It's Basic Logic

      “Six o’clock already?” she groaned. Time to wake up and go to work. She got dressed and plodded towards the kitchen.

      Arya was a petite green Uni who was not a morning Neopet. A scowl crept across her face as she made her daily coffee and marshmallows, resenting her need to be awake at this hour. Grabbing her mug, the grumpy Uni headed out of the front door.

      Arya lived in Neopia Central with her parents and sister, where her family has lived for generations. Their cottage style home held so many fond memories from her childhood, her mother’s childhood, and her grandmother’s childhood too.

      The green Uni walked through the door at work, greeting the dapper Skeith bank manager with an unenthusiastic, “Morning”. She worked as a financial advisor at the National Neopian Bank and didn’t necessarily dislike her job. Arya did, however, dislike the hours she worked.

      By the time she had finished her coffee and marshmallows, it was only seven o’clock. She looked out of her office window and stared at the Rainbow Pool’s cascading fountain. Arya spent lots of her free time at work watching the lucky patrons at the Rainbow Pool become exactly the Neopets they were meant to be. It felt like some days she could live vicariously through them and other days, she was just full of heartache and jealousy. Today seemed to be the latter.

      She sighed as she watched a regular blue Cybunny get painted cloud. “She’s absolutely beautiful,” Arya said aloud, stifling tears.

      At that moment, the bank manager barged in. “Arya, your client is here,” he boomed, his navy tie swinging atop his rounded belly as he leaned in.

      “Yes, yes. Just a moment,” she said, grabbing a tissue to dab her eyes with. “Send them in.”

      ***

      “How was your day at work, honey?” Arya’s Dad asked as she walked through the door with her briefcase. He was cutting up herbs to garnish the early dinner that was about to be done cooking.

      “It was fine. I helped a few existing clients manage their financial plans and opened a new account for a new customer, but that’s it. Pretty uneventful,” she said as she sat down at the dining room table.

      “That’s amazing, Arya. You’re making a real difference in Neopia, I promise.” Dad was always so optimistic.

      “Thanks, Dad.” Arya said as her father placed a cup of homemade beef and veggie soup in front of her. Her sister, Maryn, and Mom were still at work during this time, so Arya and her Dad always ate a private dinner together, just the two of them.

      As they were finishing up their bowls, Arya paused and dropped her spoon. She was silent for most of their meal, deep in thought.

      “Dad?” she said softly.

      “What is it, honey?” Her father could sense concern in her voice.

      “Why is our whole family just basic colours? Maryn and I are green. You’re blue, Mom is yellow. No offence, but it seems dull and boring. I can see the Rainbow Pool from my office window, and I watch Neopets from all over Neopia come to our town to be painted beautiful and unique colours every day. They all seem so happy and so themselves once they’re finished…” Arya’s lip began to tremble. “It just feels like I don’t know how to be ‘me’, you know?”

      Arya’s Dad reached across the table and gave his daughter’s shoulder a squeeze of reassurance. He swallowed, holding back tears himself. “Arya, I’m so sorry you feel that way… I don’t quite know what to say,” the blue Uni said, trailing off in momentary defeat.

      “You don’t have to say anything, Dad. I think I just need a hug right now,” Arya said, standing from her seat at the table. They shared a long embrace before taking their dishes to the sink.

      Dad was a man of few words, but the words he chose were always so kind and meaningful.

      As Arya scrubbed her bowl, her father said abruptly, “While I can’t make any decisions for you, let me tell you my story, Arya.” She looked at her father and his crow’s feet lined, honest eyes. She nodded her head in reply.

      “Long before I met your mother, I wanted to paint myself Tyrannian and move across Neopia. With a name like Brutus, I thought Tyrannian fit me perfectly. Tough, thick-coated fur with a rugged aesthetic. Sounded great for a young stallion like myself,” He chuckled endearingly. “But then I realized that it wasn’t my colour that made me Brutus. It was my everyday actions, my attitude, my wants, my needs. I knew that I could be Brutus by doing what made me happy and I did just that.” He trailed off, a smile etching itself on his face as he reminisced in his head.

      “Okay… And what made you happy, Dad?” Arya still didn’t quite understand what her father was saying.

      “What made me happy was Neopia Central and my family here. I felt most like myself around those that I loved and in my work at the NC Mall. I was able to build that store from the ground up with some of its founding members. I was able to help dress Neopians and make them feel good about their wardrobes. It was and still is so rewarding. My life here made being blue feel just right in the end.”

      “Hmmm,” Arya stroked her chin, finally discerning her father’s words.

      “Arya, what would be rewarding to you? If painting yourself faerie and moving to Faerieland would make you feel like your true self… If it would truly be rewarding to you, then make it happen. We’ll all support you.”

      “Thanks, Dad,” she said with a sincere smile. “I’ll have to really think about it.”

      ***

      The following day was a Saturday and Arya had off from work. She slept in until nine o’clock, waking up more refreshed than she’d felt all week.

      Arya got out of bed and found a cup of hot coffee and marshmallows on her desk with a pad of paper next to it.

