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"Hurry up, Solixio. We're gonna be late for the first day
of camp!" a red Shoyru shouted to the Shoyru struggling to keep up with her. The
two - Noeln, a red Shoyru and her younger yellow Shoyru brother Soxilio -- were
enrolled in a week-long Shoyru camp session. There, younger Shoyrus like Soxilio
would learn flying techniques, an introduction to battling, and fun games. The
older ones would be able to perfect their flying, even learning swooping and diving,
advanced battling, and of course, games. Other activities, sports, and classes
were also available to campers.
Noeln and Soxilio finally reached (after much
running) the camp. A big wooden sign stood out front that read "CAMP SHOYRU".
The pair rushed in, and quickly came to a small cabin with a sign that read
"Main Office". Shoyrus of a shapes, colors, and sizes were lined up outside
the door, waiting for their turn to sign in. Immediately, Noeln pulled Soxilio
into the line, where they waited for about 10 minutes.
"Next," called the monotonous voice of the camp
director inside the office. It took a minute for the siblings to realize she
was talking to them, as they had been waiting for so long. They stepped inside,
where they met Miss Ellin.
"Hello, children," said a dull purple Shoyru
with an oversized, dirty T-shirt inscribed with 'Camp Shoyru Forever'. "I am
Ellin, Miss Ellin to you. I run a tight camp here. There is to be no misbehaving
whatsoever. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal," said Noeln in an annoyed tone.
"Yes, m'am," replied Soxilio.
"Ah, good," smiled Miss Ellin. She handed each
of them a form to fill out that asked them for their name, age, gender, and
to mark the activities that they would enjoy participating in for the duration
of the week. "Kindly fill this out," Miss Ellin said to the two, "but you'll
need to be hasty, as there is a bit of a long line outside as you have already
seen."
Soxilio had no problem filling out his form.
"This looks interesting - 'Debate Team'. Oh, and this - 'Gormball Team'," he
said aloud.
Noeln raised an eyebrow. "You're going out for
the Gormball team? Er, you do know that it doesn't involve math or science,
right?"
Soxilio frowned. "Of course I know. I'm not
stupid. I have an IQ of precisel--"
"OKAY, okay," Noeln smiled. "I know you aren't.
That sounds like fun -- throwing around a ball. I think I'll join, too." With
that, Noeln checked out the box next to Gormball. "...And I've always been a
bit of a drama queen, so I'll do drama club."
Noeln and Soxilio handed in their forms to Miss
Ellin, who scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to them.
"This is your cabin and counselor. Have a great time at camp, kids. I'll see
you round." The siblings waved and rushed out the door to find their cabin.
---
"Gee, she was kind of strict," Noeln commented once they were out of earshot
of Miss Ellin.
"Actually, I think that she was nice. I always
like someone who is willing to lay down the rules," argued Soxilio. Noeln sighed.
Can't he EVER stop being such a geek and live a little? she thought. However,
Noeln loved Soxilio, and didn't care how much of a geek he was. He's my brother,
after all.
"Look, there's our cabin. Hey, race you there!"
Soxilio said excitedly.
"Woah, hold on little dudes!" said a cool looking
white Shoyru, stopping Soxilio and Noeln in their tracks. "I'm Ret, and I'll
be your counselor. You guys are going to have a totally awesome time here! Now,
I'll need your names."
"Soxilio," said Soxilio.
"Noeln," said Noeln, "We're siblings."
Ret checked off their names on a clipboard he
was holding. "Hey, little dude!" he said to Soxilio, "You seem kinda quiet.
Everything cool?"
Soxilio hesitated a second before answering,
"Wicked cool, dude." Noeln was shocked. Her little dorky genius brother? Using
slang? Maybe this camp WOULD be good for him in the long run!
When they got inside, they met the rest of the
Shoyrus in their cabin. Including them, there were 6 total. But Noeln and Soxilio
were especially drawn to a fire Shoyru, Mak. He wore dark sunglasses, and was
considered an amazing poet. In fact, his work was even published a few times!
The three Shoyrus had quite a lot in common, too. They all liked Gormball, and
literature, and vacationing to the beaches of Mystery Island.
"I guess I've been tossed around a lot from
human to human. But the guy I've got now, well, he's pretty cool. Even painted
me fire. But still, I hate them all. I mean, I like it here 'cause it's all
Shoyrus," explained Mak.
"But you can't hate ALL humans! You see-" Noeln
tried to argue.
But Mak interrupted, "Look, you've had a pretty
short but good life. So good for you. Maybe I haven't. Anyway, I'm really tired.
