|
I collapsed on the floor beside Daarg, who was patting his
stomach contentedly. Edward closed his book, and sniffed the result of our baking.
"Hmm, what a lovely aroma," said Edward, "I'm sure we'll sell out!"
I brushed my dough-flecked hair out of
my face and sat up. "Yeah, you all did a great job!" I said encouragingly. The
pets beamed and grinned, and a few of the older pets started placing the food
on plates. Edward pushed his glasses up his beak, and pulled out a battered
blue Slorg calculator.
"We should start pricing all the food,"
he reminded me. I nodded in agreement and poised my pencil on my green lined
notebook.
Half an hour later, I had all the prices
scribbled on my notebook. I caught a glimpse of the clock, and realized that
I'd been working way overtime today and yesterday. "Well, it's worth it," I
said to myself. "And it's much more fun hanging out with the pets then staying
at home by myself."
"Alison?" Edward said uncertainly, "Who
are you talking to?"
"Uhh? Oh, no one."
"She's talking to herself because we've
all been working so hard that were stressed out," said the oldest pet there,
a blue Lupe named Argurd_III.
"Then let's go play Gormball outside!"
suggested Garth.
"Yeah!" cheered the pets, and in a second
they were all out the door.
I hesitated, wondering if I should go
with them, or just leave for the day. After all, my shift was over.
"Aren't you coming, Alison?" asked Edward.
"I don't really like sports either, but we can just watch."
"Oh, it's not that, Edward," I laughed,
"I'm just wondering if I should go or not."
"Hmmm…" the Lenny looked up at an official
Usuki clock on the wall and asked. "Oh, your shift should have ended a while
ago, shouldn't it have, Alison?"
I nodded, not knowing how to explain.
"Ahhh," Edward said wisely, "I understand.
Well, we're a hard bunch not to fall in love with."
"Yes, I suppose you are," I chuckled.
"Nooo! Daarg!" came the voices from outside.
"Don't eat the ball!"
"Run for cover everybody, it's gonna explode!"
"Daarg! Ball - not - food! BAD!"
Edward sighed. "Looks like I will be participating
in sports today. Tag." He ruffled his green feathers and hurried out the door
to help Daarg, or more likely, everyone else.
I watched him go, remembering what he
had said. 'We're a hard bunch not to fall in love with.'
"Very hard," I murmured, and I stepped
out into the sunshine after him.
As soon as I got out, the Gormball nearly
hit me in the face. I caught it at last minute, both of my arms bound around
the ball. It seemed that Edward had easily retrieved the ball from Daarg, and
now the game was starting up again. I joined the circle and passed the ball
to the ixi beside me.
SPLAT! The Gormball burst in the
Ixi's hooves, and I jumped out of the way just in time to avoid getting splashed.
Drenched in water, the ixi laughed good-naturedly with everyone else and went
to sit with Edward, Daarg, and a few other pets who had decided not to play.
Soon, it was just Garth and I left. Back
and forth the ball flew, as 31 pairs of eyes watched it go. Suddenly, the ball
exploded in mid-air right above the Gelert's head, soaking him from ear to paw.
"We have a new room 2 champion!" announced
a Wocky, and the pets cheered and clapped. Garth looked surprised.
"What's wrong?" I asked him.
"I… I've never been bombed by the Gormball
before…" he said slowly. "It… it feels great! Let's play again!"
The pets flocked back onto the grassy
field, as a new game started up. I picked up the ball and checked to see who
was beside me. It was Garth, wagging his tail and waiting fervently for me to
throw the ball in the air. I grinned, and did just that. As soon as Garth caught
the ball in his paws, it blew up, and another wave of water went splashing over
his already wet fur. He laughed and shook himself off, causing water to spray
over those nearest to him. Then he took off across the field, chasing everyone
and laughing. The ripped Gormball lay forgotten beside me, as a game of tag
began. I watched them run. In all the times that I'd played Gormball (which
wasn't much), the ball had never exploded on the very first turn. Maybe he did
it on purpose. I don't know.
***
The next day, when I opened the door to room 2 I was greeted by Argurd. I
blinked and looked around at all the other pets, who were sleeping peacefully
on the floor.
"They're a bit tired from all the cooking
and playing we did yesterday," he whispered, "but they should be up soon."
I crouched down beside Garth, who was
curled around the young Kyrii, Chyoo. The usual surly face that he gave me and
his excited, playful face were replaced by closed eyes and a closed mouth, giving
him a very calm look. Daarg was spread out on his back a few feet away, and
Edward was leaning against the wall, his blue Slorg calculator dangling from
his wing.
