Braids Are Not Meant for a Usul
As soon as Rina had gotten herself looking Desert, she hurried to the salon
to get Evangeline's hair done.
Pshante was a hairdresser at Ptashi's Hair Salon. But she was also a cruel
Island Uni, tugging and pulling at poor pets' hair!
"Go up there, Ev. Tell Ptashi you want Pshante to give you Usul braids. You
know all our information," Rina told her, digging in her pocketpurse for 10 NP
(at the time that was many a Neopoints).
"Pshante?! Mum, you know how bad Pshante treats her pets..." Evangeline said,
examining the list of hairdressers. "How about Pataf? She got a five-star-rating
from her customers," she suggested.
Rina shook her head. "Pataf will never braid as well as Pshante. We only want
the best," she said firmly. She handed Evangeline 9 NP. "We sure are scratching
for Neopoints, aren't we... you'll have to give her a point less and hope she
doesn't notice, Ev."
Evangeline had no problem with that; she marched right up to the cashier Ptashi
and handed her the Neopoints.
"I'm sorry, little Usul. This is not enough for Pshante. You may have Ptergin
instead, though, she is just as well," Ptashi apologised, gesturing to a feminine
Techo. Ptergin grinned at Evangeline, and she fidgeted a little.
"Uh-I- no, thanks, I would like Pataf instead, please," Evangeline told her.
"Pataf does not work today. The open 'dressers are Pshante, Ptergin, Pti'u,
Putamuey and Pollong. You may afford Ptergin, Putamuey and Pollong but Pshante
and Pti'u and I are more expensive," Ptashi explained, a little bit impatient.
"Oh-I-okay, Pollong, please," Evangeline said.
Ptashi grabbed Evangeline's arm and, glancing at the long line behind the
counter, led her to another waiting line. A Striped Aisha was at the end, to
guide the pets to the proper dressers. The line wasn't too long; only four or
five people, and soon enough Evangeline's hair was being roughly pulled and
tugged into something resembling Usul braids. Braids are not meant for a Usul,
their hair should be hung loose, but this did not matter to neither Rina nor
Pollong and they braided them anyway.
"Stay still," Pollong ordered, and she yanked on Evangeline's hair. A shot
of pain cracked through all her head.
She almost screamed, but wouldn't that be embarrassing! She groaned quietly
instead.
"Mmmmmmfow," she said.
"Something's wrong?" Pollong snapped, annoyed. Surely Pollong was as bad as
Pshante!
"No... nothing," Evangeline mumbled.
It was over after an hour or two, and Evangeline's hair was neatly and tightly
tucked into little braids. How fancy she would look, for salons were rare in
old Neopia and you could only find them in town; thus most people had normal,
home-done hair.
She went home and with the cork of berry juice, painted her lips neatly so
that they shone red. Miss Riechlyde was quite special, and dressing up in front
of her was important.
She shouted to uber_stars_sky that she was ready.
Rina showed up at Ev's loft. "Wipe that juice off your lips this instant,
Evangeline Ashen!" she exclaimed. She frowned in disapproval.
Uber appeared behind her. "Why? We're leaving now, Rina, aren't we?"
"Oh!" Rina remembered. "I'm not used to going to town, you know. Especially
not going to see someone so important as Miss Riechlyde. But yes-the juice will
do, Ev. Just don't overdo it, okay?" she turned and left abruptly.
"You better put something on special, too, you know!" Uber shouted after her.
She turned to Evangeline. "You look pretty, Ev. I'll tell you when we're leaving."
Then she turned on her toes, and left.
Evangeline sat on her bed. Her pen reed sat on her bureau, along with her papyrus.
Quickly she grabbed them and wrote a letter to Gingeralia, explaining what
was happening.
In the middle of the word "Riechlyde," Uber shouted to Evangeline that they
were ready to go now. She hurriedly dried the ink and shuffled out the room,
her plain beige gown dragging along the dusty floor.
We Wanted Miss Riechlyde!
They reached Miss Riechlyde's office soon enough-or rather, they reached
Miss Riechlyde's castle soon enough. Delicato Riechlyde lived in an eerie, 649-year-old
castle-like house. It was large enough to be a palace. There was no line at
all, most people didn't even bother to try to get matters through with the king.
A long red carpet led up to the dungeon doorway, where a man in a uniform awaited
them. He ask for their names.
"Evangeline Dolcin, blue Usul," Uber began. She paused, looking at the man.
"Yes," he said finally as he realised she was waiting for an answer.
"Fearina Dolcin70, red Usul," Uber continued. She didn't wait this time. "uber_stars_sky,
owner in Neopia Frontier," she finished. She looked up.
"Evangeline Dolcin, Fearina Dolcin70, uber_stars_sky, all follow," the man
said in a robotic voice. He turned and led them up a long flight of stairs,
then down a corridor. They entered a chamber. Another man in a different uniform
was waiting.
"All involved, please," he said in the same voice as the first man.
"Evangeline Dolcin-" Uber started.
"All except for the past names stated," the first man interrupted as he left,
without looking back.
Uber frowned, and then went on. "Gingeralia248 Omskkew," she said. She stopped
and thought. There was Ginger's mother, but she wasn't involved. Aha!
"Mister Jorgefrey," she completed her list. Mister Frey came every week to
plant their crops, and perhaps he'd put it there.
"All follow," said the second man.
He led them back out into the corridor and across it was a second chamber.
A woman sat at a desk, scribbling down all different business things.
"What now?" she snapped, looking up. She pulled down her glasses.
"Aye, Missus Chrysanthemum. These madams wish to see you," the second man said,
and hurried out the room.
"M-m-Missus Chrysanthemum?" Rina repeated. She looked at Uber uncertainly.
"We wished to see Miss Riechlyde, ma'am," Uber said quietly, glancing back
at Rina.
"I know," the Missus replied impatiently. "Now, what's the matter of business?"
"No-I don't think you understand. We wanted to see Miss Riechlyde, not you,"
Rina repeated.
"I said I know that," the Missus said, getting annoyed, "I suppose I'll have
to explain the process. You explain everything to me, and if I think it's important
enough, I tell everything to Miss Riechlyde. She might tell it to King Ayrus
then, I don't know, really." She rolled her eyes a little. "Now, what's the
matter of business?"
"Well, Mister Jorgefrey came to plant our crops and my daughter, Evangeline
Dolcin and her friend, Gingeralia, went out to pick some tigersquash...."
To be continued... | 
