Finding Community in Chocolate

     “You’ve done it,” she bravely told herself in the mirror. “You are officially somebody. You belong. You earned an invitation. Act like it.”

     She stood a bit taller.

     It had been many years since Niluw became chocolate. But this was the first year she was invited to the chocolate event of the year: the Annual Chocolate Ball.

     Her cousins Liliakis, Miiacko, Tinnakine, Tronkii, Xan, and Antikanper had helped her get ready. They were all sweets of their own – candy, candy, custard, jelly, mallow, and biscuit respectively – so they knew how to put together a delicious outfit. However, they could never understand the importance of the factory or the ball. It is something deeply rooted in Chocolate Pet tradition. Niluw herself did not understand it until she became chocolate and learned about it. The more she learned the more she knew she needed to go. To others on the outside, like her cousins, it looked like a silly event with no purpose other than to exclude.

     Niluw continued to nitpick her appearance and listened to her cousins chatter amongst themselves.

     “I don’t understand why it’s ONLY for chocolate pets!” Miiacko whined.

     “Look, I’ve snuck in before, it’s not that great. It’s a bunch of old stuffy types acting like they’re better than everyone else,” Tronkii lied. He had never snuck in. Security is too good. He just wanted Miiacko to stop being sad and stop complaining.

     “It looks fun,” Miiacko protested.

     “I have some chocolate, I should count and get to go,” Antikanper said matter-of-factly.

     “I think ALL sweet pets should get to go.”

     “It’s a CHOCOLATE event.”

     “Why exclude anyone at all? Clearly, they’re only doing it to be rude,” Tinnakine snarked at them without looking up from her book. She didn’t really care, she just was hoping to point out their silliness.

     “It’s a chocolate factory!”

     Niluw’s eyes drifted from the bickering and made contact with Xan’s in the mirror. Xan smiled a tired smile. Almost as old as Neopia itself, he had seen a lot over the years. This bickering didn’t phase him. He winked at Niluw. “You’ll be great.”

     Niluw smiled back and closed her eyes. She tried to drown out the chatter. She heard Liliakis yell at everyone to be quiet then stomp out of the room and slam a door. At least that is one less opinion in the room.

     The bickering was not going to stop. Nliuw opened her eyes and glanced at the clock. The car was late. There was nothing to gain by waiting around.

     “Well, the car should be here any second so I’m going to wait outside. Ta-ta, and don’t wait up.” Niluw heard that ‘ta-ta’ was something fancy people said instead of ‘goodbye’ and she thought it felt right to test it out.

     “If you won’t take me as a guest can you sneak me in?” Miiacko whined.

     “That’s extremely not classy.”

     “Can you see if I can get an invite next year? Since I have some chocolate and all,” Antikanper persisted.

     “No. It’s a very specific event. I’m sorry everyone you feel left out but you could try starting an event for your paint. This is important to chocolate pets. I’ve waited for many years to get to go myself. You know this. Please, don’t ruin it. I love you. Goodbye. I mean ta-ta.”

     She shut the door behind her before they could continue to argue.

     The atmosphere outside was already exciting. She saw so many well-dressed Chocolate Pets walking around, in vehicles, some even flying. She felt confident once she left her cousins.

     The car pulled up. A kind-eyed Orange Chia looked up at her. “You Niluw?”

     “Yes, hi, thank you.” She got in.

     “I always look forward to taking someone to the ball. Everyone is so well dressed, it looks very exciting inside.”

     “It’s my first time going. I don’t know what to expect.”

     “Oh, hun, you will love it I’m sure. I’ve never been myself, but Fruit Chias have their own club too and it has become such a lifeline for me. I’ve made a lot of great fruity friends from all over Neopia. You should treasure this time you have together but more importantly, allow yourself to have fun.”

     “I hope to. I’ve wanted to go forever. I just finally got invited this year.”

     “Did you just become chocolate?”

     “No, I’ve been chocolate for a while. Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been successful in getting an invite.”

     The chia was quiet for a moment. “Sometimes we are our own worst critic and our own worst enemy. But don’t forget you do belong there.”

     Niluw wasn’t sure what he meant. She just nodded and adjusted her ear decorations absentmindedly. They took the rest of the ride in silence.

     When they arrived at the Chocolate Factory, Niluw got out of the car and thanked the chia. He tipped his hat and took off.

     She began looking around at the glitz and the glam, hearing the noise, feeling the music. Everyone was so excited. When making eye contact with another chocolate pet they gave a slight smile of acknowledgement. There was a deep connection and love outside.

     She walked up to the front. She opened her chocolate purse and pulled out her chocolate ticket.

     “Thank you, ma’am,” an onion kiko took the ticket and ate it. Niluw blinked at her in shock and quickly hurried inside.

     It was beautiful. Truly the most beautiful thing Niluw had ever seen. She didn’t even know how to describe it. The decorations were big, the colours were bright, the music was elegant. Above all else, it felt like home in some strange way.

     “Hi dear, welcome! Do you know where you’re going?” A friendly chocolate pteri chirped at her. A stunningly dressed Chocolate Yurble was standing next to the pteri and smiled.

     “No, this is my first time. I’m not sure where to go.”

     “Oh goodness dear. Come sit with us, we’ve been coming for ages. We first met here! I’m Trilly and this one here is Helena,” the pteri said.

     “You’ll love it,” Helena beamed.

     The three of them went into the main dining hall and sat at a table. Niluw continued to look around and take it all in. She could not believe how many Chocolate Pets were in one space. And the outfits were positively gorgeous. She would have to step it up next year, she decided.

     Dinner was served promptly at 7.

     “The guest speaker this year is amazing. I’ve heard him at some smaller events before. He’s so funny and smart,” Trilly said.

     “After the speaker is when the real fun begins though. It’s going to be loud dancing and partying all night!” Helena exclaimed.

     Niluw looked around at everyone talking and laughing. She slowly turned to focus on her table and started talking to the others seated. She learned a lot from her tablemates and opened up to them about her own life.

     “Attention, attention!” A Chocolate Draik flew up high into the air and was shouting at everyone, trying to quiet them. Niluw looked at the clock. An hour went by just like that.

     “Settle down everyone. I know we have a long fun night ahead of us and we want to catch up with each other. But Brennan so graciously came back as a guest so let’s give him our full attention. I know I always learn something listening to him and our newbies are probably very eager to hear what he has to say.”

     Niluw didn’t want to admit she had never heard of Brennan. A Chocolate Jetsam wandered out to thunderous applause.

     “This must be the man,” she thought. She really didn’t know about her own community and she felt like an imposter. She started clapping too as to not seem ignorant. She remembered what the orange chia said. “You’re not an imposter,” she told herself.

     Brennan gave an interesting lecture on the importance of bonding with chocolate pets. He also discussed things that she had difficulty articulating were issues with her non-chocolate friends and family like why she couldn’t go on vacation to certain lands which were hostile to her paint colour due to melting or freezing without taking extreme precautions. Niluw understood that the chocolate ball was so important to her community but she really didn’t understand why until hearing Brennan speak.

     Dancing went on late into the night, and the seemingly infinite supply of chocolate fountains and chocolate milks were divine. Niluw made so many new friends she didn’t know what to do. She was buzzing all night. She felt like she finally found somewhere she belonged. She made it, but it wasn’t the ‘it’ she was originally thinking when she finally received the invitation. She wasn't important because she got to go to a chocolate ball; rather, what was important was the community built at a chocolate ball.

     Her community.

     The End.