Later, when all of the pets had been awakened
by the rays of sunlight shining through the windows, we set up a checkered kitchen
table outside, and piled all the delicious goodies that we'd baked on top of
it. "Support the pound!" I called out. "Buy baked goods!"
An elegantly clothed Zafara stopped by
the table and scrutinized the food. Chyoo tugged adorably at her dress and said,
"Won't you buy a cookie?"
The Zafara's eyes softened. "Oh how cute,
of course I will!"
I grinned as the Zafara picked out a few
chocolate chip cookies. "Great idea," I whispered to Garth, "Neopians love baby
Neopets."
Garth ruffled Chyoo's hair as I told the
Zafara, "5 cookies will be 250 Neopoints, please."
***
"How are we doing, Edward?" I asked the Lenny, as a Kougra mother of 5 dragged
away her cubs, who were holding 2 chocolate Poogle cupcakes each.
"Excellently!" exclaimed the Lenny. "In
fact, I think all of the food has been sold! What a success!"
"How many Neopoints have we made?"
"Let me see… 7000 NP!"
A Meerca was sent down to the shop wizard
and he came back shouting, "current price for Christmas petpet paint brushes:
5400 NP!"
"We'll even have money left over!" crowed
Daarg. "How much will we have left over, Ed?"
"1600 Neopoints, Daarg," said Edward.
He pushed his glasses back up his beak and smiled.
"Let's go buy one right now!" said Garth.
I pocketed the NPs and took Chyoo, Garth,
Edward and Argurd with me. We chose a Christmas petpet paint brush, and I let
Chyoo carry it. We were all admiring it, when who other than the Pant Devil
should jump in the path!
"Hehe, what a pretty petpet paint brush…."
he snickered. "Mind if I have it?"
Argurd growled threateningly, and Garth
barked loudly behind him, but the Pant Devil didn't seem to be afraid. He merely
laughed at them, and said, "Do you think you can hurt me? Hah! Go ahead and
try!"
"Oh dear," said Edward nervously, "chances
of keeping an item away from the pant devil: not very high! Chances of getting
an item back once he's stolen it: almost 0!"
Chyoo started to cry and hugged me. "I'm
scared!"
The Pant Devil jumped abruptly, catching
Argurd by surprise. He yelped and fell backward, but he quickly got up again
and lunged at the Pant Devil, snarling, and tried to bite it.
"Oh, woe is me!" mocked the Pant Devil.
"Hehe, you are no match for me!" He easily slid out of Argurd's grasp, and flew
towards me and Chyoo, who was holding the petpet paint brush. Frozen on the
spot, I watched the Pant Devil come towards me. Just as he was almost there,
Edward yelled, "Now!"
A tree came shattering on top of the ferocious
Pant Devil, and he moaned, "I'll be back!" before disappearing. I turned around,
and there were Edward and Garth, in front of a tree stump. Edward pushed his
glasses up his beak and turned off his blue Slorg calculator.
"What was that?" I asked, staring at the
two.
"Simple mathematics," said Edward smartly.
"Says you," muttered Garth. "It's hard
pushing over a tree."
I laughed and pulled them both in an unexpected
hug. "Come on everyone," I said, "let's get back to the pound."
***
When we got back, there was a woman in room 2, talking to the pets. "This
is Mrs. Burzherlin," said Ms. Uni, "she'd here to adopt."
"Hello," I said to the woman, "if you
have any questions about the pets or adoption, just ask me." The woman asked
a few questions about some of the pets, and I answered as best I could. When
she left, I gathered all the pets of room 2 around me. "Come on everyone, we're
going on a fieldtrip to the petpet puddle!"
***
At the petpet puddle, I pulled the Christmas petpet paint brush carefully.
Rocky sat absolutely still beside me. I picked him up, and coated him with the
petpet paint brush.
"Here he is, Christmas Rocky !" I announced.
The pets cheered happily, and they all crowded around to pet him.
"We did it!" yelled Garth, and suddenly
he was pulling me into a hug. "Thanks Alison, we couldn't have done it without
you!"
I laughed and hugged him back. "Hey, you
guys did all the work!"
Edward smiled. "Well, let's go buy some
breakfast now!"
"Good breakfast!" said Chyoo.
The pets rushed toward the Shop Wizard
to see what kind of 'good breakfast' they could buy with 1600 NPs. Garth hopped
off my lap and ran up to lead them.
To be continued...
| 
