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Untitled Document
Tsunami looked up at the sunset sky over Mystery Island,
the cool breeze ruffling her rust-coloured mane, still damp from her swim earlier
in the day and tied back around her ears in a ponytail. It was a beautiful evening,
and the young Peophin was happy just enjoying it sitting by herself under a spreading
rain tree on the bank of the river that flowed past the house where she and her
family lived.
Well, not quite by herself. Tsunami looked down
lovingly at the tiny olive-coloured creature perched between her sea-green forelimbs.
Wavelet, her Searex, looked back up at her with pale green eyes and chirruped
softly. Tsunami smiled.
Wavy was her constant companion, and he suited
her perfectly, as all her other siblings' pets suited them. Her sister Dasher's
Warf, Frisky, lived perfectly up to her name, being as rambunctious and playful
as the Gold Gelert herself. Her brother Florepa more often than not got out
on the wrong side of the bed every morning, but the disgruntled Zafara greatly
appreciated the comical antics of his Chezzoom, Mercutio, that put him into
a good mood, even though he never admitted it. Wen the Grarrl was thankful for
his Uggatrip, Lil Red, who was quite a gourmet of sorts and helped him sample
his new recipes. And Wavy himself complemented Tsunami's own quiet, reflective
personality, content to sit beside her and enjoy the evening, or the morning,
or whatever time they had together.
At any rate, as solitary a life as Tsunami led,
she loved her family dearly, as well as the few close friends she had. They
were coming over that very night, just for a gathering together of good friends
enjoying each others' company.
A red head, crowned by a blue mane and bronze
face shield with a gleaming jewel fixed to its centre, broke the calm of the
river. Tsunami started in surprise, then relaxed. It was one of her best friends,
Mirow427_2000, whom she like everyone else called simply Mirow.
The young red Peophin emerged from the water,
shaking droplets from his mane. He turned his dark eyes to Tsunami and smiled
warmly.
"I thought I'd find you here."
"You didn't go up to the house?"
"No, I know your haunts. And I know you'd not
miss a sunset for anything, just like your sister. You both just have different
sunset-gazing places. Dash goes up on the hill; Su goes down to the river."
Tsunami smiled gently as she glanced up at the
dying sun.
"It's getting late. Streak, Rai and Kaina will
be here any moment."
Mirow nodded agreement. "We'd best get back
to the house then.
"Come on, Wavy," Tsunami called over her shoulder
as the little Searex slid across the sand and grass to her. She set him gently
on her back where he clung on with his fins. "Let's go home then." Both Peophins
trotted together back to the house some distance away.
When they got there they found Tsunami's other
three friends waiting in the living room with Shell, Tsunami's owner.
"Ah, you're here at last," she said warmly when
she saw Mirow and Tsunami. "Wen will call you down for dinner when the time
comes. I believe he's trying out a new recipe for Cloud Pizza tonight for dessert.
I'll just leave you all alone then. Have fun."
She disappeared into her own room. Probably
going to work on another Neopian Times story, thought Tsunami. She could hear
Wen in the kitchen busying himself cooking dinner. Dasher would be in her room
reading a book, and Florepa polishing his Zafara Torch. Tsunami turned happily
to her friends.
Tsunami didn't have many friends, but those
she had were very dear to her. There was Streak512, Streak to her friends, who
was ensconced on the sofa, her blue tail trailing on the floor. Streak was a
budding poet, and loved penning made-up verses, which all her friends agreed
were a beautiful use of words. There was Kainitsa beside her, who loved to write
as much as her owner did. She was as blue as Streak, but Tsunami could always
tell them apart. The three of them loved spending time together, frolicking
in the warm waters off the coast, or just lying on a sun-warmed rock or anywhere
really, chatting and laughing.
The last was Raiiek, whose coat was rare in
a Peophin; it was an ashy grey with bright flames that licked up his legs, tail
and mane. The only Fire Peophin known to exist… to Tsunami anyway.
The five Peophins greeted each other and climbed
the stairs to Tsunami's room.
"So how have things been with all of you?" Tsunami
asked, closing the door.
"Wonderful," Streak sighed, sprawling on the
floor. "But my owner's been so busy though, that she hasn't come to Neopia for
ages."
