The Money Tree by ponygirlr |  |
"I'm hungry, mommy," cried Khanela2000, my baby Uni.
"Oh, honey! I'm really sorry, but we need to go to the Money Tree," I said,
full of sympathy, while I heard my own stomach growl.
I picked her up gently, trying to calm her down. I walked with her silently
in my arms, down the path to the Neopian Marketplace. I tiptoed over to the
Money Tree, trying not to make a scene so that everybody would see me and rush
over to try and beat me.
I ran over, Khanela still in my arms, and grabbed something, anything, off
of the tree. Oh, great, I thought. Another booby prize.
Seeming to have read my thoughts, Khanela said,"Try again, mommy. We'll get
something."
I shrugged and saw a group of rich Neopians walk past, talking and laughing
as though they were superior to everyone else. When they saw me, with my clothes
torn and dirty, and Khanela smudged with dirt, I heard one of them say,"Well,
I feel so sorry for all those less fortunate Neopians," then heave a huge, fake
sigh.
I looked down, then up again, seeing tears in Khanela's eyes.
"Ignore them," I said comfortingly, trying to convince her that everything
was OK.
"Cool! I got another Faerie!" said a passerby. "Yay! A codestone!" said another.
I could feel tears welling up in my own eyes. I thought, I have to be confident,
so my baby will be able to eat.
Finally, my moment came! I saw a nice glowing Fire Faerie, just sitting there,
nobody casting even a glance at it. I grabbed out for it quickly-- but someone
knocked my hand out of the way, grabbed it, and skipped away.
I sat down at the edge of the square, tired out and on the verge of tears.
I was used to having things taken from me, but I didn't know why I felt so bad.
Then, as if anything else could go wrong, my arch (and also rich) rival came
walking down the path. Oh, great, I thought to myself.
"Oh, look what the Kougra dragged in," he remarked sarcastically, while all
of his cronies sniggered behind their hands. "I personally think that these
people hanging around this dump should hitch a ride to Faerieland and get a
job."
"Be quiet!"I yelled in retort. "Don't make fun of me! You should consider
being nice to other Neopians, so you could actually get a quest from the Faeries!"
"Let's go," he said to his friends, and they walked off sulkily.
I sighed and plopped down next to Khanela. Her stomach's growls were barely
audible over my own.
I saw this other Neopian, who had bags of neopoints hanging out of her pockets,
yet was in the same state as me. She started walking towards me, and smiled.
I wonder what she's doing... I thought to myself.
"Hello, my name is Gurl32590. What's yours?" she asked, happily.
"Umm... ponygirlr," I replied.
"That's a nice name," she commented.
"Wow, thanks! Umm... yours, too!"
"I saw... well, heard, you and your pet's stomachs growling, and I was wondering,
maybe, if you would like some help," she asked politely.
I blushed, but replied,"Thank you so much. I've been at the Money Tree all
day, but haven't gotten anything, and I was just praying for someone like you
to come along!"
"OK! Here is 1000 Neopoints. That will be enough to open a shop and feed you
and your pet," she said, handing me the pouch of NP.
"Is there any way I could repay you? Anything?"
"Well, actually, no."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm here to help friendly, yet needy Neopians."
She turned and walked away. Someone just walked up to me and gave me 1000
NP... that was more than I'd ever had! I was so delighted!!! I walked off the
the Store Signup building, and registered my shop. I handed over the NP, and
my shop was officially in business! I named it, "The Friendly Helpers Store"
and planned to put things in cheap, so other Neopians like me could actually
buy things. Then I went to the Food Shop and, just my luck, they'd just restocked,
so I bought everything I could get my hands on. Then I could pay the plane fare
to Faerieland, so I took Khanela to the Healing Springs, and she looked as cute
as ever! I showered, then after we went back to Neopia, I let Khanela pick out
her own brand new outfit! She was delighted! Then I bought some things for myself.
A few months later, I was really rich, thanks to that one person, but I couldn't
remember her name. I thought a while, then found her name and saw that she was
still extremely poor herself but still helping others. I made her my Neofriend,
and paid her back. She said, "Thanks!" and that she would spend it
on others, but I gave her a Faerie and told her to keep it for herself, along
with the NP. We've been best friends ever since, and I don't think I'll ever
forget her!
The End |
