Caution: Quills may be sharp Circulation: 195,255,586 Issue: 835 | 27th day of Swimming, Y20
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Fiasco


by yizhegan99

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     She always have a passion for violin. Music was her source of expression and being a professional violinist was always her dream. The red Pteri would play melodies for hours envisioning herself basking in the limelight on stage. However, in reality, the dream of a professional violinist is too far a fetch. In fact, the red Pteri plays the violin so horribly that the flora surrounding her tilts their bodies away from her. Once, she attempted to play for Neopians in Kiko Lake. The applause to welcome her on stage soon turned to disarray as she played her first note and Neopians screamed in terror, followed by a stampede to escape the concert area. Only one remained. He was JubJub. He consoled and encouraged the depressed Pteri to continue playing and this was the start of their friendship. The next day the duo would meet high up in Terror Mountains, away from the crowd and Neopians, to practice scores of music. That was disastrous at the start for avalanches were triggered from ear piercing frequencies and after many complaints from residents, they moved into a cave.

     ‘This would be a cozy place to practice! Now that we are isolated, we would not disturb anyone and vice versa!’ exclaimed JubJub.

     Pteri nodded in agreement and started playing. After a quarter through the score, JubJub has not made any comments. Odd. Pteri decided to ask for advice and she turned to her friend.

     She stood stock-still.

     The ominous shadow looms over her. Pteri heart pounded furiously against her chest. Her mouth agape and her hands were cold and clammy. A cold shiver ran down her spine.

     It was Snowager.

     JubJub was frozen in thick ice. As Snowager prepared to fire another ice beam, Pteri rushed over to push the ice cube out of the cave and down the slope. She turned to check if Snowager was on hot pursuit. That was a mistake. She missed her footing and tumbled down the icy gradient. She rolled and rolled and rolled… and rolled some more. Further up, residents of Terror Mountains witness the ice cube heading straight to the Petpet store, while on the other side there was a snowball, with Pteri head sticking out, increasing in radius by the second. A frenzy ensued and the snowball came plunging down to the heart of town.

     ‘THAT’S IT! TAKE YOUR FROZEN FRIEND AND GET OUT OF TERROR MOUNTAIN! BOTH OF YOU HAVE TERRORIZED US ENOUGH FOR TODAY!’ screamed the residents.

     Pteri apologized and jumped to her feet and pushed her friend out of Terror Mountains hastily. A Usul happened to witness this unfortunate event and offered a helping hand. Poor JubJub, frozen in thick layers of ice which would take ages to thaw under the sun. Usul then suggested of taking JubJub to Moltara to speed up the thawing process. After a long arduous journey of pushing the ice cube, they made it and jubjub began thawing, much to Pteri’s delight despite being slow. While waiting, Pteri was curious and decided ventured around Moltara. The magma pool caught her attention. The glance around and the guard was asleep. Then, she saw a Scorchio emerge from the pool. Startled, she missed her footing and fell into the sea of red. Splashing and struggling in the knee deep pool, the guard woke up from the commotion and glared at Pteri. When she saw those eyes, she knew she was in hot soup.

     ‘GET OUT!’ bellowed the guard.

     The trio then scurried out of Moltara and made their way to Usul’s Neohome as Usul has a music room, an ideal place to practice the violin. As they made their way into the house, they seem to forget that Pteri had already turned from red to magma and the fact that magma burns anything flammable. The curtains, sofa and carpets caught fire upon contact with Pteri (as they are made of paper for unknown reasons) and soon, they were engulfed in an inferno. JubJub ran around aimlessly and accidentally kicked a Meturf, Usul’s Petpet, out of the window into the neighbor’s lawn. Pteri tried finding the exit in the thick smog, which was futile and she ended up turning into rooms and spreading the fire faster than it needed to. Usul was in a state of shock when suddenly realization hit her hard. Her Neohome was on fire! In five minutes, which seemed like an eternity, Neopian fire brigades arrived and fired jets of water to the raging blaze, or so they thought. Unknown to them, the water supply was contaminated with cans of oil by a robotic rusty Grarrl when replenishing water supplies. Upon realizing their mistake, and after most of the house got burned down, they got a new water supply and put out the fire in no time (as there are hardly any fire left to burn the blackened house by the time they got new water supplies). Miraculously, the music room survived the ordeal.