I've got advanced flying first thing tomorrow, then drama. G'night." With that
Mak flew over to the top of the bunk bed next to theirs, and fell asleep before
Noeln could even tell him that she was in drama, too.
---
Before any of the Shoyrus in Cabin #6 knew it, the sun was shining, Pterii
were singing, and the sound of a bugle was being played on the loudspeakers
all over the camp telling everyone to wake up.
"Alright, dudes! Breakfast is at 8:00 sharp
in the Mess Hall. I hear they're having hot cakes and bacon, so you better get
down there if you want some!" Ret announced, "Then after breakfast you go on
to the activities on your schedule. Lunch is at noon, and dinner at 5:30. I'll
see you round, dudes!" Ret left through the squeaky old screen door.
While Noeln was brushing her teeth, she saw
Mak leaving the cabin. I thought for sure he'd wait for me and Soxilio, she
thought.
---
After breakfast, Noeln headed on to her flying techniques class, and Soxilio
headed to his beginners' flying class.
"I never knew that you had to move your wings
a certain way when you take off!" Soxilio said happily after their classes.
He soared up about 10 feet, and landed smoothly. "You see! I can do it!"
Noeln was proud of him. "Good for you! I learned
some new stuff too, like how to glide for a few seconds, and doing a dive toward
the ground! You just have to make sure that you stop in time when you're doing
the dive so that you don't hit the ground!"
The two walked along the path, and spotted Mak
in the crowd ahead of them. "Look, it's Mak!" Soxilio said, "Hey, Mak!"
Mak looked around, and, seeing them, waved and
quickly flew over. "Look, I'm really sorry," he began.
"No, no, we're sorry, Mak," apologized Noeln.
"Yeah, we should definitely strive to be more
empathetic," chimed in Soxilio.
Mak laughed. "Wow, you really ARE smart! You
must have read lots of books... I haven't."
"Oh, Mak, I'm sorry. If it's because you haven't
got the Neopoints, I can loan you some."
Mak frowned. " Neopoints? Neopoints? Have you
even noticed the fact that I'm fire? Naw, I just don't like to read. That's
all." He smiled, and said, "Oh! I'm almost late for drama! Gotta fly!"
"Hey, I'm in drama, too!" said Noeln happily.
"Really? Well, let's go," Mak said, motioning
toward the outdoor stage that was being built by the drama club.
"See you later, Soxilio!" Noeln said waving
to her brother, who was already flying off to the pond, where debate club was
being held.
---
"Ye shall walk the plank, King Shoyal!"
"Never will I take orders from a pirate!"
The drama club was auditioning for the play
they would perform at the end of the week: King Shoyal. The play was about early
Neopia and the first and only king of the Shoyrus, King Shoyal. In the play
he was captured by pirates, making for an exciting play with lots of action.
Noeln was a big fan of pirates, so the play was just right for her. The drama
instructor posted audition results after. Mak and Noeln made their way through
the crowd of Shoyrus to find out who they would be in King Shoyal.
"Yeah, I got the part of King Shoyal!" a speckled
Shoyru shouted happily.
Noeln and Mak eventually managed to get a look
at the result sheet. Noeln scanned it, and finally found her name next to 'Air
Faerie'.
"Cool! I get to be the air Faerie who gives
King Shoyal wings just as he's about to walk the plank! I guess it's because
of my character Shoyrus've got wings!" Noeln said proudly.
Mak grinned. "What part did you get, Mak?" asked
Noeln.
"Say hello to your pirate captain!" he answered.
"Wow!" Noeln said in surprise, "That's really
good! I mean, aye, sir!" She giggled, then continued, "But you aren't disappointed
that you aren't King Shoyal?"
"Nah," Mak told her, "Not me. I didn't want
to be some old hero anyway. Sometimes it's fun to play the villain. Besides,
I get to be a Lupe as the captain. The costume is really convincing, too. Everyone
will think they let a Lupe into Camp Shoyru!"
---
It was 11:00 at night, and Noeln found herself restless. She lightly flew
down from the top of the bunk bed she shared with Solixio to get a drink of
water. But when she turned around to check on Soxilio, she spotted the head
of a yellow Shoyru plushie peeping out from under the covers, not Soxilio's.
"He's gone!" she said in shock aloud. Thinking her little brother's disappearance
might be Mak's doing, she looked to be bunk opposite hers to see if Mak was
also gone, but he was sleeping like a baby Usul with his favorite Chomby plushie.
Noeln found it funny that he still slept with a plushie, as he was so cool and
mature, and would die of humiliation if she ever told anyone.
Noeln did not have a clue where her 'smart'
brother could have gone in the middle of the night. All the other Shoyrus in
their cabin were in their beds, so he could not have gone out with any of them.