      “Dad must’ve made this for me. How sweet of him,” she thought to herself.

      On the paper was a post-it note. It read: “Good morning, honey. Here is some paper to jot down what would be most rewarding to you - Today, tomorrow, next week, next month, or maybe even next year. Love, Dad”

      Arya sat down to write and took a sip of her coffee, implored by her father’s thoughtfulness and their conversation the night prior.

      For hours, she thought, wrote, erased, thought some more, and wrote.

      By the end of her writing session, she had filled three pages and come to a realization. She knew what would be most rewarding to her and she was sure the bank manager wasn’t going to like it.

      ***

      Arya was awake before her alarm on Monday morning and dressed and ready to go by her six o’clock wake up call. Today was the day she started her journey to become her true self.

      She crossed the threshold into the National Neopian Bank and walked up to the bank manager’s golden, shiny desk.

      “Excuse me, sir?” Arya said with as much confidence as she could muster. “Do you have a minute?”

      The Skeith looked up through his thick, protruding brows, underbite relaxed, but pronounced. “I do. The doors don’t open for another fifteen minutes. What do you need, Arya?” He said in a gravelly voice.

      “Well, what I need, sir, is a job I’m passionate about - a job that’s rewarding,” Arya said, her voice cracking only slightly.

      “And I take it that job isn’t the one you already have?” The bank manager raised a displeased eyebrow.

      “Unfortunately, it is not.” She began to feel clammy but stood resolute.

      “I understand.” The Skeith looked down at the papers on his desk with an emotionless stare, seemingly done with the conversation.

      “You do?” Arya said, slightly flabbergasted.

      “Of course. I love money so much; I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life.” He continued to flip through the papers in his clawed hands, the expression on his face remaining untouched.

      Arya stood there awkwardly, unsure of how to respond. “How could someone love money that much?” she thought to herself.

      “Go on, you need to find your ‘money’.” The bank manager chortled. “You can pack up your desk whenever you’re ready. I’ll take your client load while we look for your replacement.”

      Arya’s draw dropped in the best kind of surprise. “Wow, sir. Thank you so much for being so considerate,” she said incredulously.

      “You’re welcome. I’m less callous than I seem,” The left side of his mouth raised in a fang-filled, crooked grin.

      ***

      Feeling even more unwavering in her convictions, Arya headed to the Rainbow Pool.

      She walked up close enough to see a Meerca bathing in the fountain and watched him change from red to faerie in one magical instant not ten feet away from her. Arya could feel her heart swell with pride for the Neopet.

      As she was caught in a trance watching the Meerca bask in his newfound radiance, a rainbow Usul slowly approached her, observing her reverential gaze.

      “Greetings. Are you here to be painted, love?” the Usual asked Arya.

      Startled, she jumped. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you there!” Arya was embarrassed that she was caught off guard, but continued, “No, no. I’m actually here to apply for a job opening… Err, if there are any, that is.” The Uni was just realizing that she was slightly unprepared and, while emboldened, did indeed come here on a whim.

      “You know, I’m normally the only Neopian ever employed here. Anyone else you see working is actually a volunteer…” The Usul tapped her pencil to her lip. “However, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone look at the Rainbow Pool with such admiration. You’d think you were looking at the Rainbow Fountain!” She laughed aloud at her own joke.

      “Anyways, my name is Kaleidoscope. It’s nice to meet you!” The Usul smiled the sweetest smile Arya had ever seen.

      “I’m Arya!” she replied. “I was a financial advisor at the National Neopian Bank for about four years, if that’s relevant experience for any roles you might have in mind.”

      “That’s perfect! Would you like to be a paintbrush advisor here?” The Usul asked excitedly.

      “What would being a paintbrush advisor entail?” Arya asked, intrigued.

      “I’m not entirely sure, as I’ve just made it up, but here’s what I’m thinking - You’d be helping to advise Neopets on what colour they’ll choose to be. Painting yourself at the Rainbow Pool is such an intimate and personal decision. It shouldn’t be taken lightly and, frankly, requires a skilled consultation. Is that something that would interest you?”

      Arya smiled from ear to ear. “Oh my goodness! That sounds like an excellent fit. When can I start?” She could barely contain her enthusiasm and Kaleidoscope didn’t make it any better.

      “Right now!” she shouted in response. The Usul started to jump up and down, her ears flopping gracefully with the momentum. Arya couldn’t help but join in, her hooves nearly galloping on the ground below her.

      “Let me grab the necessary paperwork to make it official. Will you give me a copy of your resume?”

      “Absolutely!” That was one thing Arya was actually prepared with. “Here you go,” she said, handing Kaleidoscope the paper from her briefcase.

      The Usul took the paper gingerly. “Thank you, love! I’ll be right back.” Kaleidoscope walked away to grab the hiring paperwork.

      Arya watched the giddy Usul walk away and sighed looking up at the clear blue sky.

      Arya was still a green Uni and she felt completely content with that. She realized that being a basic colour didn’t mean she lacked personality or passion. She was as unique as a Uni could be, no matter what colour she was.