motivation in every
subject enough. And so, I present this award of this year to..."
Buffy took a quick glance at her Aisha friend,
who whispered to her, "It's not going to be me. I just know it." They had been
saying that to each other for most of the year, and now it was time to test
their predictions.
"... Engelburt Furetasique, the male Top Academic
Award winner." As she said this, a Skeith sitting behind them looked extremely
surprised. He gawked, appearing very blunt, not looking at all as though he
had the highest marks in his year. The crowd clapped and whistled, as Engelburt
finally unseated himself and made his way up the stage, grinning sheepishly.
Soon, the auditorium fell silent. Mister Hog,
another teacher, crossed the auditorium's stage to the podium, his thick black
cape gliding behind him. Lapinnie was silent. The teachers of the winners came
up to the podium... it meant she and Buffy did not win the female Top Academic
Award. She saw Buffy bury her head in her paws for a minute and look up at the
spandex-clad teacher.
"This year's female Academic Award goes to a
bright young pupil, who has tried hard in all subjects, and has committed themselves
to numerous extra curricular activities. Also, this person has been selected
for the Neopian Junior Soccer Squad, a very distinguished sporting organisation.
Nobody can forget their amazing goal against the Tyrannian Twistors." Buffy
shot a glance at Lapinnie.
"I thought this was an Academic award?" Buffy
whispered. Lapinnie looked down at the floor. There was just the tiniest hope
that Mister Hog had been up there to announce the winner of another class...
"It is my pleasure to present this award to...
Sazbae Sliche." The audience clapped, as the slim, beautiful Faerie Ixi trotted
up to the stage, and collected her award. Buffy groaned loudly.
"Oh no," she muttered, closing her eyes, "She's
never going to let me hear the end of this." Lapinnie looked at her.
"Who isn't?" she inquired. But she never got
an answer, as the entire school began pouring out of the auditorium doors, the
noise deafening. She looked around, but Buffy had left.
Lapinnie sighed. It wasn't the best thing that
had happened to her, but before the Top Academic Award winners were announced,
she did get every other award except for one, and Buffy did also. Lapinnie
received the Citizenship Award for her class, being kind and helpful, while
Buffy received the Most Improved Award for improving her social attitude towards
her classmates, especially Lapinnie.
The disco Aisha had a horrible, sinking feeling
in her stomach. She followed the students out the auditorium door and went back
to her classroom, where some of her classmates were. Some had already left for
lunch, including Buffy. Mrs. Flash came up to her.
"Well, Lapinnie, it's been an enlightening year.
It was a pleasure to have you. Both you and Buffy narrowly missed the Top Academic
Award by decimal two percent. I tried pleading the principal to allow you to
win, considering you worked so hard throughout the year and were new, but she
disagreed," Mrs. Flash said, sounding relieved and guilty at the same time,
if that were possible. "Point two percent, can you believe that? You were so
close, Lapinnie. So close. But if you did win, I wonder who would have gotten
it -- you or Buffy? Well, no matter. You are dismissed for lunch, and I will
see you both afterwards."
Lapinnie strolled through the halls and down
the stairs, spotting Buffy at the landing, looking quite irritated. Before she
could ask what was wrong, a mocking voice came from behind.
"Ha! Stupid Buffy -- your stupidity didn't gain
you that Academic Award you wanted! I told you last year -- all those years
before, too, in fact -- that I was smarter than you, and you denied it. Look
who's right! Look who's smarter!" It was Sazbae, the Faerie Ixi who had
won the Top Female Academic Award. Lapinnie sighed deeply and walked passed
Buffy and the Ixi, pretending to not take notice.
The Ixi stuck her foot out promptly, tripping
Lapinnie over. She hit the floor with a sickening thud.
"Leave her alone," Buffy said angrily. Sazbae
laughed.
"So, is this your new little friend?" she chuckled,
her wings fluttering delicately. "Is she stupid too?" Lapinnie got up from the
floor.
"Yes, I am Buffy's friend, and from my calculations
-- a word you’ve most likely never heard of – we’re not nearly as stupid as
you are!" she said angrily. The Ixi merely flicked her head back casually.
"Well, I'd stay away from Buffy. You might catch
Dull-er-itus" she said. Buffy scowled. "Anyway," she continued, "I'd better
be going. I have better things to do than talk to Meepits like you. Coming,
Monica?" Buffy's jaw dropped as her sister, another Faerie Ixi, came and stood
next to Sazbae.
"Smell you later," Monica said, in the same mocking
tone. Buffy stood there, speechless.
Lapinnie picked herself up from her sitting position
in which she posed on the ground and turned to Buffy. "Was that your sister
-- Monica?" she questioned. Lapinnie didn't wait for an answer. "I didn't think
even she was stupid enough as to join such a Neopet as her!"
"Wow," Buffy said, changing the subject. "I didn't
think you had an angry side to you. Are you okay? Did you fall and pick up someone
else's personality or something?"
"No," Lapinnie said, sounding extremely depressed
and closer to her normal, gentle self. "I'm okay. I guess I'm a lot more like
my owner than I thought I was. She says she's short-tempered, but I don't believe
her at most times... maybe it's because she hides it, like I did."
