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The Origins of Friendship


by hogwartsbean3

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It wasn't always easy being friends with Favar. The Kougra was hyperactive and unpredictable at the best of times, but for as long as Dreslo could remember now they had been the best of friends. Whenever anyone asked him how they had met, Favar would laugh as though it was the most ridiculous question in the world, as if he would remember something so trivial. But Dreslo could remember it as though it was yesterday.

     It had been a regular kind of morning, and Dreslo had been sat eating Juppie Jam Croissant's with his owner when she announced her intentions for the day.

     "I thought we could take a trip to the magic shop this afternoon, see what potions they have for sale!" she had said, Dreslo just nodded. He never disagreed with anyone, even though the idea of heading into the dark and spooky magic store terrified him. He nervously pulled his shoes on just a few hours later and dragged his feet along the floor as they walked together through Neopia Central.

     "Let's head for Iced Tea at The Coffee Cave first," his owner had said, that was back before the store had moved to Roo Island. Whenever they were in Neopia Central they would always go for an Iced Tea, Dreslo always went for Grenanna flavour, where as his owner would always pick something different every single time. This day was no difference, although they sat in complete silence which was unusual, Dreslo was way too worried about what was to come to talk. Instead he sat watching all the other customers, with their various coffee's and tea's, cakes and biscuits. A pink Lenny sat nearby drinking out of the tinniest cup Dreslo had ever seen, ordinarily it would have made him chuckle, but not today. It was then he noticed the camouflage Kougra bouncing up and down on his chair in the corner. He was making more noise than most of the other customers put together. The Kougra looked as though he was having the best time ever, talking animatedly about a painting he'd drawn earlier in the day. He still had a large patch of purple paint on his head, and oodles of red jam all over both his front paws. His owner looked terrible, her hair was standing on end and there were splatters of paint all over her jumper, she was staring at the Kougra with wide, exhausted eyes as he continued to talk, louder and louder.

     "Let's go, Dres!" His owner had smiled at him as he tore his eyes away from the spectacle in the corner. As they had headed towards the Magic Shop he had almost forgotten his fear, but as they got nearer to the strange shaped shop he began to tremble. His owner smiled reassuringly at him and led him inside. It was dark and dusty and it took his eyes a moment to readjust to the dimmer light. Clouds of colourful smoke were erupting from various shelves and bottles, and the sweetest smell Dreslo had ever smelt had lingered in the air. As he looked around him at all the wonderful shapes and colours of the bottles, he lost all sense of where he was, until he looked up and discovered his owner no longer beside him. He started to move backwards, feeling as though the shelves and the smoke were closing in on him.

     "ARGH!" he cried out as he hit something squishy!

     "Careful mate!" It was the Kougra, who grinned at him and went bounding past straight into the dark depths of the shop, knocking over a little green bottle as he ran past. His owner hurried behind him looking wary. Dreslo looked around and hastened to follow, hoping he would bump into his owner on the way. He found her talking to Kauvara, the owner of the shop, who was smiling and laughing about something.

     "You don't look very happy!" The Kougra had appeared next to him, and grinned at him as he spoke.

     "I don't really like it in here..." Dreslo had whispered, he didn't enjoy talking to strangers any more than he liked visiting strange places.

     "Why not?" the Kougra asked him, without giving him chance to answer. "I think its brilliant, there's so much to look at, don't you think?"

     "I suppose..."

     "What's your name? Mine's Favar. We've had a really good day today, so good, we even got to go to the rainbow pool, I was orange this morning, now I'm Camouflage! Have you ever been another colour? I was always Orange before!"

     Dreslo just stared, no one had ever said so many words so fast, he was sure. As Favar stopped and gazed at him, his mouth slightly open, Dreslo wasn't exactly sure which question he was supposed to answer.

     "Dreslo," he had said, feeling moronic and blushing.

     "That's not a colour!" Favar had cried. "I don't think it is, anyway. Let me go and find out!"

     As he stepped away, Dreslo just watched, stunned.

     "Who was that, Dres?" His owner was back, holding a black potion bottle with wings. Dreslo looked suspiciously at her.

     "His name's Favar, he's very... happy."

     "Oh, lovely. Dres, this is a shadow Shoyru morphing potion, I thought it was about time for a change?" His owner smiled at him, and held the potion up. Dreslo shuddered so much he thought his legs would surely crumble. He wasn't sure he wanted to be a shadow Shoyru. How could she spring it on him like this. How would it taste? Would it hurt? How would it feel to be a new colour and a new species? He didn't like the idea, not one bit.

     "A shadow Shoyru, is it?!" Favar was back, appearing over his owner's shoulder and sniffing at the potion bottle. "I think that'll look wonderful. My owner said there's no such colour as Dreslo, so I suppose Shadow is a good choice instead."

     "Dreslo is his name," his owner said as she handed him the bottle with Favar grinning from ear to ear next to her. He held the bottle gingerly, and wanted so badly to ask all the questions he had worried about, but with Favar there he was too embarrassed, so with a deep breath he gulped it down in one.

     "EXCELLENT!" Favar cried, and when Dreslo opened his eyes again a few seconds later, everyone in the shop was smiling and clapping for him. It was his turn to grin, but his was far more bashful, and although no one would be able to see it anymore, his cheeks were glowing with embarrassment and pride.

     Favar and he had chatted for a while then about their new transformations, he had felt much braver after drinking the potion, it was just about the scariest thing he had ever done, and so the idea of chatting with the excitable Kougra was far less scary. Favar had declared loudly that Dreslo was surely supposed to be his best friend, they had both shared such a special day now! They had agreed to meet just a few days later, and then every day since they had been on the most marvellous adventures together. Dreslo was still as scared of most things as he had ever been, but with Favar by his side, he felt as though he could do anything.

The End

 
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