Perhaps someone from another cabin.
Awful thoughts ran through her mind. What if
he had been kidnapped? What if somebody was using him and his intelligence to
break the rules? What if he ran away? The latter was unlikely, because Solixio
was "thoroughly enjoying camp" as he had said earlier that afternoon. And it
was also unlikely that he was kidnapped. Nevertheless, Noeln HAD to do something...
soon.
So she grabbed her jacket and quietly began
to sneak out of the cabin. The floor was creaky, so she had to go extremely
slowly. Once she was out of the musty cabin, Noeln was free to fly.
The night air chilled Noeln's face, and she
was glad she had brought a jacket along. She saw below her Miss Ellin's office.
The lights were on inside, which was interesting. "I swear, that woman is the
strangest I've ever met! I mean, who has lights on in the middle of the night?
Miss Ellin's either insomniac or crazy!" Noeln said to herself out loud.
Though she disliked Miss Ellin, Noeln knew that
she had to go to her. If she didn't go right away, she may never see Soxilio
again.
Noeln flew down to the door, took a deep breath,
and knocked a few times.
"Come in!" Miss Ellis shouted in an angry voice.
Now Noeln was scared. Apparently Miss Ellis wasn't in a good mood right now.
Well, not that she ever was...
When Noeln got inside, she saw the unthinkable.
Miss Ellis was scowling bitterly at four young Shoyrus sitting in front of her
desk, one of which was her own brother, Soxilio!
Miss Ellis turned her attention to Noeln, and
said in a nasty voice, "What do you want, uh, Toenel?"
"A-Actually, it's, N-N-oeln," Noeln said timidly,
"And I was coming because I noticed my brother Soxilio was missing. I thought
you could help find him, but I guess you already have."
"Ah yes, Soxilio. It seems that your dear brother
has been caught breaking camp rules," Miss Ellis explained. Soxilio hung his
head in shame, while the other three Shoyrus tried to hold back their laughter.
Noeln was stunned. Even more stunned than on
their first day at camp, when Solixio said "wicked cool, dude". Her goody-two-shoes
brother, breaking rules? Noeln wanted him to live a little, but not break rules.
"What did he do?" she asked finally.
"Those other buffoons you see next to your brother
are from cabin #8. They threatened him and told him to meet them in back of
the barn at 10:30. He went, obviously, and they challenged him to a fight, which
he also accepted. Two rules broken. Leaving the cabin after lights out, and
battling without supervision or permission." Miss Ellis then turned her attention
to Soxilio. "Honestly, Soxilio, I would have never expected something like this
from a nice Shoyru like you," Miss Ellis said, then glaring at the three other
Shoyrus, "maybe them, but never you."
Noeln didn't know what to say. The week was
almost over, and they were having such a great time. But now, Soxilio could
be in BIG trouble. Noeln remembered the day they arrived, how they went into
Miss Ellis's office, and she had told them there should be no rule breaking.
Soxilio had broken a rule. Two, to be precise. What would happen to him?
It was not until then that Noeln got a good
look at the Shoyrus. The three from cabin #8 had a mischievous, rebellious appearance,
and all sported black T-shirts with skulls. Soxilio was sad looking, with his
light green jacket ripped from the battle, had a black eye and a cut on his
right arm. The others were unscathed.
Miss Ellis said to the Soxilio and the three
punks, smiling, "Now, you all will receive punishment for this."
---
The audience applauded wholeheartedly as the cast of King Shoyal took their
final bows. Both Noeln and Mak were happy with their performances in the play.
Afterward, everyone went back to their cabins,
had camp fires, toasted marshmallows, and said their goodbyes.
"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I had
a great time at camp," Noeln said as she took a bite of her s'more.
"Yeah, so did I," Mak responded.
"Me too, except for getting punished for sneaking
out and battling. Miss Ellis made us wake up an hour early in the morning to
help the chef prepare the day's food, and then mop the Mess Hall after dinner!
Ugh, that was the worst!" Soxilio explained.
"Well, I guess you learned your lesson," Mak
told him.
"And you were the one who said you liked a person
who would 'lay down the rules', right?" Noeln asked her brother. Soxilio nodded.
He smiled and said "From now on, I'm not going
to do something foolish just to make myself look cool."
"Well said, little bro! Now, if you'd just pass
the marshmallows..."
The End
Author's Note: This is the first of a series of stories I intend to write
about my two Shoyrus. Please feel free to send me questions, comments, or constructive
criticism. (And yes, I do realize that the moral to this story is incredibly
sappy - don't give in to peer pressure. I'll do better in the future!) -elilac
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