"Mine too," Kainitsa added. "Exams in the human
world can't be very nice if they take up so much time."
"Exactly," said Raiiek. "Neopian exams are never
too much to handle."
Tsunami smiled. Her friends' owners coming from
a different part of the world from Shell, they had exams at different times.
"So how have things been with you while we were
away, Su?" Mirow inquired.
Tsunami thought. "Well… Flo's been battling
more than ever. Dasher's getting smarter and smarter thanks to all the books
she's been reading lately. Wen has had the Dark Faerie of the time working on
a recipe for Sporkle meat that cancels out that awful bitter taste.
Shell's working on yet another bunch of stories,
and I…" She stopped. "I'm pretty much the same, I guess…"
Mirow grinned. "No matter, I like the way you
are. Now, suppose we have some music…"
Immediately the others perked up.
"Yeah, Su," called Streak. "Give us a song."
Tsunami looked shyly at her friends. "You all, I'm not that good a singer…"
"Su, don't be ridiculous," said Kainitsa. "You
love to sing, you're with friends, and that's reason enough."
"Well…alright, if someone else can play the
keyboard."
Tsunami nodded to a small remote keyboard lying
beside her bed. "I can't play it very well."
"I'll do it," Raiiek volunteered. "I've been
practicing hard since you taught me the basics. What shall I play?"
"A fast, cheerful song that's simple to sing,"
said Mirow thoughtfully. "How about 'Poogle Racers?"
"That'll be fine," Raiiek replied, and began
to tap on the keys. A lively melody exploded from beneath the combined effort
of his hooves and tail.
"Go on, Su," Streak urged.
Somewhat uncomfortably, Tsunami began the first
verse.
"Poogle Racers sing this song, Poo-gah, poo-gah,
Poogle Racers can't go wrong, oh the poo-gah day."
She lost her awkwardness as the melody and words
took over. Like any other song, this was where she belonged, singing it. Happily,
she swung into the chorus.
"Race down the Hidden Tow'r, don't need to
land in hay, Poogle Racers fast and strong, don't get in their way."
The friends listened to her clear, melodious
voice accompanied by Raiiek's experienced playing sing each verse, all of which
she knew perfectly, and then joined her in singing the chorus.
"Red Poogles can't take the heat, poo-gah,
poo-gah, Poogle Racers can't be beat, oh the poo-gah day."
"Don't race round in Faerieland's ring, poo-gah,
poo-gah. Burning Sakhmet sand's their thing, oh the poo-gah day."
On the last chorus, Tsunami went up several
notes and harmonized perfectly with her friends, holding the last note a little
longer than normal.
"Race down the Hidden Tow'r, don't need to
land in hay, Poogle Racers fast and strong, don't…get in…their…waaaaay!"
They dissolved into laughter and collapsed onto
the carpet as the song ended and Raiiek pounded a last exuberant chord on the
keys by stepping down hard with both hooves.
"That was fun," he said, as he joined the mirthful
group on the floor. "But really Su, you do sing well," he added more seriously.
"Rai's right," Kainitsa agreed. "You should
try recording a demo and sending it to a studio… you could be a star, Su."
"Well…I don't know. I love to sing, but I don't
need to be a big star."
"You don't have to be a big star, but at least
consider performing…in our school concert or something," Streak said firmly.
"Dinner!" came Wen's shout from the dining room.
"At least think about it," said Mirow gently
as they filed out of the door. "You have the talent."
Tsunami nodded thoughtfully and followed her
friends down the stairs. On the landing she paused to look at a framed photograph
hung on the wall of herself and her family.
She suddenly realized that her siblings and
owner each had something they wanted out of life. Shell was working for more
and more stories in the Times because she loved writing so much. Dasher longed
to read every book in Neopia. Wen wanted to sample every Gourmet food he could
manage to get his claws on. And Florepa aspired to be the best Battledome fighter.
"And me?" she said to herself softly. "What
dreams do I have? Am I perfectly content…or do I want-"
"Su," came Mirow's voice from below. "What's
taking you?"
"I'm coming," she called as she slid down the
stairs to the dinner table.
To be continued...
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