Buffy took a quick glance at her and answered
a simple, "Maybe," before they both headed to the cafeteria for lunch.
The cafeteria was as loud and noisy as always,
the tables jammed and packed with Neopian students, chatting and eating. Buffy
and Lapinnie usually sat at a small table by the window and glass emergency
exit. The mutant Cybunny looked around the room for it and saw that it was covered
in scraps of food, confetti, paper towels, and graffiti. The writing include
insults such as 'geeks!', 'nerds', and 'smart Neopets like you should not be
allowed in school'.
Buffy sighed loudly, sweeping some litter from
the table, and setting her lunch down on the table. Lapinnie sat opposite and
looked at the graffiti. She mumbled, "Was that last one supposed to be sarcastic?"
"Look, Lapinnie. You're not too bothered about
that award, are you?" Buffy said, rummaging through her lunchbox. Lapinnie just
sighed.
"I know you're smarter than Sazbae, she only
got that award because of her sporting achievements," Buffy said, her mouth
full of cheese omelette. "Besides, we have better things to worry about. Like
our sleepover on Friday." Lapinnie smiled. She'd been looking forward to her
end of school sleepover at Buffy's house. Although, she couldn't help thinking
Buffy's family was one of the oddest combinations of pets she'd ever seen.
"Yeah, I guess," Lapinnie said sadly. Lucy, Buffy's
other sister, sauntered up to the table.
"What's up?" she said, pulling a lunchbox from
her school bag, "Have you seen who Monica's hanging around with? She's a bit..."
"Bigheaded," Buffy said.
"Arrogant," Lapinnie added.
"Egotistical."
"Loudmouthed --"
"Okay, okay, I get the point," Lucy said exasperatedly.
"Anyway, I hope it's just a phase. I really don't like to see any of my family
hang around people like her, even Monica."
Buffy nodded her head. "Me neither."
Lucy sat down with them for a moment, then got
up again. "Hey, listen guys, I've got some friends over there" -- the Krawk
pointed toward a crowd of sporty-looking students, wearing basketball bibs,
all calling her name -- "and I think they want me to eat lunch with them. We
could continue our chat tonight if you want." The Pirate Krawk got up, and joined
the basketball team at the other table.
Buffy and Lapinnie bobbed their heads in acknowledgement
and looked down at their food. Grease and oil could still be seen on their table
from the scraps of food that were once upon it. Usually, Buffy and Lapinnie
kept their table clean and tidy, but at the moment it looked absolutely terrible.
"So... erm," Lapinnie began casually. "Lappiny
got the Top Academic Award for his year, and Mrs. Flash told me we were a few
decimal of percentages away from the it. We were tied."
"That was pretty good, then," Buffy replied,
meeting the disco Aisha's gaze. "Cheer up, Lapinnie. We were really close this
year and there's always next year to hope for, and many more other years afterwards!"
Lapinnie merely sighed in reply, poking at her
lunch depressingly. Buffy tried to give her a sympathetic look, but the Aisha
did not look back at her and did not realise it, and instead continued eating
her food. After the meal was finished, Lapinnie went to fetch for some soap,
water, and paper towels to clean their table as Buffy waited.
Sazbae came up to her and shot her a dirty look,
mumbling, "Loser," as she passed by. Monica was trailing behind her, smiling
the same smirk, or at least attempting to.
Lapinnie returned a few minutes after, one arm
with a bucket hanging from it, the paw attached to it holding a batch of paper
towels, the left paw holding another bucket full of water. The two cleaned the
table in silence, as the students in the cafeteria made there way out of the
room and into the schoolyard.
"Well, we're about done," Lapinnie said after
a while of wiping the same clean spot over and over.
"Yeah, I guess."
The next few periods of school passed by quickly,
the two copying neat notes into their books and listening to the teacher intently.
They did not receive much work, and were given free time after their lessons.
Tomorrow and the next would hardly include any work because is was so close
to the end of school, and for this Lapinnie was glad. She had to clear her mind,
and less work meant less to think about.
School had completed for that day, as Buffy and
Lapinnie made their way through the streets of Neopia. The summer sun gleamed
in the sky, as the two walked across the roads noiselessly.
Lapinnie came to a stop at her house and said,
"Well, see you, Buffy."
Buffy waved, the Aisha not waving back as she
unlocked the door and went inside the house.
***
"She's what!?" Buffy bolted up from her seat and stood up quickly. The mutant
Cybunny hurried to her owner's side and skimmed through the letter that was
sent to them.
'Dear Tracy and Buffy,
I don't know if you know, but Lapinnie's missing. I don't think she came home,
but Lappiny told me he saw her a little before she vanished. I'm really concerned,
so if you know anything, Neomail me as soon as possible, plessie!'
~Lapin
"Wow, can you believe that? In such a serious
case, Lapin still managed to use her odd speech," Tracy said rather too admirably.
"And can you believe that you're gawking at a
really serious Neomail? We have to go find her!"
To be continued...
Author's Note: Feel free to Neomail
us if you have any questions or comments!
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