Is money everything? Sure it might give you a great NeoHome, the best accommodations
at the Neolodge, beautiful faerie pets, and fancy foods and clothes... but what
will it do to your character?
Luala the Peophin
had a very very rich owner who left for work early in the morning and came home
late, but she returned with loads of NP. There wasn't much time to cook, so
she'd usually just take out a carton of Frozen
Neggs, thaw them, add a sprinkle of Seasoning
Sand and voila, the makeshift "feast" of the night. Then Susan (Luala's
owner), would shut herself up in the richly furnished study room and study more
Kauvara Potion calculations and strategies to visit the Shrine at the exact
right time when she would get a million Neopoints.
Luala was content with her comfortable life, but she wished she could spent
just a little more time with Susan. She turned all her energy on her high school
studies, and she planned to take the medical exam and get qualified for a medical
course in college next year. Besides, a doctor made more than 500,000 NP a year
in Neopia.
That night when she came home, she got a surprising shock. And not altogether
a nice one either. "Luala, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I think it
would be better for you--us... better for us, to move to Faerieland." Luala's
heart beat rapidly as she tried to absorb the news she was getting. "Wh--what?!"
Susan mistook her horror for excitement and went on, "We'll move two days from
today, which is Thursday. I've already arranged moving vans to move the stuff
to our new Faerieland home. The college there is better. Since you're going
to be a doctor, the medical branch at the Faerieland University is much more
qualified. You'll be able to make some great friends there too. Oh, and the
new family, the McKinnons will be buying our house for some 250,000 grand!"
Susan whistled happily to her study room. Luala just stood there before she
automatically went upstairs to go to bed and never said a word.
***
"Well! How's this for a NeoHome of water and vapor!" Susan exclaimed during
their first morning in Faerieland after their moving day. "Mmmmm," mumbled Luala.
"Well, hurry off to school now and tell me all about your new friends when you
get home!" said Susan.
As Luala walked up to the her new high school, she had to admit it was pretty
impressive. She walked, still gazing and she tripped over a stone and dropped
her books. A glam looking Uni helped her pick up her books. Aren't Unis supposed
to be... vain? Maybe this one is nice for once... Luala thought to herself.
"Hey, I'm Christine. My dad's the school principal. You're Luala right? I
saw your owner Susan's article about money making in The Neopian Times. You
really have that much money?"
Ohhh... she likes my money, not me....
"Yeah I am."
"Do you want to hang out with me and my friends?"
Instantly, three more glam looking pets (a Usul, a Chia, and another Uni)
appeared at her side.
"Sure!" Luala said, a little too desperately.
"Great. Look, today after school, my gang and I are having a little... meeting
at the abandoned shed in the park. Want to come?"
After school, Luala picked her way through the junk yard behind the leafy trees
in the park and came to the shed, with Christine and her friends already there,
backs turned. The Usul spotted her.
"Hi Luala!" she whispered. She offered her a white stub.
Luala was surprised. "Um, is this the meeting?" she asked.
"Yeah," replied Christine dryly.
"We figured a rich city girl would already be doing the cool things in town."
"You think this is cool?" Luala said in disgust.
Christine turned on her. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with it. I bet you do
it all the time back home. If you want hang out with us, go on. If you don't
want it and act like some better-than-you goody two shoes, then go find some
loser group to hang out with. No one's ever been openly accepted into our popular
group, so make with your betters."
Luala thought about it, and still unsure, she reached for the white stub Marcia
(the Usul) was still holding...
"What are you four doing back there?" said a smooth, deep voice.
They all turned around. It was a very handsome Peophin, which Luala recognised
from Medical Today magazine. His name was Damon, a science prodigy. He had completed
the high school medical exam with full scores, gotten first place in district
science fairs three years in a row, AND he was cute. He was planning to go to
Faerieland University next year.
"Oh, just hanging around," mumbled Christine, who blushed. Obviously, she liked
him too.
Damon took one look at the white stubs and smoke, then caught sight of Luala.
She thought she saw a grin flicker. "You're Luala aren't you?" Then seeing the
surprise on her face, he added "News travels fast here. Hey look you guys, I
don't think you should be back here. I just saw a band of patrol Chias combing
the park... um, Luala... I also heard about your owner Susan. I read her article
too. Is it really true that um... well I don't want to sound that I care only
about money but..."
"Yeah, we have that much NP," Luala said shyly. Angry that Damon paid more
attention to Luala, Christine turned her back and starting walking away. "Where
are you going?" Damon said. Christine ignored Damon. "Are you coming or not
Luala?"
"Nah," Luala replied confidently and followed Damon away from the shed, leaving
a furious Christine who went back to the school.
Three months later, they got their report cards, and Luala faced an even bigger
shock than the move announcement. She had only Cs, Ds, and two Fs!! When she
showed it to Damon, he didn't believe that the teachers hated her. "Someone
must have tampered with your grades," he murmured. Just then, Christine came
around the hall, boasting in a loud voice that she got straight As. "Hmmmm..."
Damon said and went to his next class, Computers, which was with Christine.
***
Damon and Luala had signed up for the Yearbook Committee and got in. Meetings
were after school, so they headed off to the computer room. When they opened
the door, they glanced at the clock and realised they were early, but there
was someone there. It was Christine! She was typing on the screen, obviously
altering hers and Luala's grades. "You... you... filthy, cheating worm!" Luala
screamed. Christine faked a weak smile. "I was just making sure... the teachers
weren't altering your bad grades, you know. Hey... why don't you come with me
and my friends? You don't have to do the stubs either! Just, don't tell the
principal please!"
Luala exploded with anger. "You think I'd come and join you and your snitty
friends after what you've done?? Of course I won't! You know what, I'm not going
to do you any favours. Doing the stubs was bad, but altering grades is even worse.
You deserve some punishment. I'm going to leave this to our parents and the
principal. I don't want to stay here one moment longer. Thanks for you advice
though. "...Make with your betters..." I've made with my betters by not coming
with you and doing something that would harm my body." And with that, she took
Damon by the arm and left the school building.
The End
EPILOGUE: Luala passed the medical exam and was successful in her medical course
and throughout college. She received a medical degree and became a renowned doctor
throughout Faerieland.
Later, she started a medical book, but decided it was dull and boring, so she
tried her hand at writing a novel. She based the characters on her childhood.
It was called: Peophin
MD
Luala was trembling, sweat dripping off her forehead. In just a few hours,
she would get her exam results and her future would be decided... | 
