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A Translucent Poogle's Search For Home


by lily_death

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This Transparent Poogle leapt from his old owner's arms, bypassing my old Maraquan Draik. Skeletal paws, protected by gelatinous skin, thudded headstrong against the chocolate puddles and golden cobblestones.

      My arms were outstretched, ready to receive him. This was it. I found the perfect Neopet and he was coming home to me!

      He screeched front paws to a halt, splashing chocolate high above his head. His Possessed eyes glowed as he raised his nose and sniffed the air. This was unusual. I've never seen a neopet act like this before.

      In the distance, the old owner swaddled her Maraquan Draik as she carried him home, beaming and cooing. Meanwhile, my new Poogle grunted through his lips. I didn't understand what was happening. He shook his head at the ground, snorting.

      I reached my hand out to touch him, but he flinched backward. I pulled my hand away, dropping my mouth. Was it me? Did I make him upset?

      He lifted his hind legs, staring at the fresh grass sticking to them. His face fell and his lips curled inward as a tear fell down his cheek.

      "What's the matter?" I asked, squeezing my brows together with perplexion.

      "It's too different," he said solemnly. "This isn't who I am."

      "What isn't?" I said.

      He looked to the purple chocolate bubbling fountains lining the fresh grass and the cobblestone lanes. He sighed, deeper. "Well, It's just... too nice," he said. "I'm supposed to be spooky. Nobody will think I am if I'm staying here. It's not exactly the Haunted Woods, like home."

      "So... you won't even give it a chance?" I asked, patting his back.

      "I suppose," he said, sighing. You'd think he was painted grey, the way he looked.

      I did my best to cheer him up. I carried the Ornate Chocolate Staff as I walked, pointing out the fresh sun that hung over Neopia and it's rolling green hills of fresh Colour Lillies and Might Marigolds. Still, he couldn't lift his face from the ground.

      "You know, Fyora strolls right here through these gardens during the Faerie Festival," I said, hesitant behind my thin smile, "Isn't that wonderful?"

      He looked off in the distance, leaving me to wonder if he heard what I said.

      When we reached the borders of Altador, I stopped and knelt down to his level. "Listen," I said, "I would never want you to be unhappy so, if you like, I'll take you to the pound and we'll find your perfect home. It's not far from here."

      He nodded solemnly, then looked up at the staff. "Oh dear," he said, dropping his mouth.

      "What is it?" I said, as something warm and sticky dripped down my fingertips. I looked at the staff and noticed that it was melting right in my hands. So much for the joys of the Neovian sunlight.

      Before I could say a word, he grabbed it with his mouth. He held it proudly before me with a raised chin. "I'lph Carrf-fy fit," he said, speaking between his razor sharp teeth, dripping in chocolate.

      "Are you sure?" I said, patting his head.

      He nodded, grinning widely.

      On the way to the pound, the chocolate dripped from his mouth to his chin. He trampled over it with his heavy feet, sticking dirt under his paws. All the while, he crunched bits and pieces as it broke off in his mouth. By the time we arrived, there was almost nothing left but half of a sticky brown mask over his mouth. He couldn't stop grinning at me.

      "Okay," I said, quietly, "we're here."

      I sighed as I placed my hands on my hips, watching as some owners brought in Red Kacheeks and Woodland Unis, and others left with Cloud JubJubs and Faerie Pteris nestled in their arms, all beaming as they headed to their Neohomes. I longed to share their joy, but this time it wasn't meant to be.

      I said, "This is it. Are you ready to go?"

      There was no response. I looked down, noticing an empty spot where he was standing. He was already, happily. skipping back in the direction we came.

      "Wait a minute. Where are you going?!" I called after him, curling my lips as I squeezed my brows.

      "Home! Are you coming or what?" he shouted back, casually.

      I paused, letting my mouth hang open. Did he just say... home?

      He stopped short and looked back at me, grinning widely with teeth covered in sticky chocolate.

      I shrugged my shoulders and laughed. "Home it is," I said, to myself.

      As we walked, he looked at the chocolate fountains and poles with a new-found appreciation. "I didn't expect it to be so good," he said, still tasting the dried chocolate on his chin.

      "Well, maybe we can make it better. I know how to spook things up around here," I said.

      I took him to my closet, with a skip in my step. Inside awaited a world of new outfits for him to choose from. Wings, masks, gowns, and more. It was enough to make any Neopet sing.

      I pulled a pair of Dark Translucent Faerie Wings off the rack. His mouth hung open in awe as I hovered it over his head. "Do you like them?" I said, smiling widely. They broke free from my hands, with a power of their own and attached to his back. He immediately lifted inches from the ground, as his new wings flapped wildly in delight.

      "Here you are," I said, pulling some Dark Eyelash Face paint out of a drawer, "I think you need something to match your new look."

      He closed his eyes, barely fluttering them as I swiped the slick paint over them. The glitter glistened in the Neovian sun in shades of black and deep purple. "I'd say now," I said. "You have the best of both worlds. Something a little sweet and a little dark."

      He pounced past me and shuffled through a few old brown boxes.

      "What is it?" I said.

      He picked up a Skull bow, hardly able to contain it in his mouth with a widening grin, and brought it to me. "This—fff" he said, through his teeth.

      He shook with anticipation as I pinned the bow to his left ear. I never thought he would be so elated. If you would have told me I'd see it with my own eyes a half hour ago, I wouldn't believe you.

      "Perfect," I said. "How do you feel?"

      "The clothes are nice," he said. "But that's not why I'm so happy."

      "You could have fooled me," I said, playfully shaking my head, "so... why are you happy?"

      "You cared so much about my happiness that you were willing to bring me to a happy new home, even if it wasn't here. I don't think it was fair to you, though. It was my fault, I should have known. It's not the world that makes it the best home, it's the owner. I knew that when I saw you looking, not just at the pets, but all the happy Neopian owners whop carried them. That kind of compassion makes a true home that I want to be a part of and I know you want to be a part of it, too."

      "Oh..." I said, letting tears fall down my cheeks. I scooped him up in my arms and held him. His soft jelly was so squishy that I could feel his ticklish rib bones. He was absolutely perfect and he thought the same of me, of all owners in the world. When you look at it, this is only one tale from one Neopian out of millions of owners in Neopia, and it's everything we ever wanted. I wish every neopet knew what we realized.

The End

 
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