     Usul started weeping. The damage has been done and it cost about a million Neopoints to rebuild the house. Pteri felt awful and could only apologise profusely to Usul, not knowing how to consol her. JubJub popped out of the debris and looked around the ruins. It was a ugly sight and fire brigade Bruce felt sorry for them and also partly guilty for the oil in water supplies. He handed the trio a poster and a stripped paintbrush.

     ‘Here, take these. The poster indicated that there would be a music completion at Neopian square in exactly a fortnight’s time. I see you have a music room so I suppose this completion would do you guys useful. Reward is a million Neopoints and whole of Neopia would be watching this contest. Well, Pteri I strongly suggest you use stripped paintbrush as we wouldn’t want the concert hall to catch fire too right?’

     The trio’s faces lit up instantly. This would be their only opportunity to shine and repair the Neohome. Thanking Bruce, the trio pulled in whatever resources left to practice for the upcoming completion. Even JubJub decided to join in despite without any musical background. With help from Usul (she got the top grade for music in Neopian central), the trio worked around the clock, synchronizing and perfecting notes and rhythms. Their only practice audience was the meturf.

     It was the big day. Elegant and stylish clothings were something the trio could not afford. In the sign ups, they were out casted, jeered and even mocked at by other contestants. Usul and pteri were clearly upset and even wanted to pull out. However, JubJub insisted they go for the completion.

     ‘Listen, this is our only shot! Besides, what do we have to fear?’ questioned JubJub.

     ‘But we have nothing except our instruments and tattered clothing’ sobbed Pteri.

     ‘Exactly! We have nothing to lose! Anyways this is a music competition, not a fashion show!’ exclaimed JubJub.

     During the competition, there were many talented singers, pianists and musicians that impressed audience. And finally there was them. JubJub on the drums, Pteri with the violin and Usul with the guitar. Many Neopians pondered on the weird combination of instruments. The crowd started laughing hysterically.

     ‘HAHAHA. What kind of outfit is that? They look like beggars!’ Came a shout in the crowd

     ‘It’s the Pteri with the violin from Kiko Lake! Run for your lives!’ came a scream from the crowd.

     ‘Nobody runs out of this concert hall! How rude of the Neopian who said that!’ ordered Fyora. ‘Now this ought to be interesting. Three musical instruments of such rare combinations. You may begin whenever you are ready. Best of luck!’

     The crowed braced for a disaster with many from those that survived the horrifying ordeal at Kiko Lake covering their ears shut. When the trio began, eyes in those audiences began to shut too. Then, they started gasping. Eyes began to slowly open, as though they were in a state of trance. They put down their hands. Musical shockwaves shook the theatre. Halfway through, Pteri played in solo. The crowd could not believe their ears. There was almost no way it could have been the same Pteri that played in Kiko Lake. Pteri swung bow in the most elegant way one has ever witness. Then she stopped. Usul and JubJub were baffled. No one made a sound. No one moved. The outcome was clear. Fyora then stood up and applauded them, and so did the entire audience, everyone including contestants were cheering and screaming in joy. Many were seen tearing. That was one spectacular and splendid concert.

     After the competition, the trio went around Neopia to perform for awhile before retiring and disbanding the group. Pteri, a renowned violinist, went on performing for free around Neopia for communities and events. Usul renovated and rebuild her Neohome and became one of Neopia’s best musical conductor. And as for JubJub? He decided to sit in his room to write a short story about his musical adventure.

     The End.

 
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